tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78960058858411230042024-03-14T01:57:42.287-07:00Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterian ChurchEarth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-67048280273603451082013-10-14T12:28:00.000-07:002013-10-14T12:28:16.608-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">FAQ on Divestment from Fossil Fuels</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Basics about Divestment
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">(These
are primarily drawn from the 350.org website, with much shortening and a few
modifications.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://gofossilfree.org/faq/">What is divestment?</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo12; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Divestment
is a moral and prophetic act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a
refusal to invest in or profit from companies engaging in unethical or morally
ambiguous actions. Burning fossil fuels creates
global warming, which in turn causes suffering and changes in life cycles (for
humans and other living things). It is thus morally wrong to make money from
the unregulated extraction of fossil fuels.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Divestment
is the opposite of an investment–it simply means getting rid of stocks, bonds
or investment funds that are unethical or morally ambiguous. Fossil Fuel
investments are a risk for investors and the planet–that’s why we’re calling on
institutions to divest from these companies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo3; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
have been a handful of successful divestment campaigns in recent history,
including Darfur, Tobacco and others, but the largest and most impactful one
came to a head around the issue of South African Apartheid and helped break the
power of the Apartheid government.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://gofossilfree.org/faq/">What are we asking for, and who are we
asking?</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">We want PCUSA to do two things: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">1: immediately freeze any <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">new</i> investment in fossil fuel companies,
and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">2: divest from direct ownership and any
commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">within 5 years</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two hundred publicly-traded companies hold the vast majority
of the world’s proven coal, oil and gas reserves. Those are the companies we’re
asking our institutions to divest from. Our demands to these companies are
simple, because they reflect the stark truth of climate science:</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">They need
immediately to stop exploring for new hydrocarbons.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">They need
to stop lobbying in Washington and state capitols across the country to
preserve their special political and economic breaks, including subsidies
for their products. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most
importantly, they need to pledge to keep 80% of their current reserves
underground forever.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why divestment?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The fossil fuel divestment campaign is about creating a
movement which can educate the broader public about the increasing amount of
CO2 in the atmosphere and its impact on global warming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a divestment campaign grows, there is
strength in numbers, which ultimately can bring sufficient negative publicity
to hurt the public image of these companies and remove their social license to continue
to do business the way they have.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://gofossilfree.org/faq/">Shouldn’t we just focus on stopping fossil
fuel projects like offshore drilling, tar sands pipelines, coal power plants
and hydrofracking wells?</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stopping
fossil fuel infrastructure projects is important. Coal plants cause asthma
and dump mercury into the air and water; fracking fluid can leak into
groundwater and make people sick; pipelines can leak, and so on. We can
and should stand with people on the front lines of these fights to stop
projects like the Keystone XL pipeline that would destroy communities and
the planet, and contribute to climate change.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, we
can’t stop global warming one pipeline, coal plant or fracking well at a
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also need to loosen the
grip that coal, oil and gas companies have on our government and financial
markets. We need to fight back against the economic power that these
companies have in our economy.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://gofossilfree.org/faq/">Companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, BP have
billions of dollars/euros. How can divesting the funds from a few institutions
like universities, pensions and churches make an impact?</a></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Divestment
isn’t primarily an economic strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a moral stand, an educational strategy and a publicity
strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like in the struggle
for Civil Rights here in America or the fight to end Apartheid in South
Africa, the more we can make climate change a deeply moral issue, the more
we will push society towards action. We need to make it clear that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">if it’s wrong to wreck the planet, then
it’s also wrong to profit from that wreckage.</b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
sale of stock might not have an immediate impact on a fossil fuel company,
what it does do is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">start to sow
uncertainty about the viability of the fossil fuel industry’s business
model</b>. Here’s why: in order to keep warming below 2°C, a target that
the United States and nearly every other country on Earth has agreed to,
the International Energy Agency calculates that the fossil fuel industry
will need to NOT burn approximately 80% of their reserves of coal, oil,
and gas. Those reserves are factored into the share price of every fossil
fuel company. Those assets will have to be written off when governments
finally decide to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant. By divesting
from fossil fuels, we are building the case for that government action.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Divestment
also starts to build momentum for moving money into clean energy,
community development, and other more sustainable investments. It is
moving our money from the problem to the solution.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
divestment movement creates public discourse which can create momentum for
legislation to limit carbon emissions.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Can we still make a reasonable return without investing in Exxon or
Peabody Coal?</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
it’s true that fossil fuel companies are extremely profitable, they’re
also very risky investments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coal,
oil and gas companies’ business models rest on emitting five times more
carbon into the atmosphere than civilization can handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Disasters like Exxon Valdez and the BP
oil spill also make these investments risky.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Report
after report has shown that investing in clean energy, efficiency and
other sustainable technologies can be even more profitable than fossil
fuels. It’s a growing market and a safe place for an institution to
invest.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are
also a number of ways to re-invest locally that help build your community
and stimulate good jobs. Projects like energy efficiency and rooftop solar
have high up-front and labor costs, but save institutions money in the
long run, because electricity, heating and other costs are reduced
significantly. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The five
year divestment plan allows ample opportunity to develop an alternative
investment strategy.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://gofossilfree.org/faq/">Can shareholders pressure fossil fuel
companies without divesting?</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">We encourage institutions to bring about
shareholder pressure over the next 5 years as they gradually divest</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If they are successful in getting the fossil fuel companies to give up
