What Is Global Warming?

faithenvironment — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:00:11 +0000

Take a look at the following brief explanation of global warming from National Geographic. Share it with others who have questions. Use it as a mini-tutorial.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-overview/

The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment

faithenvironment — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:28:24 +0000

Experts focus on The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment in Episcopal Church live webcast on April 21

Experts will examine The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment on Saturday April 21 in a live webcast beginning at 9:00 am. The webcast will be presented at no charge at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church at 5720 S Perry St. in Spokane, with a program beginning at 8:30 am. Participants will be able to submit questions to the panelists during the two-hour webcast, originating from St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Salt Lake City, UT.

The event will be moderated by Kim Lawton of PBS’s Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly. Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will lead the program with her keynote address. Prior to ordination, Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori was an oceanographer and she is well-versed in environmental matters.

The first panel will discuss: Can Sustainability Initiatives Lift Those in Poverty? Participants include: Bonnie Anderson, President of the Episcopal Church House of Deputies, and author ofSpirituality and the Earth; Exploring Connections; Dr. George Handley, Professor of Humanities at Brigham Young University, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and contributor toLDS Perspectives on Environmental Stewardship; and Majora Carter, CEO, Majora Carter Group.

The second panel will address: Reducing Environmental Health Consequences for those in Poverty. Among the participants are: Cecilia Calvo, Eco-Justice Director, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Dr. Gerry Hardison, Chief Medical Officer, Maseno Mission Hospital, Kenya, and Episcopal Church missionary; and Jaslyn Dobrahner, Environmental Justice Pilot Program Director, EPA.

Initiating the conversations will be two timely and compelling videos: Kivalina, from the Episcopal Church’s Wayfarer Series, which delves into the challenges brought by environmental issues facing a 1000 year old Artic Circle village; Environmental Health and Justice for Those in Poverty, a video produced by the Diocese of Utah that highlights efforts underway to bring faith-based organizations, the community, and the government together in Salt Lake City to address environmental issues affecting the health of those in poverty.

This event leads the way in implementing the recommendations of the Environment and Climate Change Committee of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to hold regional conferences on engaging faith and community groups in environmental stewardship.

The Forest and its Systems

WTS — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:18:45 +0000

Take a look at the following clip. What does it say about the life of the planet? And if we think of humanity as part of nature, what does it say about our human systems, i.e. our family, our work system, our organizations, and how they are connected to the natural world?

http://blip.tv/the-university-of-british-columbia/prof-suzanne-simard-talks-about-mother-trees-5398161?goback=%2Egde_1050447_member_105442003

Earth Hour – March 31

faithenvironment — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 02:42:50 +0000

Join the Faith and Environment Network

and faithful creation stewards around the Spokane area

for the observance of

the world’s largest single campaign for the planet.

Earth Hour 2012

March 31 at 8 pm

Spokane Unitarian Universalist Church

4340 West Fort George Wright Drive, Spokane, WA

We will begin at 8 p.m. with a video presentation of the life and work of Fr. Thomas Berry, monk, priest, and geologian, who said, “The universe is a community of subjects, not a collection of objects.” At 8:30 p.m. we will continue with music, readings, and meditation by candlelight, helping us focus our minds and energies on the creation, its gifts and needs in our time, and our responsibilities as its stewards.

Earth Hour was observed last year in 135 countries, 5251 cities and towns, and 1.8 billion people. We encourage Spokane city, businesses, churches, and all citizens to participate by turning out their lights between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. We commend Avista Utilities for their participation.

If you cannot be present with us at the community event, we hope you will join us in spirit by turning off your lights between 8:30 to 9:30 pm on Saturday, March 31. For further information you may check on-line at the following websites:

http://faithandenvironmentnetwork.org/

http://www.earthhour.org/

http://www.worldwildlife.org/sites/earthhour/index.html

We hope you can join us.

Progress on Coal – A Letter from Jessie Dye of Earth Ministry

WTS — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:03:56 +0000

Dear Fabulous Friends of Faith:

We have come so far, so fast. I wanted you to see the statistics.

As you all know, coal is the dirtiest, most polluting source of power in the world. 80% of global warming comes from coal. If we can wean ourselves away from coal, we can turn this ship around.

And we are doing just that. Five years ago, if I had told you there would be no new coals plants sited in the coming decade in the US you would have thought I was a ridiculous optimist. If I had predicted that we would have closed down a sixth of all working coal plants by 2012, you would have thought I’d lost my mind. But 106 are retiring out of 522, and many more are on the brink. What would have seemed impossible five years ago has happened.

http://beyondcoal.org/dirtytruth/how-many

You worked hard to phase out the TransAlta plant in Washington last year. Look at the collective results! I am so proud of us, of you, of our great work on behalf of God’s Creation.

Okay, our phenomenal success at ending coal use in the US has created the desire by coal companies to sell it somewhere else, anywhere. They want to load it up, ship it a third of the way across the US and send it to China to pollute, but we can stop that too. In a way, our success at closing down coal in the US has created this coal export nightmare.

