All Pawtucket All The Time

Rhode Island Interfaith Power and Light (www.riipl.org) announces its third annual interfaith conference on global warming.. Entitled “Improving our Stewardship of Creation: Where are the Resources We Need?”, the conference will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2010 from 4:30 to 9:20 pm at La Salle Academy in Providence. The event will be keynoted by a panel of experts on federal “stimulus” grant funds, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Rabbi Amy Levin of Temple Torat-Yisrael will be the panel moderator.

“This year’s conference is particularly timely”, said Ray Frackelton, RI – IPL Chair and a lay leader of Newman Congregational Church in Rumford. “Money has begun to flow from the RI Office of Energy Resources for federal stimulus-funded grants. More detailed information about these grants will be made available at the conference”, he said. Grant applications can be submitted by congregations and individuals, said Frackelton.

Members of the keynote panel include Ken Payne, Chief, RI Office of Energy Resources; Thomas Coughlin, National Grid Program Manager; Karina Lutz, Deputy Director, Peoples Power and Light; Bob Chew, President, Alteris Inc.; Bonnie Sekeres, Executive Director, Shalom Apartments; Fr. John Codega, Pastor, Christ the King Church, West Warwick. Ms. Sekeres and Fr. Codega are both involved in projects which are expected to utilize federal stimulus grant funds. The panel will give short descriptions from their areas of expertise, followed by questions and answers from the audience.

This conference features  workshops and exhibits .  Themes include “This Old House of Worship”, “Interfaith Community Gardens”, “Climate Change Impacts and Implications for the Ocean State”, “Environmental Education and Kingian Nonviolence” “Grateful Way of Living” and “Permaculture: Greater Sustainability and Thoughtful Stewardship”.  Presenters include Carol Wilson of Wilson Educational Services, Bishop C. Dale White of St. Paul’s UMC (Newport), Pam Rubinoff, Coastal Management Specialist (URI), Robin Wildman, children’s educator, Rev. Barbara Fast, Westminster Unitarian Church (East Greenwich), and Steve Whitman, Certified Permaculture Designer.

Exhibits will range from National Grid at one end of the spectrum to smaller non-profits at the other. The exhibits will be a source of hard-to-find information for those in the faith community wanting to go green, including both their houses of worship and residences. There will be a raffle of green-related items and refreshments will also be available.

RI-IPL promotes the reduction of carbon footprints at the congregational and household levels.  This mission is derived from statements of religious leaders including the Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches USA, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, and the Evangelical Environmental Network. Over the past three years RI-IPL has been involved in community and statewide activities. Over 400 low-income families were referred to Project 20/20 to receive energy saving CFL bulbs.  Some thirty faith leaders have been trained during 2009 to be “Cool Congregations” trainers. Over a hundred congregations have been involved in some activity with RI – IPL. Events across the state – in Providence, Newport and South County – were organized in support of 350.org in October 2009 by RI – IPL. Passage of the Rhode Island global warming legislation was advocated, and RI – IPL supported the passage of net metering legislation in 2009.

Registration is available on-line at www.riipl.org/pre_register.htm, by phone at (401) 338-3916, or at the door. There is a suggested donation of $10. Sponsors supporting the conference include