 March/April 2001 (XXXIX 2) |
riends Center Corporation has received an award from PennFuture for leadership in promoting renewable electricity. Also recognized late last year were Langhorne Borough, the White Dog Cafe, and the Rittenhouse Sheraton Hotel.
In accepting the award for Friends Center, Executive Director Peter Rittenhouse reported that there had been virtually no increase in cost to Friends Center from switching from PECO Energy to 100% renewable electricity from the Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania. Friends Center is also involved in an evaluation of its physical plant that will include recommendations for investments in energy conservation. Friends Center is the Quaker office complex at 15th and Cherry Streets in Philadelphia which houses PYM offices, American Friends Service Committee and Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting.
At the awards luncheon, John Hanger, president of PennFuture, said that the single most important thing anyone can do to protect the environment is to buy renewable electricity. This is because of the large volume of greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels. Renewable electricity comes from solar, wind, small water-powered or biomass facilities instead of from fossil fuel or nuclear plants. With Pennsylvania electric choice, the only way new investments will be made in renewable generating capacity is if there is demonstrated consumer demand for renewable products.
The PYM Environmental Working Group knows that Falls, Newtown and Norristown Meetings in Pennsylvania, and Mount Holly and Princeton Meetings in New Jersey also buy renewable electricity. There are probably other Meetings that have already switched and we know of several more planning to do this soon. We also know that many Friends households buy renewable electricity.
The Interfaith Climate Campaign of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches is promoting education about climate change, energy conservation, and the purchase of renewables by religious congregations and institutions throughout the state. In New Jersey, a project of Partners for Environmental Quality enables Meeting members to buy renewable electricity through the Meeting; a portion of the marketing cost to the supplier is returned to the Meeting.
Almost half of PYM's Monthly Meetings have made an affirmation of commitment to the National Council of Churches to help heal and protect the earth. The Yearly Meeting, through Interim Meeting in June 2000, approved a minute on the need to address climate change. The Environmental Working Group urges Pennsylvania Meetings to support the Interfaith Climate Campaign, New Jersey Meetings to participate in the project of Partners for Environmental Quality, and all Friends to reduce energy use and buy renewable electricity when available. These are steps each of us can take toward reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
For information call me at 609-261-8190 or e-mail drebymans@igc.org.
Ed Dreby
Mount Holly Meeting (NJ)
Project leader of PYM Environmental Working Group
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM