Earth Care News
October 2017
In this newsletter:
-VTIPL’s Annual Conference on Saturday, Oct. 21 – Don’t Miss It!
-Everyone’s Economic Opportunity in Climate Action – Panel Discussion
-An Offering on the Feast Day of St. Francis
-Carbon Tax: Number 1 Request at Climate Commission Hearing, Governor’s Response, and Your Comments!
-Cool Congregations Challenge
-Katy Gerke Memorial Program Report
-Water Permit Denied for Coal Export Terminal in Washington
-Catholic Church to Make Record Divestment from Fossil Fuels
-The McKibben Effect – How Radical Environmentalism Can Work
VTIPL’s Annual Conference on Saturday, Oct. 21 – Don’t Miss It!
VTIPL’s conference, Building Local Resilience — Inspiring Climate Action!, is at First Congregational Church, Manchester, Sat., Oct. 21, 10 am – 4 pm. Please register by October 13. Here’s the link or go to the website event page and print the registration form from the attachment. The conference features: Deb Markowitz, our fantastic Keynote Speaker; six great workshops to help you take action on climate; a lunchtime discussion on divestment; musician Matt Witten; a delicious catered lunch from “The Works” Bakery and Cafe; displays & information from ten conference sponsors; a “bookstore” area; spiritual sharing, excellent networking and more!
Here’s the list of workshops and the workshop/divestment discussion leaders:
Building resilient communities using the transition model – Ruah Swennerfelt
Congregational Watershed Stewardship – Pastor Nancy Wright
Financial and technical resources for energy projects – Paul Markowitz and Ron McGarvey
Our communities and ourselves: Skills for effective organizing – Mary Gerisch and Rachel Smolker
Talking climate with your Vermont legislators – Robin Chesnut-Tangerman and Tom Hughes
Understanding climate change and its policy and practical implications – Alan Betts
Divestment Discussion during lunch hour (optional) – Todd Walker
More conference information is on the event page on VTIPL’s website including Keynote Speaker Deb Markowitz’s photo & bio, list of sponsors, bios of workshop/discussion leaders, registration info, the conference flyer, etc. We hope you will come!
Everyone’s Economic Opportunity in Climate Action – Panel Discussion
Hear from a respected Vermont business owner, a low-income advocate, and legislators about the kind of equitable and exciting opportunities climate action and getting Vermonters off of fossil fuels provides. It’s free and open to the public. Refreshments provided. RSVP, submit a question, suggest a climate solution and find out more here. VNRC and VBSR host. All the events are from 6 – 8 pm; dates and locations follow.
Tue., Oct. 10: Barre – Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite St.
Mon., Oct. 16: Burlington – Main St. Landing Film House, 60 Lake St.
Thu., Oct. 19: Manchester – Northshire Bookstore, 4869 Main St.
Mon., Oct. 30: Middlebury – Danforth Pewter, 52 Seymour St.
An Offering on the Feast Day of St. Francis
This blog post is about how our gratitude can contribute to world peace.
Carbon Tax: Number 1 Request at Climate Commission Hearing, Governor’s Response, and Your Comments!
This Bennington Banner article summarizes what participants at the Manchester hearing of the Governor’s Climate Action Commission wanted commissioners to convey to Governor Scott. In addition to the many who supported putting a price on carbon pollution, there were requests for more public transportation, electric cars and charging stations, and subsidies for weatherization and solar. The Governor responded in a Facebook post saying he would veto a carbon tax. Scroll down to his Sept. 26, 2:11 pm post to read it. Send your comments to the Climate Action Commission to let them know how important it is for Vermont to put a price on carbon and lower our carbon emissions!
Cool Congregations Challenge
National Interfaith Power & Light’s 2017 Cool Congregations Challenge has begun. Congregations can apply if they’ve done a project in any one of five different areas this year. The winning congregation in each category will receive the $1,000 award. The categories are: Cool Congregation Planner; Energy Saver; Renewable Role Model; Sacred Grounds Steward; and Community Inspiration. The deadline to enter is December 15, 2017. The details are here.
Katy Gerke Memorial Program Report
Three churches received grants from VTIPL’s Katy Gerke Memorial Program this year. First Baptist Church of South Londonderry received $9,000 to help pay for insulation and a high-efficiency boiler for the new church being built after a 2010 fire destroyed the old church. The Waitsfield United Church of Christ received $9,000 to help with costs for air sealing, insulation, and LED lighting in a newly constructed small addition and in their historic church. The remaining $2,000 was awarded to the Federated Church of East Arlington to help cover costs of air sealing, insulation and LED lighting installation in their main church and attached church hall.
Water Permit Denied for Coal Export Terminal in Washington
The Department of Ecology in Washington State denied the water quality permit for a coal export terminal being planned for Longview, WA. If built, it would have been the largest in North America. It’s now likely that it won’t be built. The project’s negative impacts on climate, clean air and water were cited. Here are the details.
Catholic Church to Make Record Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Read about it in the Guardian article.
The McKibben Effect – How Radical Environmentalism Can Work
Vox writer David Roberts explains.
VTIPL helps people of faith and spirit to better understand the climate crisis and to take action to care for Earth.
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light
P.O. Box 209, Richmond, VT 05477
info@vtipl.org 802-434-3397 www.vtipl.org
