Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Eco Justice Collaborative Posts

August EJC Newsletter

Written on:

ECO-JUSTICE NEWS

The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) has committed to a yearly-meeting-wide witness on climate change. The Eco-Justice Collaborative (EJC) of PYM issues this monthly bulletin to provide Friends with timely information and resources to help in their ongoing work witnessing for social and climate justice. Please share as you think appropriate. If you have stories, events, or resources to share, please send them to Ruth Darlington.

Cross stitch at Westfield Friends Meeting, NJ

“What we breathe, how we live, if we survive is absolutely a question of the kind of government we have.”

— Stacey Abrams

Friends Take Steps to Address the Climate Crisis.

We know that many Friends throughout the yearly meeting and around the world are following their leadings to work on climate change, environmental justice, and habitat and biodiversity protection. Their stories can inspire all of us to make our lives speak, too. This month we hear from the Climate Crisis Committee of Providence Monthly Meeting about their “Solar Array Journey.”

If you have a story to share, please contact Ruth Darlington at rdarlington49@gmail.com.

Providence Friends Meeting

Climate Crisis Committee’s Solar Array Journey

The Climate Crisis Committee (CCC) was formed at Providence Monthly Meeting (PMM) in early 2021 to help fulfill PMM’s and PYM’s commitment to address climate change, to promote increased awareness in our Meeting about climate issues, to educate our Meeting on how, locally, we can reduce our carbon footprints, and to help identify opportunities for witnessing to our faith in creating a more sustainable society. Our work is grounded in a deep spiritual belief that “The world is God’s creation.  How we treat the earth and all its creatures is basic to our relationship with God, and of fundamental religious concern to the Society of Friends” – Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1998

The path to obtaining the solar array was a community learning experience even though a few PMM members and attenders did have solar panels installed when the PMM solar journey began. We understood that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was going to provide a 30% federal energy rebate on renewable energy systems for non-profits and this helped to galvanize the Meeting in going forward. (We have found out recently that we should be getting an additional 10% of the project cost returned to us through the rebate process, as we are located in what has been classified as an “energy community”.) We knew that our array would need to be ground mounted and would be installed on property that PMM purchased 15 years or so before and was being used primarily as an occasional overflow parking area.

In February 2022, the CCC presented our suggestion that PMM find a way to install a solar array. A proposal was received from the vendor in March 2022. In May 2022, we hosted a meeting of the Meeting at our first proposed site to discuss the aspects of a solar array and a potential array location. This meeting provided feedback as to the pros and cons of this location as well as potential roadblocks at other Meeting property locations. In June 2022, the Meeting gave CCC approval to solicit array quotes from three vendors. (During our solar journey, the price of solar arrays was going up as covid-19 was wreaking havoc on supply chains.) Quotes from the three installers were received in August/September – all three designs were of the standard rack, ground mounted type, reaching a height of 7 1/2 to 8 feet tall. The Meeting decided that the designs were too intrusive, so back to the contractors we went for another round of quotes – a contract was awarded in January 2023 for a low-profile design. PECO then had a 6-month period to review the array design and upgrade the local network to accommodate the array. Array installation started in August 2023, and Permission to Operate from PECO was granted on October 9, 2023 – we were generating electricity!

The above is an abbreviated version of Providence Meeting’s solar array journey; to enjoy a longer tale and fully grasp the time and energy that went into this effort, please go to this link.

TAKE ACTION! MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Are you looking for something you can do this month to fight climate change, protect vital habitat, or address climate injustice? Here we have listed possible actions you can take organized by the five categories of action in the Climate Change Sprint Report: Advocacy, Education, Finance, Lowering Carbon Footprint, and Mourning Loss and Instilling Hope. We hope you will find something that speaks to you. If you have actions you want to share, please contact us.​​​​​​

ADVOCACY 

Without policy changes at all levels of society, we cannot do enough to stop the worst impacts of climate change.

Quakers have historically been advocates for truth and justice. We have spoken truth to power, often without guarantee of safety or success. As the window to act on climate change narrows, we need such courageous activism more than ever.

