Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light

Climate Change Divestment at Temple: Featuring New Yorker Journalist Bill McKibben with Temple Alum and Environmental Activist Amani ReidWe are proud to present a discussion on climate change and divestment with environmentalist and journalist Bill McKibben. Mr. McKibben, who founded 350.org and contributes regularly to the New Yorker, has published numerous groundbreaking and compelling pieces on global warming and has been instrumental in various efforts to curb carbon emissions. He will be joined by Temple Alum and environmental justice advocate, Amani Reid. Ms. Reid will be facilitating a conversation that outlines the climate change crisis and the complex process of

Climate Change Divestment at Temple: Featuring New Yorker Journalist Bill McKibben with Temple Alum and Environmental Activist Amani ReidWe are proud to present a discussion on climate change and divestment with environmentalist and journalist Bill McKibben. Mr. McKibben, who founded 350.org and contributes regularly to the New Yorker, has published numerous groundbreaking and compelling pieces on global warming and has been instrumental in various efforts to curb carbon emissions. He will be joined by Temple Alum and environmental justice advocate, Amani Reid. Ms. Reid will be facilitating a conversation that outlines the climate change crisis and the complex process of

2022-23 Environmental Education Series: Caring for CreationJoin PA IPL for our 2022-23 Environmental Education Series: Caring for CreationFirst Fridays 12-1pm | October 2022 through June 2023MAY 5: Earth Month Planting Events & Virtual Cosmic WalkPA IPL is offering a virtual Environmental Education Series that is generously funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The programs will be offered virtually along with our partner, First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG), and will be available to all of our members through this virtual environmental education series, Caring for Creation with PA IPL. Please join us during your lunch hour

How to Advocate Through a Meeting with Elected Officials or Their StaffJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on May 17 at 7:00pm for an informational session on how to advocate through a meeting with elected officials or their staff. Katie Blume from Conservation Voters of PA will be the speaker.Meeting with elected officials or their staff is one of the most impactful ways to make your voice heard. When you work with an organization, it is much easier to conduct an effective meeting. Late spring through the summer is a very active time for PA

2022-23 Environmental Education Series: Caring for CreationJoin PA IPL for our 2022-23 Environmental Education Series: Caring for CreationFirst Fridays 12-1pm | October 2022 through June 2023JUNE 2: Stormwater & Rain BarrelsPA IPL is offering a virtual Environmental Education Series that is generously funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The programs will be offered virtually along with our partner, First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG), and will be available to all of our members through this virtual environmental education series, Caring for Creation with PA IPL. Please join us during your lunch hour on First Fridays.Our June

How to Encourage More Solar Power in PAJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on June 28 at 7:00pm for an informational session on how to encourage more solar power in PA. Monica Carey ,Pennsylvania Program Director of Solar United Neighbors will be the speaker. The percentage of solar power generated in PA is far smaller than in neighboring states largely because we do not incentivize generation of solar power, in fact we have laws that inhibit solar installations. To transition to clean energy, we must increase solar generation quickly.

The Power of One Voice: A 50-Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel CarsonJoin PA IPL for our 2023 Summer Film Series on the second Wednesdays of July & September. We will kick off the summer with The Power of One Voice: A 50-Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel Carson, featuring PA IPL Board Member Dr. Patricia DeMarco.This remarkable film was produced & directed by Mark Dixon, Blue Lens, and executive produced & brought to PA IPL by Dr. Patricia DeMarco. From the Blue Lens website:A groundbreaking documentary examining the life of Rachel Carson and the profound implications of

The EPA's Carbon Rule BriefingJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on July 19 at 7:00pm for an informational session about the EPA and proposed strong climate pollution rules for fossil fuel burning power plants. Seth Sacks, Field Director of Climate Action PA (a project of the Conservation Voters of PA), will be the speaker. He will speak to the significance of the Carbon Rule and how to leave comments/take action.The EPA has proposed new standards to cut carbon pollution from power plants. The EPA is now taking public comment on the proposal, and you can

Why We All Should Care and Advocate for a Climate Friendly Farm BillJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on August 16 at 7:00pm for an informational session on why & how to advocate for a Farm Bill that takes climate issues into account and will be positive for the environment.Every five years Congress needs to pass a new Farm Bill. Emissions caused by farming practices are worsening the climate crisis, but farms can also be a solution. Congress is investing huge sums in agriculture, and this money should be directed to help farmers mitigate and

Bi-Monthly LIVE Policy Update CallJoin PA IPL for our bi-monthly LIVE policy call. This month in addition to our regular updates, we will focus in on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), reflecting on the anniversary of the bill being signed into law, and where we are one year later.At this month’s call, our guest speaker is Robin Lewis. She will focus on helping us better understand environmental justice and how it relates to IRA. As an EJ activist and organizer, Robin has a long history of helping others become more sustainable and inclusive. As a certified project manager, she held

