wisewords
office and has a solar panel wired to
a wind turbine to supply power to his
congregation became a beacon of light
by serving up hot food and warm-water
showers to the community.
A Conversation
Our “Cool Congregation” program
encourages families to compete with each
with Sally Bingham
other to have the most energy-efficient
home. We hear stories of kids riding their
bikes to church and even taking cold
Community Minister,
showers to decrease their energy use.
Once people get the message of conser-
National Activist
vation, they become admirably creative.
How are you building an interfaith
coalition that cuts across the politi-
cal spectrum?
by April Thompson
These days, we’re doing a little more
advocacy work than we used to, getting
people to ask their legislators for laws
that will cut U.S. greenhouse gas emis-
T
he Rev. Canon Sally Bingham, a
How do you engage average
sions. During our lobby day in Wash-
priest at San Francisco’s Grace
church-going Americans in big-pic-
ington in May, rabbis, Buddhists and
Cathedral, is founder and presi-
ture issues like the environment,
Catholic priests walk the White House
dent of the Regeneration Project, a non-
when they may be struggling to pay
halls to talk about these issues.
profit organization dedicated to green-
the bills?
An unexpected consequence of our
ing faith-based communities. Through
We show people ways they can save
work is that people of diverse religions
their Interfaith Power and Light cam-
money. We gave out 48,000 free com-
have put their theological differences
paign, Bingham and her eco-apostles
pact fluorescent light bulbs to our con-
aside for this common purpose. We de-
have helped some 10,000 congrega-
gregation, and they took them home and
liver a similar message to politicians: If
tions in 28 states to reduce their carbon
reduced their energy bills immediately.
you are a person of faith, then you have
footprint.
There is a start-up cost to some of
a responsibility to care for creation, no
A stay-at-home mom until she en-
the alternatives we promote, but some-
matter your political affiliation.
rolled in college at age 45, Bingham is
times you have to spend money to save
a recipient of the Purpose Prize, which
money. For example, we help congre-
How can we learn to see living an
honors leaders over 60 who are taking
gations put in solar panels, which have
eco-friendly life as a spiritual practice?
on society’s biggest challenges. She is
a payback period of about eight years.
The first step is to understand the present
the lead author of the 2009 book, Love
Once installed, that congregation will
situation of environmental degradation.
God, Heal Earth: 21 Leading Religious
start getting electricity for free, and they
People generally want to do the right
Voices Speak Out on Our Sacred Duty
receive credit for any excess electricity
thing. Years ago, I unconsciously be-
to Protect the Environment.
they sell back to the grid.
haved in ways that harmed our environ-
ment, but now, among other things, I
What scriptures or spiritual teach-
You founded Interfaith Power and
compost, drive a fuel-efficient car and
ings specifically impel you and oth-
Light in 1997, when the idea of put-
unplug appliances when they’re not in
ers to act to save the environment?
ting solar panels on churches was
use.
The first and great commandment is to
revolutionary. Now that “green” has
There is a discipline involved in
love God and love your neighbor as
gone mainstream, is it easier to get
following any kind of spiritual path. But
yourself. Your neighbor isn’t just the
congregations on board?
eventually, it becomes who you are;
person next door; it’s also the gen-
We no longer have to be proac-
you’ll find that your heart grows bigger
eration after us. This is a mandate for
tive. People now come to us in such
in the process.
environmental protection.
swarms; we barely have sufficient staff
God asked us to be fruitful and
to deal with the requests, even though For more information, visit TheRegen-
multiply and “tend the garden.” We’ve
our national office employs eight
erationProject.org.
certainly multiplied; now we need
people.
April Thompson is a Washington,
to focus on gardening. God gave us
We have some tremendous suc-
D.C.-based writer, entrepreneur and
dominion—which is different from
cess stories. Perhaps the most dramatic
consultant whose work has appeared in
domination and exploitation; it means
was when a 10-day blackout hit. The
dozens of books and magazines. Con-
taking care of the Earth.
Catholic priest who runs our Michigan
nect at
AprilWrites.com.
October 2009
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