their core business in the next 5 years, that’s wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, the companies know that there is a
consequence for refusing to move away from fossil fuels to become more
broad-based energy companies. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
are a bit skeptical that companies will respond sufficiently to shareholder
engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shareholder action can be an
effective tool to make small reforms at a company, such as pressuring Apple to
institute better labor practices at the factories it works with in China. But
there haven’t been any shareholder resolutions that have been able to address
the core problem with the fossil fuel industry: the massive amounts of carbon
they insist on dumping into the atmosphere for free. Exxon could still make a
profit as an energy company if it transitioned its massive wealth and expertise
over to renewables, but they won’t do it willingly and we doubt that any group
of shareholders would pass such a resolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are more likely to do it only if there is enough public pressure
and moral outrage to finally bring about government regulation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: .5in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s
unlikely the fossil fuel companies can be convinced to give up their core
business and move to renewables through shareholder action</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">That’s why it’s time for divestment. We need to make the
moral stakes of our current situation clear: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the fossil fuel industry is destroying the planet and it’s immoral to
profit off that destruction that harms humans and all creation.</b> Divestment
is a clear and powerful action that helps build the case through education and
publicity so that there will eventually be government action. Divestment
powerfully makes the point that we should be moving our money into the solution
as opposed to the problem. If we’d started this campaign 30 years ago, then
shareholder action would make more sense, but with the rapidly closing window
for action, we need to act swiftly and boldly. Divestment can be an
uncomfortable step to take, but it’s the right thing to do — and it will make a
far greater impact than any shareholder resolution we could ever pass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">What about the hard-working people who mine coal,
drill oil and run fracking equipment for a living?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can I support this overture given the
hardships it would cause them? </span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">(</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">with thanks to UCC’s FAQs)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are profoundly and humbly aware of the vast economic
disruptions and personal costs that will result from moving beyond a
fossil-fuel-based economy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The church will need to have a role in helping individuals deal
with grief and change, and in advocating for corporate and governmental
policies to mitigate the damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
church must stand with those who lose their jobs, even as we pursue this change.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">But if humanity does not make this transition, the disruption and
cost will be incalculable, as our world will cease to be habitable for miners,
drillers, or any of us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our economy has gone through severe dislocations in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When slavery was an issue, many felt that the
economy (the textile industry in the North included) could not survive the loss
of cheap cotton harvested by slave labor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This did not deter our nation’s leaders from passing the 13<sup>th</sup>
Amendment. It is not easy to make these changes, but sometimes it is necessary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">There will be many new jobs created in the renewable energy
sector.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">What about the people who are just getting by and see any rise in
gasoline prices as a threat to their well-being?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the folks, for example, who have to
drive great distances to get to any sort of employment and cannot afford to
live close to the available jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Public
transportation is not a real option in many places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people will see this plan as making
their lives immediately worse for a very small future reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions. </span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l8 level1 lfo14; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">No
question this will create hardship for all of us, especially those who live
close to the margin and depend on low gas prices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo13; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
have to stay focused on the larger danger in our lives. Our planet is
threatened and this danger poses a larger threat to even more people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo13; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">When
our legislators finally take on the issue of carbon taxes making polluters pay
for externalities, they will have added financial resources to create viable
public transportation and subsidies (like food stamps) available for those who
can’t afford fuel. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo13; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
will be important for people of faith to be willing to stand with people on the
margins who will suffer the impact of more realistic (non-subsidized) gas
prices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Church-specific
Questions</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our church avoids political issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We certainly know from experience that it’s tough for a church to
take on an issue that may be divisive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we also know that sometimes that is necessary. In the Gospels Jesus
calls us again and again to work for those who suffer, to care for those who
need healing, and to speak up for those who are voiceless. Jesus offers us a
model of standing up to those in power who create and enforce economic and
political systems that add to suffering and injustice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We don’t see this as a political issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a Republican or Democratic issue;
it’s a human issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We see this as an issue of morality and of social justice and both
of those concerns are at the heart of our Christian faith. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The 183<sup>rd</sup> General Assembly of the PCUSA resolved that
church investment is “an instrument of mission and includes social, theological
and economic considerations.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Isn’t the fate of the world in God’s hands, not ours?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Perhaps the problem is that we humans have taken over God’s
role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">References: Job 38, Genesis 3</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 Samuel 2:8 reads “All the earth is the Lord’s, and he has set
the world in order.” So, yes, the fate of the world is up to God, but God also
calls us in Genesis to till and keep the garden. “That means we have the
responsibility to protect our air… we need to be part of the solution, not part
of the problem.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">(ask the person you are talking to) How do you understand how God
acts in history, in the world?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">In 2006 PCUSA passed a resolution saying we have a Christian
mandate to care for creation by “acting now and acting boldly to lead the way
in reducing our energy useage.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prophetic voice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God works
through prophets and God is still calling us to speak up in the world</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is the overture asking only PC(USA) to divest or is it also asking
individual churches and people to divest?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The overture asks only PC(USA) to divest its holdings at a