But we are going to do something unprecedented in human history: leave a resource in the ground. Let the coal fields lie. We will not take up the coal just because it’s there and someone can make money on it. It’s not good for us and we are going to walk away from it, though it’s going to take effort.

I look forward to working with each of you in the next step of this great work!

Jessie Dye, Outreach and Program Director

Earth Ministry www.earthministry.org

Washington Interfaith Power and Light www.waipl.org

206-632-2426

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Winter Waters 2012 – February 18

faithenvironment — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:07:16 +0000

You are invited to

Winter Waters 2012

Saturday, February 18, 2012 – 6:30 to 10:00 pm

Celebrating the Spokane River,

Honoring our Watershed Heroes:

Mary Verner

distinguished Spokane Mayor and City Councilwoman 2004-2011

Deb Abrahamson

founder of the tribal grassroots environmental organization

S.H.A.W.L. Society

Winter Waters 2012 is a benefit to support the Spokane River advocacy of Sierra Club’s Upper Columbia River Group and Center for Environmental Law & Policy.

Patsy Clark Mansion, 2208 W. Second Ave., Spokane

Wine & Desserts, Silent Auction, Awards Ceremony

Tickets: $25.00

For tickets and information, call 509-209-2899

e-mail rsvp@celp.org

Interfaith Power and Light Offers Resources for Preach-In

faithenvironment — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:38:44 +0000

Register for Preach-In on Global Warming

Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) is inviting faith leaders from across the country to give sermons and reflections on global warming the weekend of February 10-12, 2012. As the date approaches, IPL will be offering a variety of resources free of charge to those who register, including:

Denomination-specific liturgical and thematic notes to help in the preparation of sermons, reflections, devotionals, Bible studies, and youth activities

Ready-to-go sample sermons on global warming

Global warming fact sheet and bulletin insert

Valentine’s Day postcards for policy makers

Free film: 30-minute DVD, Preaching for the Planet, normally $15, sent free of charge

Give a sermon or host a discussion

In addition to sermons and reflections, congregations can choose to screen the free film and host a discussion about putting faith into action. Resources will be available to those who register.

Send valentines to policy makers

Leading up to the event, participating congregations will receive Valentine’s Day postcards to mail in to their representatives, encouraging political leaders to love their neighbors and the Earth by supporting policies that protect climate and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call your state Interfaith Power & Light leader or Andrée Duggan in the national office at 415-561-4891, or write to andree@theregenerationproject.org.

Visit our website to register today! There is no obligation and the program is free of charge.

Interfaith Power & Light • www.InterfaithPowerandLight.org

FEN Fall Event – November 8

faithenvironment — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:32:05 +0000

The Faith and Environment Network (FEN) has been working since 2005 to engage people and communities of faith in caring for creation. It has connected concerned people of faith with environmental organizations and provided education on environment issues.

FEN is at a point in its history at which the FEN board thinks a major evaluation and planning for the future should take place. If you are reading this we trust you are a person who cares about the environment; therefore, we invite you to participate with us and hope you will join us in initiating this process.

On Tuesday, November 8, 2011, from 6:30 – 9 pm, we will gather in the Guild Rooms at the Cathedral of St. John, 127 East 12th Avenue (corner S Grand and E 12th), for a public event to consider the future direction of FEN.

For these past six years FEN has operated with a small board of committed people and in three of those years with a part-time staff person. We have an annual Creation Care Conference in the Spring (the last few years in conjunction with an Earth Hour observance), and other educational and motivational offerings at other times. We have attempted to connect people and communities of faith with the work of other environment groups and their projects, and we have maintained an educational and informational website.

We who have served on FEN’s board are all also involved with other environmental groups. For us it is a commitment that grows out of our faith and spiritual commitments. There are some efforts by established religions and their judicatories to make connections between faith and care of creation, but we have seen very little effect on these fronts. There are a number of national and regional organizations doing this work as well. Our questions are (1) whether there continues to be a need for a local organization like FEN, and, if so, (2) what is the work we should be doing to promote and accomplish the agenda of responsible and faithful creation care by people of faith.

If you have questions about the event, you may contact Tom at (509) 607-7115 or Evita at (509) 220-6532.

Neighborhoods, Uplift, Permaculture and the Economy

faithenvironment — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:29:48 +0000

“Neighborhoods, Uplift, Permaculture and the Economy.”

This Presentation is the first evening of the “Inland Northwest Permaculture Convergence”

http://inlandnorthwestpermaculture.com/

Neighborhood leaders and city staff will be interested in this presentation planned for Thursday, November 3, beginning at 7:00, at the Salem Lutheran Church, 1425 West Broadway. The event is free and open to the public.