VOTE 

According to most climate advocates and experts, the most important action anyone can take to address the climate crisis is to vote. Yet, according to Nathaniel Stinnet, Executive Director of the Environmental Voters Project, millions of environmentalists in the U.S. don’t vote! Listen to his recent TED Talk to find out why and learn how you can make a difference. Network/Advocates for Social Justice has many resources to help us be faithful voters, including Voter Education and Engagement Tools, 13 Freedom one-pagers on Climate Freedom, Democracy Freedoms, and more, and Worksheets for Multi-Issue Voters.

YOUTH: Join the Summer of Heat’s 2nd Youth Week, August 19th-24th

“Acknowledging the rising tide of young people fighting for their future globally, we are again uplifting the importance of their role in all of our collective futures. Join us the week of August 19th for Youth Week #2 as we continue bringing the heat to Wall Street!” On August 19th, join on Zoom from anywhere to help organize; there is no set start time.

Tell Philadelphia to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

Fridays for Future Philadelphia has co-written a resolution with Councilmember Nicholas O’Rourke to get City Council to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. They hope to introduce the resolution in late September or early October. Join them in sending City Council a letter, or sign their petition online.

Sign Green America’s petition to Vanguard’s new CEO

Green America has long been a national advocate for greening our finance, and on July 3rd, their Responsible Finance Campaign Director, Cathy Becker, drove from Dayton, Ohio, to join the EQAT action at Vanguard headquarters. Now Green America has issued a petition to the new Vanguard CEO, Salim Ramji, telling him to protect Vanguard clients’ investments, and their future, by acting on climate.

ELDERS: Tell AARP to choose a leader who will make climate a priority.

According to Elders Climate Action, while AARP has called for protecting older Americans from the impacts of climate change, they have yet to address fossil fuels as the main cause of human-induced climate change. In choosing their new CEO, AARP could change that. Learn more and sign their petition at 38 million +.

Sign up for Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) Alerts

To work more effectively on the most important issues of our time, Quakers in the Mid-Atlantic region have formed a new organization, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR), as a nonprofit 501 c-4 that can engage directly in policy and legislative work at the state and local level. QAMAR’s Board of Directors has decided that initially they will focus on two pressing issues: the Climate Crisis and Gun Violence. Steve Loughin, QAMAR Clerk, wrote, “Friends have a unique voice and history in our region. Our fundamental values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Sustainability can help solve some of our thorniest problems and build a safe, secure, sustainable future for all.”  There is no fee to sign up on the QAMAR Action Network. You’ll receive notification of their upcoming webinars, presentations, workshops, and actions relevant to your area code.

Sign up for FCNL Action Alerts

Sign up to get weekly advocacy alerts and updates from Friends Committee on National Legislation in your Inbox.

EDUCATION

​​For our actions to be effective, they need to be informed.

Listed below are several resources to help expand our understanding of the issues and guide our actions.

What would it take to restore our atmosphere?

In his new book, Into the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere, Rob Jackson, climate scientist and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, says, “Optimism and hope are muscles we have to exercise.” Learn more in the Inside Climate News review by Phil McKenna.

Is 2025 the Year of the Carbon Tax?

In this Legal Planet interview, Evan George reports that recent events have opened the door for legislators to reconsider carbon pricing as they revisit the tax code and answers questions about carbon taxes, carbon border adjustment mechanisms, and the various bills currently being considered by Congress.

YOUTH: Share your knowledge!

Are there books, videos, or other resources that you would recommend to other young people concerned about climate change? Please let us know so we can share them with our young readers.

Learn about New Jersey’s Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan.

In July New Jersey released a finalized Extreme Heat Resilience Plan, only the third of its kind in the nation. Learn how the plan empowers state agencies to integrate climate resilience into their programs, policies and regulations.

FINANCE

How can we make our financial decisions climate solutions?

Money drives climate change. Without loans from banks, investments from money management funds, and insurance premiums, fossil fuel projects could not continue. Equally, it takes bank loans, investments, and insurance for clean energy and other climate solutions to go forward. How can we turn our own financial decisions into climate solutions? And how can we address the financial systems that currently drive climate destruction?