denominational level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although
divestment by individuals and smaller organizations is very welcome, the
divestment movement is focusing on large institutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such institutions tend to have significant
retirement funds and larger budgets and, at least initially, their actions will
draw the greatest attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, we encourage
individual churches and people to pursue divestment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more demand there is for fossil-free
funds, the sooner those investment options will expand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more re-investment there is into clean
energy companies, the stronger they will become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don’t the fund managers have a fiduciary responsibility to invest
PC(USA)’s
funds to get the most benefit for their client?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Monetary profit is not the only benefit we are looking for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A secure future is what we really seek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An investment that wrecks the place we call
home cannot be defended as fulfilling the fiduciary obligation to benefit
investors. Succinctly, how can it be a good investment if it leads to the
destruction of our home and future?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fiduciary responsibility means acting in the best interest of the
institution. In PCUSA, our “best interest” may be served by having a
sustainable planet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is the policy of PCUSA on divestment?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The General Assembly of PCUSA has over the years instructed its
investing groups to divest from tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and pornography
along with some companies related to guns and weapons production. We believe
fossil fuel companies should be on that list.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do we know how much $ the
PCUSA has invested in fossil fuels?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 81.35pt; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo15; text-align: justify; text-indent: -63.35pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">No. We are working on finding answers to this questio</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">n.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 81.35pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Questions about
the Science<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Isn’t there still disagreement among scientists?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is almost no disagreement among experts in the field of
climate science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Among 14,000 authors
of peer-reviewed scientific articles on global warming published between 1991
and Nov. 2012, only 24 reject human-caused global warming.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suppose your child had symptoms of ill-health and you took him to
100 medical specialists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>98 of them said
you need to treat this illness now and 2 said “let’s wait and see what
happens”, what would you do? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where can I learn more about climate change?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">A good book on faith and the
science of climate change is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Climate
for Change </i>by Katharine Hayhoe and Andrew Farley. We also recommend the
Union for Concerned Scientists (<a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/">http://www.ucsusa.org</a>)
as an excellent resource.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other Questions</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is so unrealistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
depend on fossil fuels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to keep
the lights and heat on and be able to move people and goods from place to
place.</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes, of course we want energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But most of us would not care what the source of that energy is (oil or
wind) as long as it could keep the lights and heat on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We also need to continue to reduce our energy use.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Only certain sources of energy (fossil fuels) have received
subsidies and have not had to pay to dump their waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the power grip of these companies,
we’ve been led to believe that only fossil fuels can meet our energy needs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wouldn’t a better way to solve the problem be to put a price on
energy (fee and dividend/carbon tax)?</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We do need to continue to contact our legislators about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we won’t get that kind of action from
Congress until we radically change the conversation about global warming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, we need to draw more and more
attention to the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we need to
put moral pressure on the fossil fuel companies so that they will no longer
have a strangle hold (think big money lobbying) on the political process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">You know, nothing’s going to solve this problem until…people stop
driving, or people stop consuming so much, or China stops polluting, or …fill
in the blank)</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.35pt; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">I agree that no one strategy
can, by itself, solve the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would be wonderful if… (people drove less, China cut back on emissions, etc).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.35pt; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">But divestment is one
concrete strategy aimed at the root of the problem, which is that the fossil
fuel companies continuing with their business as usual will wreck the planet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.35pt; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Religious institutions are especially well
suited to take a moral stand and speak with a prophetic voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.35pt; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo9; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">It will take many changes to
solve our climate problem, this is one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 45.35pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Population growth over the next 50 years will force us to use every
available source of energy to meet demand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems stupid to cut off some of those sources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l14 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have to weigh this reality against the reality of what the
world will be like in 50 years if we continue burning carbon as we are now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l14 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Increasingly frequent and severe storms will play havoc with the
power systems we now have.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l14 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">No
question we must also address the issue of population growth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l14 level1 lfo10; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Limiting
carbon emissions preserves more capacity for food and water for future
generations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do you really think divestment
will work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo11; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don’t know whether we can do enough fast enough to stem the
tide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I know that I must do all I
can to respond to the moral crisis of our age. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo11; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">As people of faith, we bring the element of hope, not a naive
optimism, but a hope that does not depend on continuity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope embraces breakthrough; hope embraces
miracle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope believes that a single
sermon can change your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope believes
