Now Available: Video of Southwest PA Chapter’s January 25th Program!

The Rachel Carson EcoVillage in Gibsonia, PA

On Wednesday, January 25th at 6:30pm the Southwest PA Chapter of PA IPL held it’s quarterly meeting & program. They began with an Opening Reflection by Convener Wanda Guthrie as well as a report on PA IPL happenings across PA. Then two presentations followed: one by Dr. Patricia DeMarco on Rachel Carson’s ethic and another by architect Stefani Danes on the ways the Rachel Carson EcoVillage meets concept requirements. The program concluded with time for attendee Q&A and Closing Reflections.

Sign up here if you would like to join the Pittsburgh & SW PA IPL Chapter!

Now Available: Video of Main Line IPL Chapter’s January 23rd Program!

What Does the Climate Crisis Mean for Local Streams & Rivers?

For our January 23rd program, we join Lauren McGrath, Director of the Watershed Protection Program at Willistown Conservation Trust, to explore the impact of climate change on waterways, learn more about the connection between land and water, and identify how individuals can build climate resilience in their communities. What does the climate crisis mean for local streams and rivers? How does human activity on the landscape impact stream habitat?

Found 20 miles west of Philadelphia, Willistown Conservation Trust focuses on 28,000 acres within the watersheds of Ridley, Crum, and Darby Creeks of Chester and Delaware Counties. Since 1996, the Trust has helped to permanently conserve over 7,500 acres, including three nature preserves open to the public: Ashbridge Preserve, Kirkwood Preserve, and Rushton Woods Preserve, which is home to Rushton Conservation Center and Rushton Farm. The Trust offers six renowned programs for public engagement and research: the Bird Conservation, Community Farm, Education and Outreach, Land Protection, Stewardship, and Watershed Protection Programs.


Email us or sign up here if you would like to join Main Line IPL!

Now Available: Video of January 18 Meeting in Partnership with JEA!

Bankrolling the Climate Crisis with PA IPL & JEA

This meeting, recorded Wednesday, January 18, 2023, is part of PA IPL’s ongoing partnership with Jewish Earth Alliance (JEA).

TOPIC:
Bankrolling the Climate Crisis: the role the big US banks play in financing the fossil-free industry

SPEAKERS:
Ben Cushing, Director of Sierra Club‘s national Fossil-Free Finance Campaign
Others from Sierra Club

As long as the major US banks and other asset managers like Vanguard and BlackRock finance fossil fuel investments, these industries will continue drilling, shipping, and burning CO2 and methane. Yet concerned Americans can take steps to stop this funding by moving their own funds, pressuring their retirement fund managers to divest, and pressuring our religious institutions to divest. The time for will be discussion after and the presentation and calls for action.


JEA provides ongoing training and templates for monthly letter writing campaigns to local, state, and federal officials. The meetings provide a template, information, and guidance for all those who are interested in amplifying the message of Climate Justice.

Once you learn how easy Jewish Earth Alliance makes it, through their background information and template letter, for everyone to write letters to their federal officials, we hope you will write to your members of Congress now and for the next few months.

Now Available: Video of PA IPL Environmental Education Series – January 2023

The Healing Spirit of the Earth with Dr. Patricia DeMarco

PA IPL 2022-23 Environmental Education Series: Caring for Creation
First Fridays 12-1pm
October 2022 through June 2023

January 06, 2023

TOPIC:
The Healing Spirit of the Earth with Dr. Patricia DeMarco

PA 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 new, virtual environmental education series, Caring for Creation with PA IPL. Please join us during your lunch hour on First Fridays.

Now Available: Video of December 21 Meeting in Partnership with JEA!

What’s Next for Climate Progress? A Post-Election Briefing with PA IPL & JEA

This meeting, recorded Wednesday, December 21, 2022, is part of PA IPL’s ongoing partnership with Jewish Earth Alliance (JEA).