Find out about Anti-ESG State Legislation.

If you have money in a state pension plan, this could affect you! As outlined in this 2024 report from Pleiades Strategy, all but 13 states in the U.S. have introduced bills or passed laws to prohibit state investment boards, pension fund managers, etc., from considering climate change risks when choosing investments. You can download an Anti-ESG bill tracker here to see what’s happening in your state.

Is your money invested in “Carbon Bombs”?

The Sierra Club report reveals that over the “past couple of years, Vanguard, Black Rock, State Street, Invesco, and JP Morgan Chase AM have poured billions of dollars through bond purchases into fossil fuel companies.” Find out about specific projects they are funding, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline, the Willow Project, and LNG exports.

Tell Banks to Stop Financing Fossil Fuels.

GreenFaith’s new report “Sacred Planet: Stained Profits,” released on July 23rd, presents a “review and critique of the frightening record of major Banks, which have provided close to $7 trillion in financing for fossil fuels since the Paris agreement.” Read the report, and learn why faith leaders in all the major spiritual traditions are holding big banks accountable for financing the climate crisis.

LOWERING CARBON FOOTPRINT

While individual actions to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not enough to solve the climate crisis, they are important.

Whether you have already taken steps to lower your carbon footprint or that of your Meeting or your Friends School or you are just starting down that path, we hope you will find ideas here to support your carbon footprint reduction efforts.

Join EJC in supporting the Sept. 20th Global Climate Strike

In collaboration with Fridays for Futures’ Global Climate Strike on September 20, the Eco-Justice Collaborative invites all Quakers in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to help us develop a baseline of information and a community of support to help all of us reduce carbon emissions by electrifying our lives. Please complete the linked survey, and be sure to respond to each question.  We will publish the results in the EJC newsletter in the aggregate. We will not publish any individual results in any form. Your responses to this survey will also help inform our planning for a winter Thread Gathering on the Climate Crisis. You can learn more about the Global Climate Strike online.

Participate in Homegrown National Parks work to help rewild America

Listen to the Native Plants/Healthy Planet podcast episode with guest Brandon Hough, CEO of Homegrown National Parks. Get the latest updates on Homegrown National Parks, hear success stories, and learn how to make a difference in your own backyard.

MOURNING LOSS AND INSTILLING HOPE

If we don’t face the grief we experience when faced with the loss of beloved environments or species and the threat that climate change poses to us and future generations, we can find ourselves paralyzed.

Succumbing to despair is not an option, but we need one another’s support to hold onto hope.

YOUTH: Youth Finding Peace in a Time of Turmoil.

In this July EcoJustice for All webinar, youth activists continued a discussion from the June webinar about the profound impact of war on the environment and how they find peace in the midst of conflict.

Attend a Climate Witness Stewards Climate Café

The PYM Climate Witness Stewards host these virtual cafes to provide a supportive, spiritually nurturing, and community-building way to share climate action information and hope. The next Climate Café is scheduled for August 29th at 7pm online. Follow the link to the registration form.

Attend Earthcare-Centered Worship Sharing with QEW

These monthly worship sharing sessions are guided by queries exploring the spiritual foundation of our earthcare work. See Upcoming Events for details about the August 27th QEW Worship Sharing.

​​​​​UPCOMING EVENTS

August 13th, 11 am ET, Has It Always Been this HOT in NJ?: NJ Heat Trends Explained

The NJ Interagency Council on Climate Resilience will host a panel of climate and weather experts to discuss why New Jersey’s temperatures have changed (NJ is the fastest warming state in the Northeast!) and what to expect in the future.

August 13th, 12-1 pm, Community-Led Solar in Boston: Lessons Learned from a Pilot Project.

In this webinar hosted by the Clean Energy States Alliance, guest speakers from Energy Allies and the Boston Community Solar Cooperative (BCSC) will talk about their “adaptable model for community-led solar.”