that a single person can change history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However strong the forces against us may be, we do not lose hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Thanks for this wording, UCC.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: X-NONE;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> From <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I love God’s Green Earth<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></i>by Michael and Caroline Carroll</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-77969012678294962302013-09-18T10:46:00.001-07:002013-09-18T10:46:13.651-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gasland, “Truthland,” and the CHPC Earth Care Team:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Stephen Bartlett </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The movie “Gasland” was shown at CHPC on Friday evening,
August 30, to a rarified Labor Day weekend audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>able to make it at the last minute, after having agreed to write a
review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in lieu of a proper review,
and based on a survey of prevailing research on hydraulic fracturing, alias
“fracking”, as well as reading through controversies swirling about the movie
and the production of counter movies, such as “Truthland” (I smell a rat in
that one.), as well as my own understanding of our current energy, climate and
human civilization crises, I would like to offer some thoughts surrounding this
issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First thought:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we
must proceed with caution when reading opinions about this volatile issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The profit motive for the energy corporations
is so enormous, and the dependency of our society on fossil fuels so deep, that
the debate is tainted by conflicts of interest at many levels, including the
way mainstream media is controlled by corporations, as well as governmental
agencies such as the EPA tainted by undue influence of corporate money in
campaigns, revolving doors, etc… Knowing who is saying what and following the
money are essential to discerning the truth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the other hand, purely emotional responses to the
igniting of one’s water tap, a dramatic demonstration of something definitely
wrong, could also be misleading, depending on the honesty of everyone involved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Second thought:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>debating whether natural gas may be a "solution" to the
problem of the “far worse” coal and oil pollution may be the wrong question to
ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The millions of dollars going into
spinning that message also make me cringe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alternatively,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a question that
might be worth asking is:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can the
increased use of natural gas allow our society a temporary, less harmful
transition from all forms of fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, OR NOT?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Related to that:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can we invest more time, money, etc… in
energy conservation and reducing our carbon foot prints than in pursuing new
fossil fuel use that is supposedly “better” for us, and runs all manner of
risks to life and limb and our precious water supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tar sand production, for example, is without
any doubt laying waste to vast areas of Canada and causing untold health issues
and human suffering among the indigenous peoples living in that region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline
would only add fuel to that evil fire!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Third thought:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are
humans justified in pulverizing rocks deep in the Earth on a massive scale
through violent means including the injecting of diesel fuel and related
contaminating chemicals, mixed in water, thereby releasing natural gas up to
the surface (presumably up through pipes only), when it is the burning of
fossil fuels that we know is tipping our planet’s climate over the brink of an
abyss for our living systems?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether
the fuel is natural gas, (which, yes, at least does not pollute with sulfur or
cause acid rain), or it is coal which has such pollutants, or petroleum which
also contains such pollutants in lesser amounts, all of them are contributing
to global warming as surely as 1 + 1 = 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Any natural gas that leaks from fracking becomes a potent greenhouse gas
25 times more harmful than CO2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Making a
claim that natural gas is less polluting also begs the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are still planning to continue burning
coal and oil, in quantities to meet the growing world demand, as is China and other
countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this is not actually going
to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere, at a time when we are
challenged, morally and pragmatically required, I would argue,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to dramatically reduce such CO2 emissions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So regardless of whether the methane in someone’s tap was due
to natural gas leaks caused by fracking, or this is because this house lies
over a landfill producing methane or a manure slew brewing upstream, etc… I
think for us the question is whether we are willing to tackle the most
important question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how are we as human
society going to reduce our carbon footprints?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are we willing to condition our bodies to withstanding hot summer temps
at home with fans instead of AC, and cool homes and wood burning stoves in
winter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we willing to demand public
policy changes to promote greater and faster conservation practices for all our
major energy usages, and to find ways within our own community and congregation
to further reduce our carbon footprints, to lead by example?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we get out of our heavy cars, SUVs and dramatically
reduce our use of fossil fuels?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see
the beginnings of a barter economy among members of our congregation:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>why just today I received at church hot
peppers from a member and will repay in cucumbers delivered by bicycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One less trip to the supermarket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bonus if multiplied:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>one less farmworker exploited in the
agribusiness fields where such crops are grown and harvested!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, hopefully and by the Grace of God in
our lives, one day that kind of revitalized local food economy multiplied
across the U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will add up to fewer
immigrants forced to leave their countries due to agribusiness commodity
dumping in their countries of origin, or one less military intervention
launched at the behest of corporations perpetually thirsty for the minerals and
fossil fuels that lie under their lands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-42613516924842110602013-09-05T13:15:00.000-07:002013-09-05T13:15:17.738-07:00On Wednesday, August 28, 2013 the session approved a<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">n overture that if
passed by the Presbytery and the General Assembly in 2014 will lead to PC-USA divesting
from stocks of fossil fuel companies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Crescent Hill thus became the sixth congregation to pass this overture (after </span></span>1st Pres Palo Alto, 1st Pres Oak Ridge, Church of the Covenant, Boston, Oakhurst, Decatur, GA, 1st Pres San Anselmo). <br />
<br />
<br />
The complete text of the overture follows.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: center; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">DIVESTMENT
FROM FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">RECOMMENDATION</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The General Assembly expresses its profound
concern about the destructive effects of climate change on all God’s creation.
