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Environment Weblog Updates |
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WE SUPPORT GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP In Christian traditions, we use the term stewardship to describe our responsibility as humans to protect and preserve the environment for now and future generations. The Council holds up the following principles that support good stewardship of our creation: · That policymakers weigh the impact of economic progress on natural resources. This includes use of raw material resources that are scarce and/or finite, as well as preservation of forests, wildlife habitats, waterways, and other environmentally sensitive, vulnerable, and irreplaceable natural assets. · That policymakers give priority to considering options that promote energy efficiency, wiser use of natural resources, development and use of renewable and alternative energy sources, and that set appropriate controls for pollution emissions from vehicles, machinery, and businesses. · That all persons engage in a simplified lifestyle—living, to the extent possible, in harmony with nature. · That all persons engage in activities that avoid over-consumption and waste. Read the Council’s policy statement on the Environment. |
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Clean Water Starts Here ØØØØ
The Pennsylvania Council of Churches is
Currently, not one Pennsylvania legislator has signed on as a co-sponsor or given his/her public support for this important bill. It’s time for this to change!
PLEASE JOIN US BY TAKING ACTION to ensure the passage of this historic legislation. You can also view a video and sign a petition to support Chesapeake Bay legislation at http://www.restoringourwaters.org/.
Clergy and lay leaders: Please sign a letter to Pennsylvania’s Senators and Representatives urging them to support clean water. Download a printer friendly copy here.
Other Individuals: Download postcards or petitions to send to Pennsylvania’s Senators and your Representative. Congregations are encouraged to collect signatures for both senators and representatives of members and send them to the Council for delivery to legislators. Go to http://pachurchesadvocacy.org/weblog/?p=4199 for further directions.
Download a fact sheet and talking points for the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act.
Bulletin insert: Respecting Creation: The Religious Community and the Chesapeake Bay
Other Chesapeake Bay/Clean Water Resources: · Choose Clean Water Coalition · National Council of Churches’ Eco-Justice Program · Susquehanna River Basin Commission
Help us to ensure safe, clean water for everyone! |
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Global Warming/Climate Change
Global warming/climate change is one of the most
There are many paths for addressing the challenge:
· Big picture—promote legislation to control global warming emissions and promote green technology and green jobs; · Energy specific—promote greener energy sources to replace carbon-based resources and/or promote energy efficiency; · Vehicle/transportation specific—promote development of cleaner vehicles and vehicle emission standards; and · Preventing deforestation.
These paths address the faith principles of stewardship, sustainability, and sufficiency, but another important principle for Christians is justice. The impacts of global warming fall most heavily on the people around the world who are least able to mitigate the impacts—poor and vulnerable populations in the U.S. and in developing countries. We must make sure that whatever actions are taken do not worsen the impacts on those who are most vulnerable. Therefore, the Council supports legislation that addresses all four principles, as embodied in the National Council of Churches’ Faith Principles on Global Warming—you can endorse these principles by clicking on the link. The NCC’s Eco-Justice Program also provides a range of resources for congregations as well as other information about its climate change campaign. You can learn more and find additional resources at the many links provided in the Resources box below.
To take action on legislation or policies related to global warming/climate change, go to Environment on our Take Action page. |
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Clean Energy and Renewable Energy
The Union of
The Council works in coordination with many partners to promote clean and renewable energy.
Pennsylvania’s General Assembly passed the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS) in 2004. Legislation has been proposed to extend and strengthen the AEPS. Learn more about this legislation and take action.
Learn more about Pennsylvania’s efforts PennFuture’s clean energy page. Learn more about clean energy in general at Clean Energy 101. |
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Issues Addressed on this Page: · Clean water/ · Climate change · Clean energy/green jobs · Alaska wilderness · Mountaintop removal mining · Reduce, Reuse, Recycle · Smart Growth |
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Mountaintop Removal Mining According to iLoveMountains.org: “Mountaintop removal is a relatively new type of coal mining that began in Appalachia in the 1970s as an extension of conventional strip mining techniques. Primarily, mountaintop removal is occurring in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. Coal companies in Appalachia are increasingly using this method because it allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams while reducing the number of workers required to a fraction of what conventional methods require.”
The US Environmental Protection Agency
People of faith across the Appalachian region have often stated that mountaintop removal mining is a blight on God’s creation. Here are six denominations that have passed resolutions condemning mountaintop removal mining: · Evangelical Lutheran Church in America · Religious Society of Friends. · Unitarian Universalist Association.
Prayers for the people and mountains of Appalachia
The Council supports an end to mountaintop removal mining and the restoration of Appalachian lands affected by this destructive practice. To take action on legislation or policies related to mountaintop removal mining, go to Environment on our Take Action page. |
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Alaska Wilderness The Alaska Wilderness League describes Alaska as follows: “Alaska contains over 200 million acres of federal public lands – lands owned by each and every American. Your lands in Alaska include 15 National Parks, 16 National Wildlife Refuges, and our nation’s two largest national forests. Alaska’s public lands offer incredible wildlife habitat, opportunities for solitude, and spectacular scenery.” More statistics…
Take a virtual
The Council supports legislation and policies that protect Alaska’s fragile public lands and ensure justice for Alaska’s native peoples. To take action on legislation or policies related to Alaska wilderness, go to Environment on our Take Action page. |
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Smart Growth Pennsylvania’s manufacturing towns and older, suburban communities were once thriving, diverse and attractive places. But for many decades they have been victims of federal and state policies that have favored new suburban development at the expense of established communities. Our aging communities are now experiencing crumbling infrastructure, abandoned Main Streets, loss of jobs, struggling schools, and excessive tax burdens…while newer communities are at risk for unbalanced growth.
