[Trees-list] Summary of December 2001 Forum with Sally Bingham
Whitney Bauman
wbauman@srcourse.org
Wed, 12 Dec 2001 19:54:07 -0800
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Summary of TREES Forum on December 10, 2001: Sally Bingham, California=20
Interfaith Power and Light (aka Episcopal Power and Light).
Thanks for joining us for the last forum of the Fall semester. We are=20
already working on the Spring semester and the list is looking=20
impressive! I hope that you have a wonderful, safe, and fun holiday!
Please be sure to check out the resources at the end of this summary.
History of Episcopal Power and Light (EP&L)
In 1997, Sally Bingham and Steve MacAusland joined with other members of=20
various religious communities at Temple Immanuel in San Francisco to=20
discuss how Bay Area religious communities might respond to environmental=20
issues, such as Global Warming. The group of religious leaders started out=
=20
together as an interfaith effort to address these issues. After 6 months,=
=20
Steve MacAusland and Sally Bingham, both Episcopalian, were the only ones=20
left at the discussion table. So, they decided to start Episcopal Power=20
and Light. They began to raise funds from secular environmental=20
foundations interested in global warming. They were successful, largely=20
due to the fact that these secular foundations were thrilled that the faith=
=20
community was interested in these issues. It is Sally=92s belief that the=
=20
faith communities of the United States, moreover of the world, must get=20
involved in environmental issues if things are really going to change and=20
this belief probably aided their efforts in garnering funds for EP&L.
Since the time Steve and Sally founded EP&L, the goal has been to provide=20
resources for =93sustainable energy consumption=94 to religious communities=
of=20
all faiths and denominations. Now, the National Religious Partnership for=
=20
the Environment and the National Council of Churches are involved in global=
=20
warming issues. Also, the Regeneration Project (in the Presidio in San=20
Francisco) got interested in what EP&L was doing; so, with the help of the=
=20
Regeneration Project, EP&L has now morphed into California Interfaith Power=
=20
and Light (CAP&L).
The influence of CAP&L has moved beyond the borders of California and into=
=20
other states. Sally and Steve have been instrumental in starting similar=20
programs in such places as Tennessee and Texas.
Addressing issues of global warming in California and Beyond
Currently, 55% of the United States energy comes from coal and only 1% from=
=20
renewable resources. In California our energy sources look like this: 11%=
=20
Renewable, 15% Nuclear, 20% Large Hydro, 21% Coal, and 33% Natural=20
Gas. The goal of CIP&L, is to see the percent of energy coming from coal=20
reduced and the percent coming from renewable resources increased (at least=
=20
to 20% in the short-run).
Power Plants in the Bay Area and Effects Around the World
Traditional Power plants (based on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels) add=20
to the problems of global warming, acid rain, smog, respiratory diseases,=20
cancers, and the list goes on. Already we are beginning to see the effects=
=20
of global warming. A press release a couple of weeks ago, by Lester=20
BrownDirector of the Earth Watch Institute and the Earth Polciy=20
Institute--reports that the people living on the island of Tuvalua tiny=20
island country in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australiaare=
=20
evacuating the whole island due to rising waters and harsh weather=
conditions.
This raises an important eco-justice issue. Sally pointed out that there=20
are no power plants in Marin County. Likewise, statistically speaking, the=
=20
majority of power plants are located in poorer communities. These=20
communities often are communities of ethnic minorities as well. Is this a=
=20
case of environmental racism, or just a case of coincidence? Likewise, on=
=20
a global scale it will be nations and locations, such as Tuvalo, that are=20
in the =932/3=94 world that will be affected by global warming first, and=
the=20
mostthese nations often don=92t have insurance companies or FEMA to bail=
them=20
out of large-scale disasters, thus exacerbating the problem; yet, the US,=20
part of the =931/3=94 world, represents 5% of the earth=92s human population=
and=20
is responsible for 25% of the earth=92s green-house gas emissions. Both at=
=20
home and abroad, energy production and the pollution associated with it is=
=20
both an environmental problem AND an issue of social justicewhat I will=20
call an issue of eco-justice. Hence the even greater urgency for a=20
response from religious communities.
What can you do to Respond in California?
A brief note about the history of energy in California is necessary=20
here. Pre-1998, Californians had no choice in choosing an energy=20
provider. After deregulation, Californians gained the choice to choose an=
=20
energy provider (this does not change the grid; rather, it only changes the=
=20
source from which your energy comes). At this time, Green Mountain Energy=
=20
and other =93green=94 energy providers entered the CA energy market. It was=
=20
then possible for Californians to choose to get their energy from a=20
sustainable energy source. Then, and I am not sure of the date, a cap was=20
placed on the retail price of energy in CA. So, providers could only=20
charge customers up to a certain price. What happened in the =93energy=20
crisis=94or at least part of what happenedwas that the wholesale price of=20
energy shot up above the retail price (in June of 2000). At this time,=20
most of the smaller energy companies, like Green Mountain, could not afford=
=20
to stay in California because they were losing money on each customer. So,=
=20
at this point, we in the Bay Area have no =93green=94 energy options.
You might be asking, =93What happened to the energy crisis?=94 Well, a=
large=20
part of the crises was abated through conservation efforts on the part of=20
Californians. Last summer, Californians conserved 15% of the energy=20
previously used during the same time-periods of previous=20
years. Conservation is not only the key to conserving energy, it is key in=
=20
abating the amount of green-house gasses that are emitted every year.
Though there are not green energy wholesale options available in California=
=20
at the moment, there are several things that you can do as an individual=20
and that communities and institutions can do. Once such thing is=20
conservation. Through the use of compact-florescent bulbs, you can save an=
=20
enormous amount of energy. Compact fluorescents use only =BC of the energy=
=20
used by regular, incandescent light bulbs. Also, caulking windowsills,=20
placing a blanket around your water heater, and other, easy tips such as=20
these will help conserve energy and save you money.
Another thing to do is to get involved politically. There is a Bill going=
=20
to the CA legislation session in February that will urge CA lawmakers to=20
make a commitment to move California=92s Renewable energy sources from 11%=
to=20
20% of overall energy used. By going to the CAP&L web-site (found below),=
=20
you can print out a form that will allow you to show your support for=20
=93green energy=94 in the Bay Area. Likewise, you can sign up as an=20
individual, or as a group (ie, your religious community, or your SCHOOL=20
could sign up in support of =93green energy=94.) All of these forms will be=
=20
taken to the capital in Sacramento in February.
It is also important to note all of the rebates that are offered by PG&E=20
and the state of California for installing solar panels on your home,=20
business, or institution. Through all of these rebates you can get up to=20
50% of the initial costs of installation paid for. And, in just a matter=20
of years, the solar panels will pay for themselves! You can find more=20
information out about these programs by following the links in the resource=
=20
section below.
Another way to get involved, perhaps directly with CAP&L is to encourage=20
the youth-groups at your churches, synagogues, mosques, or temples to sell=
=20
compact-florescent bulbs instead of candy. CAP&L is setting up these types=
=20
of programs with girl scouts, boy scouts, public schools groups, and other=
=20
groups. So, the youth group can raise money and help conserve energy at=20
the same time.
Just a couple of success stories. As many of you probably know, the county=
=20
and city of San Francisco voted to install solar panels on all of the=20
municipal buildings a couple of weeks ago. This not only shows our support=
=20
of the global Kyoto efforts, despite what the US government decides to do,=
=20
it shows that change can happen. Likewise, in Sacramento, there are a=20
number of churches who took advantage of SMUD=92s offer to help pay for=
solar=20
panels on their roofs. Now, these churches not only have NO electricity=20
bill, but they generate more energy than they need and this energy is sent=
=20
back into the grid for others to use.
Finally, a good way to get involved is to be an advocate for those who live=
=20
in places where coal and other harmful power plants are built. I have no=20
direct ideas here, but perhaps some of you do. It is important to end=20
these types of injustices. The best I can offer is to let your senators=20
and representatives know how you feel about this issue. To be informed=20
about when and where power plants are going to be built. To be informed=20
about the communities in which power plants exist, and to begin moving=20
toward sustainable energy practices via conservation and via utilizing=20
=93green=94 energy resources.
On-Line Resources
Episcopal Power and Light
California Interfaith Power and Light (Here you will find the=20
Congregational/Institutional Covenants that I mentioned).
California Energy Commission (List of Rebates for Installing Solar and=
Wind).
Earth Policy Institute
Earth Watch Institute (You can order yearly editions of State of the World=
=20
on this web-site)
Ecology Center, Berkeley
To Conduct a home or business energy audit, click here.
Click here for more information about Environmental Racism
Also, in the declaration of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism,=20
Environmental Racism is recognized as:
28. Recognizing environmental racism as a form of racial discrimination=
=20
which refers to exploitation and depletion of natural resources and any=20
environmental policy, practice, action or inaction that intentionally or=20
unintentionally, disproportionately harms the health, eco systems, and=20
livelihood of nations, communities, groups, or individuals, and in=20
particular the poor. (Click here to view the whole document)
Finally, click here to get in touch with your senators / representatives
I am sure that you can add many more resources to the list!
I hope you find this informative and I look forward to our Spring forums=20
(schedule TBA).
Sincerely,
Whitney A. Bauman
TREES
<http://george.gtu.edu/mailman/listinfo/trees-list>Theological Roundtable=20
for Ecological Ethics & Spirituality
www.gtu.edu/StudServ/TREES
Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-649-2560
Trees@GTU.edu
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<b>Summary of TREES Forum on December 10, 2001: Sally Bingham, California
Interfaith Power and Light (aka Episcopal Power and Light).<br>
<br>
</b>Thanks for joining us for the last forum of the Fall semester.
We are already working on the Spring semester and the list is looking
impressive! I hope that you have a wonderful, safe, and fun
holiday!<br>
<br>
Please be sure to check out the resources at the end of this
summary.<br>
<br>
<br>
<u>History of Episcopal Power and Light (EP&L)<br>
</u>In 1997, Sally Bingham and Steve MacAusland joined with other members
of various religious communities at Temple Immanuel in San Francisco to
discuss how Bay Area religious communities might respond to environmental
issues, such as Global Warming. The group of religious leaders
started out together as an interfaith effort to address these
issues. After 6 months, Steve MacAusland and Sally Bingham, both
Episcopalian, were the only ones left at the discussion table. So,
they decided to start Episcopal Power and Light. They began to
raise funds from secular environmental foundations interested in global
warming. They were successful, largely due to the fact that these
secular foundations were thrilled that the faith community was interested
in these issues. It is Sally=92s belief that the faith communities of
the United States, moreover of the world, must get involved in
environmental issues if things are really going to change and this belief
probably aided their efforts in garnering funds for EP&L.<br>
<br>
Since the time Steve and Sally founded EP&L, the goal has been to
provide resources for =93sustainable energy consumption=94 to religious
communities of all faiths and denominations. Now, the National
Religious Partnership for the Environment and the National Council of
Churches are involved in global warming issues. Also, the
Regeneration Project (in the Presidio in San Francisco) got interested in
what EP&L was doing; so, with the help of the Regeneration Project,
EP&L has now morphed into California Interfaith Power and Light
(CAP&L).<br>
<br>
The influence of CAP&L has moved beyond the borders of California and
into other states. Sally and Steve have been instrumental in
starting similar programs in such places as Tennessee and Texas.<br>
<br>
<u>Addressing issues of global warming in California and Beyond<br>
<br>
</u>Currently, 55% of the United States energy comes from coal and only
1% from renewable resources. In California our energy sources look