Climate change has had a disproportionate impact on those living in poverty and
in the least developed countries, the elderly and children, and those least
responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases. General Assembly thus
recognizes the moral mandate for humanity to shift to a sustainable energy plan
in a way that is both just and compassionate. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This mandate propels us to action as a denomination: to divest from the
fossil fuel industry even as we reduce our use of fossil fuels and shrink our
carbon footprint.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="ColorfulList-Accent1" style="tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ColorfulList-Accent1" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 0in left 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The General Assembly calls upon the Board of
Pensions<span style="color: black;"> and the </span>Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Foundation<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span>to:
</span></div>
<div class="ColorfulList-Accent1" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 0in left 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Immediately
stop any new investment in fossil fuel companies and instruct asset managers in
their work for the denomination to do the same; and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ensure
that within 5 years none of its directly held or commingled assets includes
holdings of either equities or corporate bonds in fossil fuel companies as
determined by the Carbon Tracker list<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Malgun Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>; and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Incorporate,
into already existing financial reports, regular updates detailing progress
made towards full divestment. These reports will be made available to the
public.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The General Assembly calls upon the Stated
Clerk of the PC(USA) to inform those fossil fuel companies of the passage and
implementation of this resolution.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">RATIONALE</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Purpose<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Malgun Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">[2]</span></b></span></span></span></a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
realities of climate change require prophetic and strategic action by people of
faith seeking to be faithful to the everlasting covenant God has made with us,
with every living creature, and with all future generations. If fossil fuel
companies simply fulfill their business model, the earth will become
irreversibly inhospitable to life as we know it. This overture urges the
PC(USA) to divest from fossil fuel companies as part of a worldwide movement.
Over the past three or more decades, many bodies of the Presbyterian Church (USA),
including the General Assembly on numerous occasions, have recognized our moral
obligation to be faithful stewards of God’s creation as well as acknowledging,
in one way or another, that harming creation is a sin. This overture seeks to
inspire and accelerate an unswerving commitment—as the 202<sup>nd</sup> General
Assembly in 1991 affirmed in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Statement
on Restoring Creation for Ecology and Justice</i>—to “insisting on
sustainability––the ongoing capacity of natural and social systems to thrive
together––which requires human beings to practice wise, humble, responsible
stewardship, after the model of servanthood that we have in Jesus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 217<sup>th</sup> General Assembly in 2006
resolved that “the urgency, injustice and seriousness of this issue calls us as
Christians to act NOW and act boldly to lead the way in reducing our energy
usage” and that “we should make a bold witness by aspiring to live carbon
neutral lives.” Eight years later, the urgency has increased dramatically and
the PC(USA) must act boldly by divesting from fossil fuels.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Biblical
and Theological Rationale </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
actions this resolution recommends are rooted in an expression of several of
the most foundational theological and biblical principles of our Presbyterian
identity. In Genesis 9, God makes a covenant not only with Noah, but with all
of humanity; a covenant not only with all of humanity, but with every living
creature; a covenant not only with all creatures alive today, but with all
future generations. It is now clear that the past few generations of humans
have burned so much of the earth’s energy reserves that we are on the verge of
irreversibly rendering the entire earth inhospitable for life as it has existed
for all of recorded history. By any measure, this is a violation of covenant
with future generations and the rest of creation—an action that works against
God’s covenant to never again destroy creation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus calls us to care for the “least of these.” Climate
change is creating a reality where there are more people than ever who are
hungry, thirsty, and homeless. It is thus poised to create the most massive
human rights violation the world has ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Furthermore it creates more suffering, directly at odds with caring for
the least of these and loving our neighbor in response to Jesus’ commandments
to us in Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are called to
love one another, then it is morally and theologically wrong to profit from the
destruction of creation.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Because
we are a covenant people and affirm Jesus’ call in Scripture to love our
neighbors as ourselves, we recognize our obligation as people of faith to take
into account how our decisions and activities affect all of creation now and
into the future.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
leaders of 167 countries, including the United States, have agreed that any
warming of the planet above a 2°C (3.6°F) rise would be unsafe, and we have
already (as of 2012) raised the temperature 0.8°C, causing far more damage, in
the forms of extreme weather events, drought, flood, and sea level rise, than
most scientists had expected. Computer models show that even if we stopped
increasing CO<sub>2</sub> levels now, the temperature would continue to rise
another 0.8°C, bringing the planet over three-quarters of the way to the 2°C limit.