Celebrate IRA Investments in Pittsburgh CommunitiesJoin PA IPL and Rep. Summer Lee at Garfield Community Farm (509 Wicklow St.) on Friday, September 1st at 12:30pm to celebrate IRA investments in Pittsburgh communities and the urban gardens in our city working to advance food justice.If you're in SWPA, we hope to see you there!Download Event Flyer Here

Partnership with the Chesapeake Bay FoundationHere at PA IPL a big planting effort is underway, and we want you to be part of it!PA IPL received requests for over 25,000 trees this Spring! We are excited to partner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation once again to deliver as many of these requests as possible. Join us for a virtual session on September 19th at 7pm where we will learnabout the importance of planting native treeshow to plant & maintain trees you receiveand a little more about the mission to plant 10 million trees in PA by 2025We can’t wait to

Making climate-friendly appropriations a priority in the Federal budgetJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on September 20 at 7:00pm for an informational session on the Appropriations Bill. We will discuss making climate-friendly appropriations a priority in the Federal budget by understanding the budgeting process and what we need to tell our officials about our care and concern for the climate.Speaker: Madison Mayhew, National IPL Federal Policy ManagerSeptember 30th is the deadline for Congress to pass a budget, so Congress will be focused on appropriations throughout the month. The appropriations/budget process is complex and a huge

Exploring Religion & Environment Series - Session 1: ChristianityExploring Religion & Environment SeriesJoin us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.Session 1: Re-Imagining a Christian Response to a Changing ClimateWhat might a faithful Christian response look like in a rapidly changing world? In

The essential relationships between democracy, voting, and climate change solutionsJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on October 18 at 7:00pm for a discussion about the essential relationships between democracy, voting, and climate change solutions. Voting for positions at all levels strengthens democracy and has the potential to implement strong climate friendly policies. The reverse is also true, when people fail to vote, democracy can be threatened and harmful policies or no policies can be enforced.Speaker: Maegan Ramirez, Climate Justice Outreach Coordinator at the Union of Concerned Scientists

LIVE Policy Update CallJoin us for a LIVE Policy call on October 26 at 5pm. This month, we’ll continue our discussion of the DEP’s new environmental justice policy and mapping tool with Abby Jones. Abby is Vice President of Legal and Policy at PennFuture. As Vice President, Abby is responsible for integrating PennFuture's legal, regulatory, and policy activities in furtherance of the organization's mission of protecting Pennsylvania's air, water, and land, as well as empowering citizens to build sustainable communities for future generations.In her role as an attorney based out of PennFuture's Poconos office, Abby's work focuses on water quality

Exploring Religion & Environment Series - Session 2: JudaismExploring Religion & Environment SeriesJoin us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.Session 2: A Jewish Approach to Activism and Accompaniment Through the Climate CrisisIn this month’s conversation, are taking a deep dive into the

Come join us for a captivating VIRTUAL screening of The Oil Machine, followed by an insightful conversation with the director“Powerful documentary - essential viewing” Brian Ferguson - Scotsmanhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/731161312167 “A beautiful piece of work, hypnotic & mesmerising and incredibly emotional - I learned so much from watching this” Janice Forsyth, BBC Radio Scotland - Afternoon Show.“…the sheer depth of explanation – from the role played by financial markets, to the real efficacy of certain techniques like carbon capture, to who really owns North Sea oil … – made for a calm, informative, eye- opening experience. To know why COP26 is so

Come join us for a captivating screening of The Oil Machine, followed by an insightful conversation with the director behind it all.“Powerful documentary - essential viewing” Brian Ferguson - Scotsman“A beautiful piece of work, hypnotic & mesmerising and incredibly emotional - I learned so much from watching this” Janice Forsyth, BBC Radio Scotland - Afternoon Show.“…the sheer depth of explanation – from the role played by financial markets, to the real efficacy of certain techniques like carbon capture, to who really owns North Sea oil … – made for a calm, informative, eye- opening experience. To know why COP26 is

Interfaith Spiritual Care 2023 – Session 4: “Water”Welcome to PA IPL's 2023 Interfaith Spiritual Care zoom series, Journeying Through Active Hope With The Four Elements: Air, Soil, Fire, and Water. Join us on Monday, November 13th at 7:00pm for the next session, which will focus on Water. This is the 4th of 4 online sessions taking place throughout the year.Our 2023 series explores each of the four elements through the lens of Joanna Macy's Active Hope: Gratitude, Honoring Our Pain, Seeing With New Eyes, and Going Forth.This Spiritual Care series provides space for our interfaith work and expressions of our

A DiscussionJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on November 15 at 7:00pm for a discussion about our society's connection to fossil fuels. Many of our traditional ideas and practices need to be reconsidered to facilitate the swift transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy. We will consider the impact of our built environment, transportation, the natural environment, food, our stuff, disinformation, and individual actions on carbon pollution. We will rethink more sustainable practices that are more consistent with our values.Speaker: Phyllis Blumberg, PhD – Lead PA organizer and Steering Committee for the JEA, Board

Exploring Religion & Environment Series - Session 3: IslamExploring Religion & Environment SeriesJoin us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.Session 3: Exploring Islamic Approaches to Environmental CareIn this month’s conversation, we are exploring the Islamic tradition. Imam Christopher Caras will share the

Exploring Religion & Environment Series - Session 4: Bahá'íExploring Religion & Environment SeriesJoin us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.Session 4: Bahá'í Faith & the EnvironmentIn this month’s conversation, we are exploring the Bahá'í tradition. Speakers will include Christine Muller and Helga

Get Involved with PA IPL in 2024!Join us for our business meeting for a short report on our 2023 work, where we are headed in 2024, and how you can be involved. We will be thanking our leaving board members, and voting on our three board nominees.This meeting is open to the public. In order to vote in our board election, you will need to be considered a member in good standing. There are two kinds of membership through PA IPL - individual and congregational. As per our bylaws, the two requirements for good standing (in both categories are): signed

Exploring Religion & Environment Series - Session 5: Unitarian UniversalistExploring Religion & Environment SeriesJoin us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.Session 5: Unitarian Universalist Approaches to the EnvironmentIn this month’s conversation, we are exploring Unitarian Universalist tradition. Rev. Dr Kate Walker of

The state of this state (PA) on renewable energyJoin Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light and the Jewish Earth Alliance on February 21 at 7:00pm for a discussion about renewable energy in Pennsylvania. PA lags far behind most states in renewable energy production, Governor Shapiro is supposed to announce a PA energy plan that will get us to 30% renewable by 2030. This overview will include the energy plan, what is happening with RGGI and why we still have not joined it, the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS), net metering, and community solar.Speaker: Monica Carey – Pennsylvania Program Director, Solar United

Exploring Religion & Environment Series - Session 6: BuddhismExploring Religion & Environment SeriesJoin us for a series of lunchtime conversations this Fall and Winter focused on exploring religion and the environment. We will be joined by experts, theologians, activists, and thinkers for deep dives into different religious traditions. By blending informative education with ground-breaking discourse, we hope that wherever you are on your own journey exploring faith and our changing world, you will find value in this foray.Session 6: Buddhist Environmental Approaches in a Global ContextIn this month’s conversation, we are exploring Buddhist tradition. Bhante Pemaratana of the Pittsburgh Buddhist

The Work and Wisdom of Thomas BerryWelcome to PA IPL's 2024 Interfaith Spiritual Care zoom series, Gathering Wisdom from the Wise Ones. Join us on Monday, March 18th at 7:00pm for the opening session, which will explore the work and wisdom of Thomas Berry—Catholic priest, cultural historian, and scholar of world religions—through his writings using music, imagery, videos, and group reflections and sharings.This Spiritual Care series provides space for our interfaith work and expressions of our traditions. Each event is designed to help us come together, reconnect, and seek hope as an interfaith community. Additionally, we will offer suggestions for

A conversation about sustainable and equitable transportation at East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church.PA IPL is working in partnership with the Climate Action Campaign and East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church to highlight Inflation Reduction Act investments and uplift local climate initiatives in Lancaster. We’re hosting a conversation about electric vehicles and sustainable, equitable transportation with participation from local organizations and elected officials. We will highlight local leaders who will speak to these topics before we view the electric vehicle charging stations at East Chestnut Mennonite Church. This event will take place at 11am at East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church. Join us

Exploring Place: A Journey of Discovery & InspirationJoin us on Tuesday, April 9 at 7pm to kick off PA IPL's annual Bike & Hike with an Orientation & Welcome Call!The annual PA IPL Climate Advocacy Bike & Hike is a tour of PA's great outdoors & various routes that highlight the beauty of our state. The ride seeks to nurture hope for a cleaner future across our state & is an opportunity for cyclists and hikers to connect with likeminded people and the broader PA IPL community statewide by sharing their journeys - the diversity of landscape and life -

Community Gatherings & Regional BreakoutsCommunity Gatherings serve as a place for our members (and our wider network) to connect with each other, learn about the state of the environment here in Pennsylvania, receive updates on our work, and meet in regional cohorts. Join us from 7PM-8:30PM. We will have an hour of programming followed by 30 minutes for regional breakouts moderated by PA IPL team members. For April’s gathering, we will watch a short film “Is Your Power Company Funding Climate Denial?” followed by a time for discussion. We will also provide updates on current campaigns and upcoming events.Attendance for