Check it out! One of our volunteers, Mirele B. Goldsmith, just published an op-ed on fracking, Nice Country for Camping, Not for Fracking, in a national Jewish newspaper, The Forward.
Solar Industry Development and Jobs Act
Solar power is clean, safe, and renewable and can provide jobs here in New York State. The Solar Jobs Act would provide a blueprint to increase New York State’s production of solar power up to 5000 megawatts (MW) by 2025. According to the Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment, that is enough energy to power approximately:
- 1 million NYS homes (at 5 kW system size); or
- 100,000 (50 kW) grocery stores; or
- 50,000 (100 kW) schools; or
- 10,000 (500 kW) parking garages; or
- 5,000 (1 MW) shopping malls.
That would create approximately 22,000 new jobs and $500 million in new wages, as well as investing in an energy source that does not produce greenhouse gases.
Read the Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment article here.
You can also find a summary of last year’s Act compiled by Vote Solar.
New Green Church Resources
New Green Church Resources for adults, teens and children are now available from Abingdon Press.
Read Up on Hydrofracking
Here are some articles and videos to keep you up to date on what Hydrofracking is and the ongoing debate:
- The CBS 60-Minutes video broadcast on November 14, 2010
- New York Times article, March 4, 2011: Pressure Limits Efforts to Police Drilling for Gas Amid pressure, regulators are divided over the scope of their powers, leading to limited enforcement and narrowed research.
- New York Times interactive, March 4, 2011: The Debate Over the Hydrofracking Study
- New York Times Graphic: Lax Rules for the Natural Gas Industry
- New York Times The Drilling Down Series
- New York Times Green Blog, March 3, 2011: Federal Officials Say They’ll Examine Fracking Practices
NYSERDA Funding for solar projects was renewed for 2011
There is a 30%-70% rebate from NYSERDA for a solar installation in addition to a tax credit. Connect with a NYSERDA local coordinator to answer questions and assist with a proposed solar project.
Eco-Justice Notes: Thoughts on “Entitlement”
Check out these thoughts on Entitlement from our friends at Eco-Justice Ministries.
Republican Study Committee Recommends Withdrawing Funds for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Last week the Republican Study Committee released a list of recommended budget cuts, including a proposal to withhold U.S. funding from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) (http://www.ucsusa.org/) this is an indication of the level of climate change denial in congress.
“It’s sad that members of Congress who refuse to recognize scientific reality continue to obstruct efforts to reduce global warming emissions and go after the IPCC” said Lexi Schultz, USC’s Climate and Energy Legislative Director. “At the very least, the public deserves to know just how serious the risks of climate change are and not be misled by politicians who continue to block progress on clean energy.”
Thousands of scientists from around the world contribute their work to the IPCC for no direct compensation.
Get on the Bus for Lobby Day!
Save the Date – Lobby Day on Hydrofracking – Monday, May 2, 2011.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us on Monday, May 2 as we head to the state capital in Albany to talk with our elected leaders. Join us as we learn about current legislation that impacts the environment, hear from government leaders, and lobby our elected officials. This event is for everyone – no lobbying experience necessary.
Our emphasis this year will be on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, or “hydrofracking.”
This year we have rented a bus to transport people to Albany. We are still determining route, but will likely have stops in Syracuse, Binghamton, and along I-88. We will provide bus riders with a delicious lunch (included with ticket price).
If you are not taking the bus you may also want to join us for our NYIPL Networking Lunch. The cost to ride the bus or to purchase lunch is $10.
Earth Day Lobby Day is New York’s largest environmental event. New York Interfaith Power & Light is working with New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) and Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY) to coordinate the event. In the past, elected officials such as Governor David Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have spoken at the gathering.
Please plan to register even if you will not be joining us on the bus or buying lunch. If you wish to participate in the full day event, you must pre-register so we can assign you to a lobby team. Click here to register.
For more information call (315) 256-0078.
A Snapshot of Interfaith Power & Light
Mainstream Media Links Extreme Weather to Climate Change
350.org reports that the major news networks are finally linking current extreme weather events with climate change. This ABC news video that shows the devastation in Australia, Sri Lanka, and Brazil, with comments from representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Richard Somerville, Research Professor at Scripps USCD and IPCC scientist states, “This is no longer something that’s theory or conjecture or something that comes out of computer models. We’re observing the climate changing. It’s real. It’s happening. It’s scientific fact.”