American Energy Now!

We, as a nation, have the ingenuity, know-how, and determination necessary to create an energy secure America. By working together, we can find exciting new ways to build America’s use of domestic, non-polluting renewable energy. Learn more at American Energy Now!

Wise Words

"It is now clear that we face a deepening global climate crisis that requires us to act boldly, quickly, and wisely."
Al Gore, in his film "An Inconvenient Truth"

Faithful advocacy to protect God's creation

First, protect your efforts! Coal-fired power plants can wipe them out! Architecture 2030 tells how.

Coalition of secular and faith-based efforts

Focus the Nation

Focus the Nation - A national global warming educational initiative, coordinating teams of faculty, students and staff at over a thousand colleges and universities and high schools in the United States to participate in a nationwide, nonpartisan discussion on the theme of climate stabilization. The project will also include the participation of religious, civic and business organizations, and will culminate on Jan. 31, 2008, in one-day symposia to be held simultaneously on campuses across the country. Focus the Nation could be a catalyzing event on par with Earth Day 1970, helping turn the national conversation about global warming from fatalism to constructive engagement with the challenge of our generation.

Apollo Alliance

The Apollo Alliance provides a message of optimism and hope, framed around rejuvenating our nation's economy by creating the next generation of American industrial jobs and treating clean energy as an economic and security mandate to rebuild America. America needs to hope again, to dream again, to think big, and to be called to the best of our potential by tapping the optimism and can-do spirit that is embedded in our nation's history.

Other secular efforts

Action in the House: 25 by '25

The 25x'25 Vision: By 2025, America's farms, forests and ranches will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States, while continuing to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed and fiber. The House of Representatives adopted a resolution that calls for 25 percent of the nation’s energy needs to be met by renewable resources by the year 2025. For more info …

National Hanging Out Day - April 19

This annual event is sponsored by Project Laundry List. This may seem like a minor thing, but electric clothes dryers use a LOT of energy and thus create a lot of global warming pollution. Hanging laundry on the line is an enjoyable alternative that is pollution-free, and yet many subdivisions and towns prohibit this activity. For more details ...

Step It Up 2007: Two ideas for simple, but effective events

StepItUp

The first event is easy to organize, but will take a little time, but can be fun if you have an hour. The second event is even simpler.

Either event (or one of your own devising) will declare your congregation's intent to be good stewards of God's gift of energy. Don't forget to send a photo to Step It Up to be included on their website. Send one along to us as well, and we'll post it.

Summary of Proposed Legislation

Here's a one-page summary (on page 7) of bills with cap and trade systems for greenhouse gases proposed in the 110th Congress. It has been compiled by Carbon Market North America - Vol 2 • Issue 22 • 7 November 2007

"Time is Running Out" event

This suggestion for a Step It Up 2007 rally conveys the message that we need to take action now. It's simple and short enough to be doable. It was inspired by the ticking Environmental Defense ad.

Your group would form a circle (or concentric circles if there were a lot of people in a small space) and everyone would simply recite "tick tock" like a clock, all together, once per second. Against the backdrop of this clock ticking sound, every 30 seconds or so (experiment ahead of time with the intervals) individuals could state one of the expected results of global warming or one of the solutions - just one very brief statement at a time. The rest of the time there would be only the sound of the "clock" ticking away - something of a meditation.

A leader could pace the ticks, metronome-like, so everyone ticks simultaneously every second. Perhaps a drumbeat could "announce" each statement. If possible, an old-fashioned Big Ben alarm clock could go off after the specified time for the event - 10 min? 15 min? - symbolizing that there is a deadline for taking action.

Create a list of impacts and solutions - one sentence each - that would serve as the text for people to read from as well as an information sheet to take home with them. Perhaps impacts on one side and solutions on the other. Both personal and policy solutions would be listed. (Here's a resource that can be used or modified to fit your needs.) Intersperse these statements with statements from your own faith's or denomination's statements about the effects of global warming and energy policy on the world's poorest peoples, on future generations, and on all of God's creations.

The event could start with a few sentences from an adult about the crisis we're facing and that it's urgent to start now. That's when the ticks start. At the conclusion - when the "alarm clock" goes off - perhaps a teen from your congregation's youth group could briefly describe a vision of a clean, green energy future. Words should be kept to a minimum, though - the ticking itself will be the most powerful message - that the situation is urgent and we need to start now.

Banner event

MMUUS-StepItUp

May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society in Syracuse, New York stepped up to say "Step It Up Congress! Cut Carbon 80% by 2050!!!" They're using the banner letters you can print out by following the link below.

The Word doc for the banner is available for download here.

Printing tips:

  • Paper would do, but it might be easier to hold if you print it out on cardstock.
  • The file is a Word document, so it's easy to add your congregation's name to the sign, which also gives the opportunity for more people to hold a letter. For example, add "Main St. Presbyterian says"
  • The file is designed to be printed in color on white paper, but if you change your printer settings to print in black, you could print on neon cardstock instead - a different color for each word.
  • And if you print it on legal-sized paper or cardstock it should leave room at the bottom to hold the card.

Everyone holds a letter or two, you take your photo, and send it in. One great place for a photo is next to your congregation's building or signboard. Of course, it doesn't hurt to sing a few songs and say a few words, too!

Faith-based advocacy

FarCry - Mollio