Scientists estimate that humans can pour roughly 565 more gigatons of carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere and still have some reasonable hope of staying
below 2°C.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
proven coal, oil, and gas reserves of the fossil-fuel companies—and the
countries (e.g. Venezuela or Kuwait) which act like fossil-fuel
companies—equals about 2,795 gigatons of CO2, or five times the amount we can
release and still maintain a 2°C limit to planetary warming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sole objective of fossil fuel companies
is to make money for their shareholders by providing energy to the nations of
the world using the resources the companies currently own or have rights to
tap—and if they simply continue to carry out their business plan to fulfill
this objective, they will raise the temperature of the earth far beyond what scientists
have estimated can safely sustain plant, animal, and human life as they have
been for thousands of years.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
a result of fossil fuel use, the concentration<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>CO2 in the
atmosphere has now been measured at over 400 parts per million (ppm), 50ppm over
what many scientists say is the safe upper limit, and a 43% increase in the
last 250 years. <span style="color: black;">Almost half (44%) of this 43%
increase has occurred in the past 25 years alone,</span> and the amount of CO2
added to the atmosphere in the past decade is over three times the average
addition per decade in the period 1950-80.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These numbers are the most concrete evidence we have that climate change
is happening at an accelerating rate.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why Divestment?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
overture is part of a worldwide movement focused on keeping as much of the
earth’s carbon reserves as possible in the ground. As part of that campaign,
this resolution proposes the PC(USA) divest from fossil fuel companies. The
Carbon Tracker Initiative, a team of London financial analysts and
environmentalists, estimates that proven coal, oil, and gas reserves of the
fossil fuel companies, and the countries that act like fossil fuel companies,
equals about 2,795 gigatons of CO2, or five times the amount we can release to
maintain 2 degrees of warming.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">From
1983-1989, General Assembly passed many resolutions<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Malgun Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a> committing the corporate
expressions of the PC(USA) to divest from companies doing business with South
Africa as an expression of protest against apartheid in South Africa. Their
action began as a prophetic witness, but once thousands of institutions and
individuals joined together to divest from companies doing business in South
Africa, apartheid came to an end, in part, because of pressure from divestment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Following
that path, what begins as a prophetic act of divestment from fossil fuel
companies will: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drive public awareness of the massive damage
being done by the fossil fuel industry as it generates huge short-term profits
by moving carbon from the rocks of the earth into Earth’s atmosphere; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Build public recognition of the urgent need
to drastically and rapidly reduce humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels, ending
the “business as usual” approach that continues and even accelerates extracting,
marketing and burning fossil fuel;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lead to inspiring an urgent, accelerated and
popular commitment to leave untapped 80% of the known carbon reserves, while
developing renewable energy resources capable of meeting humanity’s needs –
thus making possible that all life as we have known it might continue for
future generations on God’s good earth;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call the denomination to reinvest a portion
of the divested funds in initiatives to reduce the energy use and carbon
footprint of PCUSA churches and in investments in companies primarily focused
on energy efficiency and renewable energy;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No longer allow the PC(USA) to profit from
the destruction of creation and the suffering of humanity caused by climate
change from burning fossil fuels.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Malgun Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The current list of 200 coal, oil and gas companies can be found
at:</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>http://www.carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/08/Unburnable-Carbon-Full1.pdf</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Malgun Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Portions
of this document were written in collaboration with and permission from the
Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, UCC climate activist and Minister and President,
Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7896005885841123004#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="FootnoteCharacters"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Malgun Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1983:
The Fourteenth General Assembly adopts as amended the Resolution on Investment
and Corporate Responsibility with Regards to South Africa. 1985: The Fifteenth
General Assembly adopts the Proposal for Action "PCUSA Full Divestment of
All Financial Resources from All Corporations Doing Business with South
Africa."1987: The Sixteenth General Assembly adopts "Expanded
Criteria for Divestment and Advocacy Related to South Africa" as amended.