August 14th, 9 am ET, Solar Week 2024—Schools: Get Ready to Go Solar!

The 2024 Solar Week will feature the new Solar 4 Schools state grant program. Register to learn about the incentives that make this the right time for schools to go solar.

August 21st, 7pm, From Warheads to Windmills with Timmon Wallis.

In this QEW virtual event, author Timmon Wallis will address the interrelated existential threats of nuclear war and the climate crisis and asks how peace activists, environmentalists and others working for justice can work together to address these crises. Register to receive the link.

August 22nd, 8:30-9:45 pm ET, Build, Lead, Win: Climate Action Training

Join this Greenpeace USA Voter training to learn evidence-based techniques to influence hearts and minds, mobilize voters to the polls, and inspire others to join us in making a difference.

August 27th, 7pm ET/4pm PT, QEW Earthcare-centered Worship Sharing.

Register to get the link.

August 29th, 7pm, Online Climate Café: A Place for Support and to Report.

Register to get the link.

Sept. 20-27, Fridays for Future’s Global Week of Climate Action

The YOUTH-organized Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20th launches a week of climate actions. Plan an action in your community, or use the map at their website to find an event near you and RSVP.

October 24th, Nuns on the Bus Tour Stop and Rally in Philadelphia.

On July 23rd, Nuns on the Bus has launched a 2024 Vote Our Future bus tour with stops in 20 cities over three weeks this fall, including a stop at the Women’s Community Revitalization Project in Philadelphia in October. Not near Philadelphia? Find a map of all their stops online.

GOOD NEWS

Locally: A federal appeals court has reversed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) approval of the Regional Energy Access Extension (REAE) gas pipeline in New Jersey.
According to Rethink Energy New Jersey on August 5th, the court found that the “expansion of fossil gas capacity into New Jersey was…unnecessary and failed to meet legal standards and environmental protections.”

Locally: The PA Supreme Court has ruled that environmental organizations may intervene in RGGI litigation.
As reported by PennFuture, on July 18th the Pennsylvania Supreme Court “recognized the fundamental right of PennFuture, Clean Air Council, Sierra Club, and Environmental Defense and their members to defend Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Locally/Nationally: EQAT divestment action at Vanguard headquarters gets nationwide attention.
As reported by Friends Journal, Friends and allies from across the country joined forces to protest Vanguard’s continued investment in climate destroying fossil fuel expansion, and their story is being heard far and wide, thanks to stories in Friends Journal and other Quaker media.

Nationally/YOUTH: In Hawai’i youth plaintiffs win court settlement to decarbonize the state’s transportation.
As reported by Legal Planet, on June 24th thirteen youth plaintiffs and the governor of Hawai’i announced they had secured a court-enforced agreement from state officials to “make good on decarbonizing the state’s transportation system by setting interim benchmarks.”

Nationally: Wind power surpassed coal in March and April of 2024.
As reported by NBC News, in the U.S. wind power generated more electricity than coal in March and April despite some setbacks experienced by offshore wind.

Nationally: “Churches are going solar and saving big thanks to the climate law.”
Canary Media reporter Jeff St. John tells the stories of churches, mosques, and synagogues across the country that are using tax breaks and rebates in the Inflation Reduction Act to install solar panels that cut their energy costs in half while helping the climate.

Globally: China’s emissions set to fall in 2024 after a record growth in clean energy.
An in-depth analysis by Carbon Brief reports on a variety of factors affecting China’s economic growth, energy demand, and more that, taken together “all but guarantee a decline in China’s CO2 emissions in 2024.”
RESOURCES

Into to the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere?”
In his new book Rob Jackson, climate scientist and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, says, “Optimism and hope are muscles we have to exercise.” Learn more in the Inside Climate News review by Phil McKenna.

“Creating a Playbook for Climate Action”

This Yearly Meeting guide is intended to help Meetings develop a playbook to support individuals, households and meetings address climate change.