like this: 11% Renewable, 15% Nuclear, 20% Large Hydro, 21% Coal, and 33%
Natural Gas. The goal of CIP&L, is to see the percent of energy
coming from coal reduced and the percent coming from renewable resources
increased (at least to 20% in the short-run).<br>
<br>
<i>Power Plants in the Bay Area and Effects Around the World<br>
</i>Traditional Power plants (based on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels)
add to the problems of global warming, acid rain, smog, respiratory
diseases, cancers, and the list goes on. Already we are beginning
to see the effects of global warming. A
<font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>press release</font></u> a couple of weeks ago,
by Lester BrownDirector of the Earth Watch Institute and the Earth Polciy
Institute--reports that the people living on the island of Tuvalua tiny
island country in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and
Australiaare evacuating the whole island due to rising waters and harsh
weather conditions.<br>
<br>
This raises an important eco-justice issue. Sally pointed out that
there are no power plants in Marin County. Likewise, statistically
speaking, the majority of power plants are located in poorer
communities. These communities often are communities of ethnic
minorities as well. Is this a case of environmental racism, or just
a case of coincidence? Likewise, on a global scale it will be
nations and locations, such as Tuvalo, that are in the =932/3=94 world that
will be affected by global warming first, and the mostthese nations often
don=92t have insurance companies or FEMA to bail them out of large-scale
disasters, thus exacerbating the problem; yet, the US, part of the =931/3=94
world, represents 5% of the earth=92s human population and is responsible
for 25% of the earth=92s green-house gas emissions. Both at home and
abroad, energy production and the pollution associated with it is both an
environmental problem AND an issue of social justicewhat I will call an
issue of eco-justice. Hence the even greater urgency for a response
from religious communities.<br>
<br>
<i>What can you do to Respond in California?<br>
</i>A brief note about the history of energy in California is necessary
here. Pre-1998, Californians had no choice in choosing an energy
provider. After deregulation, Californians gained the choice to
choose an energy provider (this does not change the grid; rather, it only
changes the source from which your energy comes). At this time,
Green Mountain Energy and other =93green=94 energy providers entered the CA
energy market. It was then possible for Californians to choose to
get their energy from a sustainable energy source. Then, and I am not
sure of the date, a cap was placed on the retail price of energy in
CA. So, providers could only charge customers up to a certain
price. What happened in the =93energy crisis=94or at least part of wha=
t
happenedwas that the wholesale price of energy shot up above the retail
price (in June of 2000). At this time, most of the smaller energy
companies, like Green Mountain, could not afford to stay in California
because they were losing money on each customer. So, at this point, we in
the Bay Area have no =93green=94 energy options.<br>
<br>
You might be asking, =93What happened to the energy crisis?=94 Well, a
large part of the crises was abated through conservation efforts on the
part of Californians. Last summer, Californians conserved 15% of
the energy previously used during the same time-periods of previous
years. Conservation is not only the key to conserving energy, it is
key in abating the amount of green-house gasses that are emitted every
year.<br>
<br>
Though there are not green energy wholesale options available in
California at the moment, there are several things that you can do as an
individual and that communities and institutions can do. Once such
thing is conservation. Through the use of compact-florescent bulbs,
you can save an enormous amount of energy. Compact fluorescents use
only =BC of the energy used by regular, incandescent light bulbs.
Also, caulking windowsills, placing a blanket around your water heater,
and other, easy tips such as these will help conserve energy and save you
money.<br>
<br>
Another thing to do is to get involved politically. There is a Bill
going to the CA legislation session in February that will urge CA
lawmakers to make a commitment to move California=92s Renewable energy
sources from 11% to 20% of overall energy used. By going to the
CAP&L web-site (found below), you can print out a form that will
allow you to show your support for =93green energy=94 in the Bay Area.
