VT Interfaith Power and Light newsletter

GREEN MOUNTAINS, BLUE WATER:
Earth Care News from
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL)
March 2016
In this newsletter:
Help VTIPL Match Our Challenge Grant!
Faith Climate Action Week: April 15 – 24, 2016
“Joanna Macy and The Great Turning” Film
“Merchants of Doubt” Film Showing – April 1
Support Fossil Fuel Divestment in Vermont
Ban on Elephant Ivory and Rhino Horn
Ecumenical Carbon Fast for Lent
In the UK – The Big Church Switch
Vermontivate! To Begin on April 22
Vermont People’s Convention
Seeing Systems: Peace, Justice and Sustainability
Faith & Climate Change: Talking with Five Faiths
Progress for Vermont Report
Carbon Pricing, Explained with Chickens
Other Resources
HELP VTIPL MATCH OUR CHALLENGE GRANT!
VTIPL recently got the good news from National Interfaith
Power & Light – we’ll receive a $7,500 challenge grant after
raising the matching funds. We need to match it by December
and hope you’ll help! Checks can be mailed to the address at
the end of the newsletter or donate online at www.vtipl.org
FAITH CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: APRIL 15 – 24, 2016
Formerly called “Preach-In,” National Interfaith Power & Light ‘s
Faith Climate Action Week will be during Earth Week in April.
Pastors nationwide are encouraged to preach a sermon on Earth
care and/or have a climate change event. For sample sermons
“JOANNA MACY and THE GREAT TURNING” FILM
This inspiring film will be shown Mar. 17, 7 pm, at All Souls
Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne (291 Bostwick Rd.). The
event is free and open to all. Questions? Contact All Souls:
“MERCHANTS of DOUBT” FILM SHOWING – April 1
Join us Fri., April 1, 7 pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Church
in Springfield (21 Fairgrounds Rd.) to see this important film
that shines a spotlight on those who have been spreading doubt
about climate change & other issues. VTIPL co-sponsors. The
event is free and open to all. Contact: Alison Roth uuchurch@vermontel.net
If your community is interested in having a showing of this
documentary, contact VTIPL: info@vtipl.org
SUPPORT FOSSIL FUEL DIVESTMENT in VERMONT
Sign the petition if you agree Vermont shouldn’t be invested in
fossil fuels and want to see the state transition to clean energy:
BAN on ELEPHANT IVORY and RHINO HORN
Bill H. 297 in the VT legislature would ban ivory and horn to
help protect these endangered species. The U.S. is second
only to China as a market for the products. At the current rate
of killing, African elephants will be gone from the wild in less
than 10 years. Watch this 10-minute video narrated by elephant
activist Taegen Yardley and fellow students: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRM6y3XnezE
ECUMENICAL CARBON FAST for LENT
Those who participated in the carbon fast last year were signed
up for it again this year, but if you haven’t yet participated, it’s
not too late. You’ll get daily emails for the remaining days of
Lent with many ideas for reducing carbon. Go to: www.macucc.org/carbonfast
IN the UK – THE BIG CHURCH SWITCH
This initiative of Christian communities in the United Kingdom
is helping individuals and churches band together to switch to
VERMONTIVATE! TO BEGIN on APRIL 22
This community sustainability game is fun for all! You can
sign up beginning in April. Find out more: https://www.vermontivate.com/
VERMONT PEOPLE’S CONVENTION
The People’s Convention will bring people together from all
around the state on April 30 – May 1 at Montpelier H.S. to
imagine solutions and take action for fundamental, systemic
change. Find out more and sign up: www.vermontpeoplesconvention.org/
SEEING SYSTEMS: Peace, Justice and Sustainability
This six-session discussion series, designed for groups of
8 – 12 people and developed by the Northwest Earth Institute,
is about the interconnections of these three significant concerns.
Through Catamount Earth Institute, the books are available for
Contact Barbara Duncan for more information at catamount@valley.net
FAITH & CLIMATE CHANGE: Talking with Five Faiths
This 32-page guide provides much information on how to talk
about climate change with followers of the world’s five major
faith tradions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and
PROGRESS for VERMONT REPORT
The Vermont Climate Change Economy Council – a broad-based
non-partisan group founded by the Vermont Council on Rural
Development – proposes a bold new vision and strategy for
CARBON PRICING, EXPLAINED with CHICKENS
The title sounds like a joke, but it’s not – the 3 and a 1/2 minute
video gives an overview of this complex topic: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD64kaTY5Vg
OTHER RESOURCES
-Exxon’s Never-Ending Big Dig: Article by Bill McKibben on
Exxon flooding the Earth with fossil fuels: www.tomdispatch.com/blog/176105/?utm_medium=email
-Washington Post article: Scientists are floored by what’s
VTIPL educates people of faith and spirit about the climate
crisis and actions to care for Earth.