The Keystone Principles, adopted by the state government in 2005, offer a better way to address growth in Pennsylvania. The Principles are designed as a coordinated interagency approach to fostering sustainable economic development and conservation of resources through the state’s investments in Pennsylvania’s diverse communities.
The Council has joined with a number of partners, including 10000 Friends of Pennsylvania, Good Schools Pennsylvania and others to work for a better path for regional opportunity, economic growth and sustainability through Building One Pennsylvania (B1P). Over 600 persons attended a summit at Thaddeus Stevens College in Lancaster on July 16, 2010 to launch a statewide movement to support smarter growth and development.
The Council will continue to work with B1P partners to build this movement, primarily through forums featuring a screening of The New Metropolis. America’s “first” suburbs, those suburban communities built next to America’s urban centers, were once the birthplace of the American Dream. Seeking to escape the smokestacks of the central cities, and a housing shortage following World War II, thousands of middle class families flocked to the newly constructed suburban homes. The New Metropolis illustrates how many original suburbs are now following the same pattern that confronted our older cities and towns: a dwindling tax base, population and business loss, decaying infrastructure, increased racial tensions and white flight. To learn more or to schedule a screening of this powerful film, hear from local community leaders, and discuss how we can work together to build power and influence policies that will restore opportunity and prosperity in our communities: s.strauss@pachurches.org or (717) 545-4761. |
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Reduce,
Reduce The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PA DEP) describes waste reduction as: (1) Reducing the amount of waste produced (e.g., less packaging, using durable vs. disposable items); or (2) Reducing toxic substances in waste (e.g., use of non-toxic vs. toxic cleaners). Learn more…
Reuse Reaching for Zero: A Citizens’ Plan for Zero Waste in New York City defines reuse as “the recovery of materials and products for the same or a similar end use. It involves taking useful products, such as furniture, books and appliances, discarded by those who no longer want or need them and redistributing them to those who do. In contrast to recycling, which recovers materials for processing, reuse recovers the original product.” Learn more from ReDO about the benefits of reuse…
Recycle Earth 911 describes recycling as “the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. The internationally recognized symbol for recycling includes three arrows moving in a triangle. Each arrow represents a different part of the recycling process, from collection to re-manufacture to resale.” Learn more about what items can be recycled or reused (more than you think!) and where you can recycle them at Earth 911’s Recycling 101.
Learn more and find resources on recycling in Pennsylvania on the PA DEP’s Recycling Page. Other materials are available on the Resources page of the Public Recycling Officials of Pennsylvania (see Defending Recycling, Recycling & Waste Reduction Education/Kids’ Corner, Studies & Research, and Recycling Commodities). |
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· Apollo Alliance (http://apolloalliance.org/) · Center for Climate Strategies (http://www.climatestrategies.us/) · Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/climate.htm) · Chesapeake Bay Foundation (http://www.cbf.org) · Chesapeake Bay Program (http://www.chesapeakebay.net) · Choose Clean Water Campaign (http://www.choosecleanwater.org/) · Christians and Climate—The Evangelical Climate Initiative (http://christiansandclimate.org/) · Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania (http://www.cleanairboard.org/) · Clean Air Council (http://www.cleanair.org/) · Clean Water Action (http://www.cleanwateraction.org/) · Climate Action—Economic Action to Stop Global Warming (http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/climate/) · Earth 911 (http://www.earth911.org) · End Mountaintop Removal Action and Resource Center (http://www.ilovemountains.org/) · Energy Coordinating Agency (http://www.ecasavesenergy.org/) · Environment America (http://www.environmentamerica.org) · Environmental and Energy Study Institute (http://eesi.org/) · Green Faith (http://www.greenfaith.org) · The Great Warming (http://www.thegreatwarming.com/)
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· Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (http://www.ieer.org/index.html) · Interfaith Coalition on Energy (http://www.interfaithenergy.com/) · Interfaith Power & Light (http://interfaithpowerandlight.org; PA chapter at http://paipl.org/) · National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program (http://www.nccecojustice.org/) · National Wildlife Federation (http://www.nwf.org) · New Community Project (http://www.newcommunityproject.org/) · Northwest Earth Institute (http://nwei.org/) · PennEnvironment (http://www.pennenvironment.org/) · PennFuture (http://www.pennfuture.org/) · The Regeneration Project/Interfaith Power and Light (http://www.theregenerationproject.org/) · Renewable Energy Center, St. Francis University (http://www.francis.edu/REC.htm?ekmensel=c580fa7b_18_0_8702_10) · Save Our Environment.org (http://www.saveourenvironment.org) · Sierra Club (http://www.sierraclub.org) · Stopglobalwarming.org (http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/) · 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania (http://www.10000friends.org/) · Union of Concerned Scientists (http://www.ucsusa.org/) · Web of Creation (http://www.webofcreation.org/) · Worldwatch Institute (http://www.worldwatch.org/) |
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National Council of Churches’ environmental resources for congregations
Interfaith resources for the environment at Green Faith |
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