Likewise, you can sign up as an individual, or as a group (ie, your
religious community, or your SCHOOL could sign up in support of =93green
energy=94.) All of these forms will be taken to the capital in
Sacramento in February.<br>
<br>
It is also important to note all of the rebates that are offered by
PG&E and the state of California for installing solar panels on your
home, business, or institution. Through all of these rebates you
can get up to 50% of the initial costs of installation paid for.
And, in just a matter of years, the solar panels will pay for
themselves! You can find more information out about these programs
by following the links in the resource section below.<br>
<br>
Another way to get involved, perhaps directly with CAP&L is to
encourage the youth-groups at your churches, synagogues, mosques, or
temples to sell compact-florescent bulbs instead of candy.
CAP&L is setting up these types of programs with girl scouts, boy
scouts, public schools groups, and other groups. So, the youth
group can raise money and help conserve energy at the same time.<br>
<br>
Just a couple of success stories. As many of you probably know, the
county and city of San Francisco voted to install solar panels on all of
the municipal buildings a couple of weeks ago. This not only shows
our support of the global Kyoto efforts, despite what the US government
decides to do, it shows that change can happen. Likewise, in
Sacramento, there are a number of churches who took advantage of SMUD=92s
offer to help pay for solar panels on their roofs. Now, these
churches not only have NO electricity bill, but they generate more energy
than they need and this energy is sent back into the grid for others to
use.<br>
<br>
Finally, a good way to get involved is to be an advocate for those who
live in places where coal and other harmful power plants are built.
I have no direct ideas here, but perhaps some of you do. It is
important to end these types of injustices. The best I can offer is
to let your senators and representatives know how you feel about this
issue. To be informed about when and where power plants are going
to be built. To be informed about the communities in which power
plants exist, and to begin moving toward sustainable energy practices via
conservation and via utilizing =93green=94 energy resources.<br>
<br>
<u>On-Line Resources<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#0000FF">Episcopal Power and Light<br>
<br>
California Interfaith Power and Light</font></u> (Here you will
find the Congregational/Institutional Covenants that I mentioned).<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>California Energy Commission (List of Rebates
for Installing Solar and Wind).<br>
<br>
Earth Policy Institute<br>
<br>
Earth Watch Institute</font></u> (You can order yearly editions of
<i>State of the World</i> on this web-site)<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>Ecology Center, Berkeley<br>
<br>
To Conduct a home or business energy audit, click here.<br>
<br>
Click here for more information about Environmental Racism<br>
<br>
</font></u>Also, in the declaration of the 2001 World Conference Against
Racism, Environmental Racism is recognized as:<br>
<font face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" size=3D4><b>
<dl>
<dl>
<dd>28.<x-tab> </x-tab></font>Recognizing</b>
environmental racism as a form of racial discrimination which refers to=
exploitation and depletion of natural resources and any environmental=
policy, practice, action or inaction that intentionally or unintentionally,=
disproportionately harms the health, eco systems, and livelihood of=
nations, communities, groups, or individuals, and in particular the=
poor. <font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>(Click here to view the whole=
document)<br>
<br>
</font></u>
</dl>
</dl><br>
Finally, click here to get in touch with your <font=
color=3D"#0000FF"><u>senators</font></u> / <font=
color=3D"#0000FF"><u>representatives</font></u><br>
<br>
</u><br>
I am sure that you can add many more resources to the list! <br>
<br>
I hope you find this informative and I look forward to our Spring forums=
(schedule TBA).<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Whitney A. Bauman<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
TREES<br>
<a href=3D"http://george.gtu.edu/mailman/listinfo/trees-list">Theological=
Roundtable for Ecological Ethics & Spirituality</a><br>
<a href=3D"http://www.gtu.edu/StudServ/TREES"=
eudora=3D"autourl">www.gtu.edu/StudServ/</a><a=
href=3D"http://www.gtu.edu/StudServ/TREES" eudora=3D"autourl">TREES<br>
</a>Graduate Theological Union<br>
Berkeley, CA 94709<br>
510-649-2560<br>
Trees@GTU.edu<br>
</html>
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