TOPIC:
What’s Next for Climate Progress: A Post-Election Briefing

SPEAKERS:
Tiffany Hartung, field director, IPL National
Madison Mayhew, federal policy advocate, IPL National
Ileagh MacIvers, clean cars organizer, IPL National

The national elections brought mostly good news in terms of electing climate-friendly candidates, but with a divided Congress it will be harder to achieve significant legislation. However, there are other avenues for action. Watch here to listed to three National IPL speakers who are very well versed on upcoming climate progress possibilities.


JEA provides ongoing training and templates for monthly letter writing campaigns to local, state, and federal officials. The meetings provide a template, information, and guidance for all those who are interested in amplifying the message of Climate Justice.

Once you learn how easy Jewish Earth Alliance makes it, through their background information and template letter, for everyone to write letters to their federal officials, we hope you will write to your members of Congress now and for the next few months.

COP-27 Report

This blog is part of a 3 part series, go here to read the first article, and here to read the third article.

Being at COP27 was an incredible experience in so many ways. From witnessing global leaders engaging in important conversations, to watching demonstrations from climate activists in solidarity for climate justice, to living across two different time zones at the same time – it went by so quickly! While COP27 is over, our work is really just beginning in sharing the lessons learned and next steps from here. Faith-based organizations present at COP27 brought a powerful moral accountability to a conference that is heavy on policy, politics, and the powerful. Big polluters warm our world, cut our trees, and vanquish our futures in the names of the gods of wealth, greed, and power. They must be held accountable.

Many significant things happened during COP27, here’s a summary of a few that stood out particularly to me:

  • Commitments from the United States (link to report)
    • Set an economy-wide target of reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels in 2030
    • Set a goal to reach 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035
    • Made promises to invest in transportation, construction, carbon capture incentives, and agriculture. 
  • Establishment of a loss and damage fund
    • A historic win that secures funds for countries historically stripped of resource and experiencing the devastation of intensified weather patterns and climate change
    • This win was thanks to the tireless advocacy of environmental justice activists, including from faith communities
    • We are still waiting to see what mechanisms will be employed to distribute these resources
  • Lack of significant progress on ambition
    • We still need a commitment to the complete phasing out of fossil fuels and increased acceleration
    • It is unclear how we will meet the goals promised in the Paris Agreement
    • We saw more fossil fuel delegates than ever at this COP
    • We need to pay attention to the gendered impacts of climate change, and ensure representation of young, women, and gender non-conforming people in decision-making processes

My heart is heavy that these conversations are so slow-moving when we are running out of time. Heavy at the recalcitrance of wealthy nations to center environmental justice. Heavy that those who will suffer most from climate inaction continue to be a political bargaining chip, instead of a moral responsibility.  However, this experience also left me feeling hopeful. Hopeful because I witnessed how a groups of strangers came together to form powerful voices speaking truth on a global stage. Hopeful because with all its flaws COP27 does provide the opportunity for facilitated conversation and unique partnerships that do better our world. Hopeful at the witness of young people, leading conversations and demanding accountability and justice. Hopeful because my faith does not lie exclusively in decision-making bodies, but in the collective power of us, activated by love. Our various traditions invite us to imagine how we participate in this world, love this world, and care for this world. These efforts are never wasted – for we are transformed in the doing, in the process, in the loving, into the kind of people that truly can heal the world. 

Many times over the past two weeks, I’ve returned to the happy memory of my childhood – standing in the mud at the river bank, water lapping gently at my feet. The feeling of my body connecting me to a wild network of ecosystems, intricate workings of which I had no clue. Yet I knew this to be true – this system supported me. It was a sacred place. And it still is, motivating me to work alongside each of you as we seek a faithful response to climate change.

Go here to learn more about National IPL and the faith voice at COP27: https://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/?s=cop27


This blog was written by PA IPL Executive Director, Katie Ruth. Katie was part of a hybrid delegation to COP27, representing the Office of the Presiding Bishop of the Espicopal Church. Views shared here do not necessarily reflect those of the delegation or Episcopal Church.