A faith-based approach to "going green"

Ohio representatives of many faiths are coming together to form Ohio Interfaith Power and Light, which seeks to mobilize a religious response to climate change and to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy. The coalition represents a broad spectrum of religious traditions, including the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the United Church of Christ, the Lutheran Church, and members of the Quaker, Jewish and Muslim faiths. The goal is to help people of faith fulfill their responsibility for the stewardship of creation.

Ohio is the 26th state to become an affiliate of the national Interfaith Power and Light campaign. It began in California as part of The Regeneration Project through the efforts of the Reverend Sally Bingham, an Episcopal priest (see related posts about her March 15 visit to Columbus). St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Dublin became the first congregation to join Ohio Interfaith Power and Light when the vestry approved the Congregational Covenant on February 13, 2008. There is no charge to sign the covenant. It is a pledge for a congregation to do one of the following: educate parishioners about energy and its use in relation to climate change; conduct an energy audit of buildings to identify energy waste and financial savings; make energy efficiency improvements to church buildings; use renewable energy, such as solar and wind power; offset non-renewable energy consumption by purchasing alternative, efficient, or renewable energy sources; and support public policies that contribute to the goals of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light. Click here to view a printable PDF of the covenant.

Ohio Interfaith Power and Light contributes to achieving the seventh Millennium Development Goal (MDG), “Ensure environmental sustainability.” This is the one MDG that everyone can do something about in their daily lives.

Click here to visit The Regeneration Project's web site, which has information on each state’s Interfaith Power and Light group, and features an online shop for the purchase of discounted energy conservation products, such as all types of compact fluorescent light bulbs.