1989: The Seventeenth General Assembly adopts the Resolution "Boycott of
Royal Dutch/Shell Oil," as amended.</span></div>
</div>
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Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-85990312644307111172013-08-10T02:55:00.004-07:002013-08-10T02:55:54.626-07:00There was an excellent forum on fracking at UCLA July 25, 2013 sponsored by the Union of Concerned Scientists. You can watch the entire 2 hr 45 min presentation at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgpdMH6Ftss&feature=youtu.be.Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-27231159600336313902013-08-08T17:16:00.002-07:002013-08-08T17:16:21.758-07:00Fracking references, August, 2013.<u> </u><br />
<u>References regarding legal issues.</u><br />
1.<span> </span>In 2012 the EPA established new
and updated air pollution regulations for fracking that could result in major
reductions in emissions of methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
particularly from new fracked natural gas wells. These rules go into effect
Jan., 2015.<span> </span><u><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404676/" target="_blank">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/<wbr></wbr>pmc/articles/PMC3404676/</a></u><br />
<br />
2.<span> </span>Excellent site on federal
legislation regarding fracking; see especially the first article.<span> </span>Assembled by FAS, the Federation of American
Scientists, which probably has a liberal bias, but the articles themselves were
produced by the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress so
they should be unbiased; from July, 2013: <a href="http://blogs.fas.org/secrecy/2013/07/fracking-legal/" target="_blank"><span>http://blogs.fas.org/secrecy/<wbr></wbr>2013/07/fracking-legal/</span></a><br />
<br />
3.<span> </span>Fracking approved in Illinois, June 2013;
Gov. Quinn signs law which he says has the strongest regulations in the
country; mainstream environmental groups helped write the law; other activist
groups feel betrayed:<span> </span><a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20130617/fracking-bill-triggers-rift-among-illinois-green-groups" target="_blank">http://insideclimatenews.org/<wbr></wbr>news/20130617/fracking-bill-<wbr></wbr>triggers-rift-among-illinois-<wbr></wbr>green-groups</a>
.<br />
4.<span> </span>Fracking laws in other countries
and for U.S.
states.<span> </span>Very useful but maybe not
updated in 2013?<span> </span>Keeptapwatersafe.org <br />
<br />
5.<span> </span>An excellent, lengthy blog post with
lots of links to key materials and sources, July, 2013: <a href="http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/environmental_law/2013/07/whats-new-in-fracking-fracing-hydrofracking-hydraulic-fracturing-law.html" target="_blank"><span>http://lawprofessors.typepad.<wbr></wbr>com/environmental_law/2013/07/<wbr></wbr>whats-new-in-fracking-fracing-<wbr></wbr>hydrofracking-hydraulic-<wbr></wbr>fracturing-law.html</span></a>.<br />
<br />
6.<span> </span>A Resources for the Future report
entitled The State of State Shale Gas Regulation. The report describes,
analyzes, and compares 25 regulatory elements related to shale gas development
across 31 states. It is the most comprehensive review to date of state shale
gas regulations. An amazing set of maps showing state by state regulations in
each area: how far to set back from homes or water supply, disposal
regulations, etc.<span> </span>What a resource! <a href="http://www.rff.org/shalemaps.%C2%A07/29/13" target="_blank"><span>http://www.rff.org/shalemaps. <wbr></wbr>7/29/13</span></a><br />
<br />
7.<span> </span>A website with lots of information
such as lists of the chemicals used, locations of wells, regulations listed by
state: <a href="https://exchange.louisville.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=BHdoQM7zBEuleygPRVTEP5Fxs8EkUdAIwfgvA0KKepwsIk3TbAwOdX2GZf3mTX8dGtVKNCytGnM.&URL=http%3a%2f%2ffracfocus.org" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial;">fracfocus.org</span></a> .<span> </span>However, it is managed by the groundwater
protection council which seems to have a pro-fracking slant (anytime the term
is spelled fracing without the k such as “fracfocus” it is probably being
written from a pro-fracking slant): <a href="http://www.gwpc.org/programs/water-energy/hydraulic-fracturing" target="_blank"><span>http://www.gwpc.org/programs/<wbr></wbr>water-energy/hydraulic-<wbr></wbr>fracturing</span></a>. Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-83828618082455228592013-05-06T11:45:00.000-07:002013-05-06T11:45:08.331-07:00Here's a link to a reflection on Earth Day that Rebecca wrote for PCUSA: <a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/yearbook/april-22" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>presbyterianmission.org/<wbr></wbr>yearbook/april-22</a>/, and here's a link to the Eco-Justice Worship Collective blog: <a href="https://ecojusticeworship.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">https://ecojusticeworship.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com</a>/.Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-21289449164810906912013-04-25T12:02:00.000-07:002013-04-25T12:02:02.040-07:00<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<u>Earth Care article for the May issue of Westminster Ways: </u></div>
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From the CHPC Earth Care
Team:</div>
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<u><span style="color: #222222;">Movie night</span></u><span style="color: #222222;">: The
Earth Care Team is embarking on a new series of
presentations to help keep us informed about environmental
issues. The first movie will be on Friday, May 24 at 7:30
<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">pm</span>. A movie for
children will also be shown. Refreshments, fellowship, and
discussion will be provided. Please plan to join us.</span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #222222;">KIPL membership</span></u><span style="color: #222222;">: The
session recently approved our church as a member of Kentucky
Interfaith Power and Light (KIPL). KIPL’s motto is “making
the connection between theology and ecology”. KIPL is a
network of more than 61 religious communities in Kentuckiana
that have pledged to protect God’s creation through
education, energy conservation, and activism.</span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #222222;">Better Space windows</span></u><span style="color: #222222;">: The
Better Space effort is designed to renovate, remodel, and