Jan Spencer, from Eugene, Oregon will make a slide presentation that touches on a wide range of topics and issues relating to current events and trends including the economy, resources, life style and the environment.The focus of the presentation is taking action to create a culture and economy that is uplifting and fits within Planet Earth’s capacity to sustain. Spencer calls attention to suburbia – the infrastructure, open spaces and people who live there. He identifies many tools and assets to work with, readily available to millions of people for redefining our culture and economy, actions with little or no permission required.Spencer has been transforming his own quarter acre suburban property in Eugene for over ten years. The grass is gone and so is the driveway. There is edible landscaping all over. Both the main house and detached bungalow have solar space heating features. The rain water catchment system can store 6500 gallons of water. The place gives new meaning to the term “home economics.” Hundreds of people have visited the place over the years and many have adapted what they have seen at Spencer’s place for their own use.

Jan has been on the board of his neighborhood association for ten years and has gained a keen interest and awareness of how a variety of mainstream city programs can be repurposed to more ambitious and timely outcomes.

Several of the most important tools to work with for making these timely changes are neighborhood programs and associations, emergency preparedness/mapping your neighborhood and Neighborhood Watch.

The presentation shows and tells real life examples of people making changes at home and in their neighborhoods to live more local, green, safer and more secure. We will have a look at N St. Co op in Davis, California; Neighborhood Mapping in Port Townsend, Common Ground Garden in Eugene, Shareit Square in Portland and more.

Key words – transforming suburbia, place making, community cohesion, work parties, permaculture, existing assets,,,,,,

Jan has also designed and produced three colorful posters in sequential form [like a slide show on paper]. They are available on his website http://www.suburbanpermaculture.org/Poster/Paypal%20Poster.html

1] Transforming A Suburban Property

2] Front Yard Gardens – A Simple Act, Impressive Benefits

3] Creating Safer, More Secure and Healthier Neighborhoods

So please join us on Thursday, Nov 3 and please forward this message to those interested in the well being of our culture, economy, community and neighborhoods.

5:30 – 6:30 Potluck

6:30 – 7 Mix and Mingle, Check Out Table Displays from Participating Organizations

7 – 8:30 Presentation Title – “Neighborhoods, Uplift, Permaculture And The Economy“

8:30 – 9 Mix and Mingle, Close

For more information, visit www.suburbanpermaculture.org

August Film Series

faithenvironment — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:51:40 +0000

On the first three Wednesdays in August (3^rd, 10^th, and 17^th) The Faith and Environment Network will offer three films addressing three critical environmental issues we face as a nation (and as a species).

The August 17 showing of “Source to the Sea” is being co-sponsored with the Center for Environmental Law and Policy. CELP Executive Director, Rachael Paschal Osborn, will be with us for a discussion on current water/river issues inWashingtonState and important upcoming legislation.

You are invited to attend and as you are able to stay for conversation after the films. The programs will be shown at The Commons (home of Indaba Coffee and The Book Parlor) at 1425 W. Broadway Avenue (2.5 blocks west of the County Courthouse), at 6:30 pm. Excellent Indaba Coffee will be available (bring your mugs).

August 3 DIRT, The Movie

DIRT! The Movie takes you inside the wonders of the soil. It tells the story of Earth’s most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility–from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation. The opening scenes of the film dive into the wonderment of the soil. Made from the same elements as the stars, plants and animals, and us, “dirt is very much alive.” Though, in modern industrial pursuits and clamor for both profit and natural resources, our human connection to and respect for soil has been disrupted. “Drought, climate change, even war are all directly related to the way we are treating dirt.”

DIRT! the Movie brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil. The movie teaches us: “When humans arrived 2 million years ago, everything changed for dirt. From that moment on, the fate of dirt and humans has been intimately linked.”

August 10 THE STORY OF STUFF &

THE STORY OF BOTTLED WATER

In The Story of Stuff, using a quick-paced cartoon format, Annie Leonard, an international sustainability and environmental health expert, tells the history of an item, virtually any item–where its parts came from, the upstream life; where it goes when we are through with it, the downstream life; and what it really costs. Leonard develops the theme further with a specific item in The Story of Bottled Water—where the water comes from, where the used bottles go, what bottled water really costs, and how we were persuaded to buy it through an advertising technique called manufactured demand. These “stories” expose the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world.

August 17 SOURCE TO SEA: THE COLUMBIA RIVERSWIM

On July 1, 2003 Christopher Swain became the first person to swim the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. His swim brought stories about the river’s disrupted ecosystems and dislocated peoples to over twenty-thousand North American schoolchildren, and to a worldwide media audience of over one billion people. A group of thirty-plus Northwest filmmakers, led by Andy Norris, followed Swain’s swim, and created a modern history of the Great River of the West. The result was a ninety minute film that one reviewer called, “a heart-wrenching tale of a man and a river.

The film includes stunning pre-inundation footage of Celilo and Kettle Falls, as well as a broad spectrum of interviews with tribal members, agency representatives, fishers, authors, nonprofit leaders, and citizens who trace the natural history and present-day challenges of the Columbia River in their own words. One educator described it this way: “The interviews weren’t just riveting, they made this grown man cry.”