[Green] Interfaith Power & Light

[gbanz42 at suddenlink.net]

GSC:

    Do we want to apply for the "Cool Congregations" program to Interfaith Power & Light for our  Dupont CITF project?

     Dear George -

The Cool Congregations Challenge recognizes and rewards faith communities for climate-friendly stewardship of congregational properties, and for inspiring your local community to work for climate justice. Does this sound like your congregation?

If so, tell us about it and enter to win $1,000 in the 2020 Cool Congregations Challenge, Interfaith Power & Light’s annual contest.

Every year, the Challenge gathers inspiring stories of how diverse faith communities are putting the environmental tenets of their religion into action for climate justice. It’s amazing to see how religious teachings and ancient wisdom are still relevant and practical today.

Here’s an example: For Hindus, protecting the environment is part of Dharma or religious duty. Some traditional Hindu communities express their responsibility in accordance with Dharma teachings by protecting local ecosystems, such as by creating Nirmal nirs (water harvesting sites) to ensure a safe and steady water supply. These sites are for rainwater collection and the re-charging of wells – important solutions as climate change impacts our water cycles, causing devastating droughts in some areas and flooding in others.

IPL congregations across the nation have already reduced their carbon emissions or engaged their communities in climate resilience. Some congregations have gotten an energy audit and are making plans, some are managing their grounds sustainably. IPL’s Cool Congregations Challenge supports and honors you, wherever your congregation has focused its’ efforts to care for Creation.

Click here to enter the Challenge or to download the entry guide today, for a chance to win $1,000 in each of the five entry categories.


There are five entry categories and judges will choose the top submission of each:

    Energy Saver: Installing more efficient lighting, insulation, windows and doors, and/or heating and cooling systems
    Renewable Role Model: Generating clean energy with solar, wind, geothermal installations or solar water heating
    Sacred Grounds: Using water conservation landscaping, native plants, organic gardening, providing wildlife habitats, and composting
    Community Inspiration: Inspiring congregants to reduce their carbon footprints at home, or organizing your community to reduce emissions or be more climate resilient
    Cool Planner: Conducting energy audits, or completing planning or fundraising for a new project

Now is the time to prepare your entry for our annual Cool Congregations Challenge for a chance to win prize money and to inspire other faith communities to action.

Your congregation is eligible to enter if it has finished a project this year, or if it has engaged your community in response to climate change, or it has recently finished an energy audit and developed plans for improvements.

Projects can take place inside the worship space or other buildings, on the grounds, in congregants’ homes, or in the community.

So don’t wait – click here to enter the Challenge or download your entry guide today. It includes all of the details, as well as a flyer to get your green team excited about entering, inspirational stories of past winners, and links to the entry form.

May you be well under clear skies,

--
George Banziger
202 Lawton Road
Marietta, OH 45750-1111
740-434-5685
cell: 740-434-3354