1) Clergy Education – quarterly luncheon with speaker and time for sharing questions, ideas, encouragement
Co-leaders: Jessica Brown & Rev. Eileen Altman
The first lunch, featuring Rev. Sally Bingham, will be June 25, noon-1:30. Click here for more details.
2) Getting Started -- providing materials, guides and referrals to help congregations organize for action.
Leader: Rev. Margo Tenold
a) Sign the CIPL covenant (join first, if not already a member, it's free!) www.interfaithpower.org/covenant.htm
b) Consider having your congregation become a certified Green Business – a great, free program www.greenbiz.ca.gov/index.html
c) Spiritual practice, education, facilities, members take action at home, work and in community
d) Resource guide (some resources on CIPL website already. Guide from Interfaith Convocation coming soon.)
e) Post videoclips of success stories on youtube
f) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on climate science (separating truth from fiction)
g) Support groups for low carbon living/action (Acterra is a resource for this)
h) Collect and share spiritual texts/resources from spectrum of faiths to motivate action
3) Renewable energy and energy efficiency
Leader: Max Greenberg
a) energy audit and lighting retrofit (utility plus Right Lights www.rightlights.org )
b) other energy efficiency measures
c) purchasing or leasing renewable energy (how to finance?)
d) ethical finance
e) loan fund or other methods of financing PV, Energystar appliances, etc.
4) Water
Leader: Ben Hammet
a) audit by Water-Wise Consulting at (866) 685-2322, for Santa Clara County businesses and residences, funding available to replace toilets, showerheads and other water regulation resources.
b) also check out Water Efficient Technologies (WET) program for Santa Clara County Businesses www.valleywater.org/water/water_conservation/In_business/WET_Program/index.shtm and
www.slowtheflow.com/whatswet.html
5) Waste reduction and recycling -- Leader: Claire Felong
a) bulk purchasing of "green" products
b) include custodial staff in the process of instituting recycling program(s)
c) food composting (e.g., Roche in Palo Alto)
6) Political action/lobbying –- Leader: Susan Chamberlain
a) getting media to include climate change in the Presidential campaign,
b) supporting legislation such as the bill to provide rebates for purchasing hybrids (see ucsaction.org/campaign/4_27_07_CCCD_Assembly_Floor/?qp_source=wacucs%5fcalifornia )
c) lobbying car companies and the EPA to stop suing California and other states who want to protect the environment ucsaction.org/campaign/12_20_07_EPA_Clean_Car_Waiver?source=wacucs_cv
d) compare candidates on environmental policies. See California League of Conservation Voters www.ecovote.org/heat/index.html
7) Sustainable food -- Leader: Joan Ferguson
a) community garden? composting?
b) education on link between what we eat and the health of the environment, climate and farmers
c) low carbon diet support groups (eating local, sustainably grown food, etc.)
8) Transportation -- Leader: Norma Jean Bodey
a) carpools and public transit to events and services (including our interfaith working group meetings!)
b) bulk purchase of hybrid or plug-in hybrid cars
c) start biodiesel cooperative
9) Take action on Earth Day (week/month) -- Leader: Jessica Brown
Join with City of Palo Alto – Mar. 30 energy, Apr. 5 water, Apr. 12 waste reduction, Apr. 17 film festival, Apr. 19 transportation
10) Outreach and Philosophy
Leader: needed -- are you interested?! –- (interim: Lee Erman contact only)
a) locate/provide materials to inform, especially for those people of faith who are still skeptical about the need for action
b) help shift from "culture of shortage" to one of meeting non-material needs with non-material means
c) reach out to congregations in lower income areas