upgrade the church’s physical plant. One aspect having
significant environmental importance is the work on our
windows. The stained glass windows in the sanctuary are
being refurbished and a second layer of glass added to make
them more air-tight. Many of the windows in the back
building have been replaced with energy efficient
double-paned windows. In addition to decreasing the amount
of utility bills, these new windows have made the rooms much
more appealing as meeting spaces. </span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #222222;">Earth Care Team Meeting</span></u><span style="color: #222222;">: The
next meeting of the Earth Care Team will be Sunday, May 5 at
9:45 <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">am</span>. Anyone interested in environmental issues is welcome to
join us. </span>Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-80448615095698579582012-12-18T14:00:00.000-08:002012-12-18T14:00:50.001-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: garamond, 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
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<b>January Earth Care Tip: Break the Paper Habit<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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from Barbara Hedspeth<o:p></o:p></div>
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If a family of four used paper napkins for every meal they would spend $130 a year and add a pile of waste to the landfill. Factor in the number of paper towels that family would use and we’re looking at a significant amount of waste and it’s all made from trees. Somehow we’ve been convinced that the convenience of paper napkins and towels is worth the consumption of hundreds of acres of timber and all the energy necessary for processing that wood into the thin paper we use and toss into the trash, without thinking, multiple times a day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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Using cloth napkins and cloth dish towels for cleanup instead of paper towels is a more sustainable and less expensive alternative. The key is to frame the cloth napkin as not always being the pricey matching accessory to the table cloth. Look for cloth napkins made of durable material such as cotton or linen blends that stand up to regular washing along with the towels and sheets. It only takes a few moments to fold them and they’re ready to use again. They don’t all have to match either. I’ve found good deals on this kind of napkin at stores like Garden Ridge and Hobby Lobby. You might even try your hand at making your own. Either way you’re doing our southern forests a great favor.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-81961571368568627112012-11-17T05:32:00.004-08:002012-11-17T05:32:53.918-08:00Nov. 17, 2012 One of the most interesting talks at the Festival of Faiths was about Solar Roadways (http://www.solarroadways.com/). The basic idea: replace asphalt roads, parking lots, and driveways with solar panels built to withstand the weight and wear of traffic. These roads would be well marked with LEDs (better than our present painted lines), heated to melt ice and snow in winter, and used to collect energy to be used by our homes and businesses. Electric cars could be charged while they drive on the roadway. This renewable energy replaces the need for the current fossil
fuels used for the generation of electricity. Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-45405555117944900102012-11-09T05:19:00.001-08:002012-11-09T05:19:43.091-08:00The next meeting of the Earth Care Team will be on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 9:45 am.Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896005885841123004.post-58329739613295452642012-11-06T05:34:00.004-08:002012-11-06T05:34:57.524-08:00Nov. 4, 2012 the Earth Care Team met to discuss how the church will address environmental issues including mountain top removal and climate change. Last month the Session provided the momentum for renewing these efforts by approving the church's application to PC-USA to become an Earth Care Congregation.<br />
<br />
The Earth Care Team agreed on the following plan of action.<br />
1. The team will be commissioned by Jane at an upcoming worship service.<br />
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2. Communication to the congregation will be in several forms.<br />
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a. Periodic brief notes in the bulletin (weekly, monthly, etc.)<br />
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b. Monthly article for Westminster Ways to be titled Earth Care Tips. The first article deadline is Nov. 15 for the December issue. These articles could have both issues of local interest such as Christmas gift suggestions (e.g., donating a motion sensor to turn off church lights when not in use) as well as links to national environmental efforts (e.g., ILoveMountains.org). </div>
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c. Electronic form such as this blog which could be linked to the church website and/or Facebook page.</div>
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3. Worship services. Every two months we plan to hold a service focused at least in part on environmental issues. Tentative schedule: </div>
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a. December, 2012 an Eco justice collective service organized/led by Rebecca Barnes-Davies. </div>
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b. February 10, 2013 is set
as a Preach-In for Global Warming. Trisha Tull, who has received the climate change training by Al Gore's group, will do a Food for Thought presentation and perhaps deliver the sermon. </div>
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c. April, 2013 a service related to Earth Day. </div>
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______________ <br />
Nov. 6, 2012<br />
When the church has been approved as an Earth Care Congregation:<br />
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1. On the church website at the bottom of the front page: place the logo for Earth Care Congregations beside the other logos.; </div>
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2. Add a page for Earth Care (perhaps under mission?)</div>
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3. Formally announce this fact to the congregation.</div>
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Earth Care at Crescent Hill Presbyterianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332085881137059306noreply@blogger.com1