Coming in February
wisewords
LAUGH
A Conversation
MORE
with Sally
Bingham

Community Minister,
National Activist
by April Thompson
T
he Rev. Canon Sally Bingham, a
How do you engage average
priest at San Francisco’s Grace
church-going Americans in big-pic-
Cathedral, is founder and presi-
ture issues like the environment,
dent of the Regeneration Project, a non-
when they may be struggling to pay
profit organization dedicated to green-
the bills?
ing faith-based communities. Through
We show people ways they can save
their Interfaith Power and Light cam-
money. We gave out 48,000 free com-
paign, Bingham and her eco-apostles
pact fluorescent light bulbs to our con-
have helped some 10,000 congrega-
gregation, and they took them home and
tions in 28 states to reduce their carbon
reduced their energy bills immediately.
footprint.
There is a start-up cost to some of
A stay-at-home mom until she en-
the alternatives we promote, but some-
rolled in college at age 45, Bingham is
times you have to spend money to save
The February issue of
a recipient of the Purpose Prize, which
money. For example, we help congre-
Natural Awakenings
honors leaders over 60 who are taking
gations put in solar panels, which have
on society’s biggest challenges. She is
a payback period of about eight years.
will have everyone
the lead author of the 2009 book, Love
Once installed, that congregation will
God, Heal Earth: 21 Leading Religious
start getting electricity for free, and they
smiling and singing,
Voices Speak Out on Our Sacred Duty
receive credit for any excess electricity
laughing and loving.
to Protect the Environment.
they sell back to the grid.
What scriptures or spiritual teach-
You founded Interfaith Power and
ings specifically impel you and oth-
Light in 1997, when the idea of put-
Look for our
ers to act to save the environment?
ting solar panels on churches was
most light-hearted
The first and great commandment is to
revolutionary. Now that “green” has
love God and love your neighbor as
gone mainstream, is it easier to get
issue ever. yourself. Your neighbor isn’t just the
congregations on board?
person next door; it’s also the gen-
We no longer have to be proac-
eration after us. This is a mandate for
tive. People now come to us in such
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
multiply and “tend the garden.” We’ve
our national office employs eight
about advertising and how
certainly multiplied; now we need
people.
you can participate, call
to focus on gardening. God gave us
We have some tremendous suc-
dominion—which is different from
cess stories. Perhaps the most dramatic
845-480-9006
domination and exploitation; it means
was when a 10-day blackout hit. The
taking care of the Earth.
Catholic priest who runs our Michigan
0 Rockland & Orange Counties www.naturalawakeningsro.com
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