Solar Toolkit for All

Developed by the Philadelphia Solar Energy Association (PSEA), Solar Schools for All is available for free through the PA DEP. The toolkit “details the process in ten steps, provides access to all the new federal tax credits, grants and loans available, provides a sample Request for Proposal (RFP), and two powerful proformas. One proforma is for a Power Purchase Agreement and the other is for Direct Ownership, to help schools run the numbers in a range of scenarios to decide how to optimize the benefits of solar for any school.”

Climate Witness Stewards on the PYM website

The Climate Witness Stewards (CWS) were established to support the Yearly Meeting and hold it accountable to its climate change witness. You can read their full charge and find bios of the individual stewards at the CWS page of the PYM website.

YOUTH: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book about “Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants” has been a source of inspiration and information for many people concerned about taking care of the planet. It has been adapted for young adult readers by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt. Published by Lerner Publishing Group, the book is available through online booksellers, including independent booksellers. Watch the YouTube video for an audio preview of the book.

Energy Stewardship for Friends Institutions.
This EJC series consists of four workshops designed to help stakeholders at Friends meetings, schools, retirement communities, and other institutions make their facilities more sustainable. The link will take you to the PYM YouTube channel, where you can select individual videos (Saving Money on Your Commercial Electric Account, Solar Schools and Nonprofit Toolkit, Options and Funding for Electrifying Your HVAC Systems), or you can select, “Play All.”

Rewiring America’s Personal Electrification Planner

By electrifying your home, you can save thousands of dollars and eliminate the majority of your GHG emissions. This personal planning tool from Rewiring America makes it easier.

Greening Sacred Spaces Webinar Recordings.

Here are the recordings from the three Greening Sacred Spaces webinars that EJC and the Climate Action Working Group (CAWG) of Concord QM hosted in the past year to inspire and assist Friends Meetings and institutions to make their property management policies more supportive of all of Creation.

Watch the recordings on the PYM YouTube channel:

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 1

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 2

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 3

Clean Energy 4 PA: 30 X 30 and Community Solar

On Sept. 18th, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) hosted an action workshop concerning how much of Pennsylvania’s energy comes from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal. Nearly 70 people participated in the virtual workshop. At this link, you can see a video of the presentation by Liz Robinson (CPMM) and Bruce Birchard (CPMM) as well as view the slide deck and find additional background information.

Climate and Money: A Guide to Fossil Fuel Divestment and Reinvestment

This guide was prepared by Friend Jennie Ratcliffe and fellow members of Durham (NC) Meeting’s Earthcare Witness Committee. It provides information about the what and the why of divestment, which banks, or funds to divest from, and how to divest and reinvest in a more livable world. The guide is available at the website of Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW).

BeFriending Creation

Here is the latest edition of the Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) quarterly newsletter. Read online or download the pdf and be inspired by how Friends in North America are building community to address the climate and biodiversity crises.

Inside the Greenhouse

Inside the Greenhouse is Friends Committee on National Legislation’s monthly newsletter on energy and the environment. Read the May 2024 issue and previous issues at the FCNL website.

PYM Funds for Suffering

This PYM granting group provides help to PYM members who experience financial hardship occasioned by obedience to the leadings of God’s spirit, or to conscience, consistent with Quaker testimonies. Download the Fund for Sufferings Fact Sheet [PDF] for application details. Grants can go to individuals only, not organizations, but requests for assistance can come from the individual concerned, from a Monthly Meeting on behalf of an individual, or in special cases from some person or group close to the person in need of assistance. If time allows, the request should be in writing. If urgent, and unable to reach the Clerk at the number listed, email Grants@pym.org. Applications are considered on a rolling basis; there are no deadlines for applications. The group email is FundForSufferings@pym.org.

Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) Mini-Grants

Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) is a network of Quakers seeking to live in right relationship with Earth and in unity with nature. The QEW Mini-Grants Committee provides small matching grants to help fund Friends’ projects that put this principle into practice. We are looking for projects to support, especially those that help with providing food, involve youth, or help with challenging racial/ethnic barriers. If your Quaker organization is doing a project that meets our criteria, we invite you to apply. If you are an individual Quaker, involved with a project that meets our criteria, perhaps your Meeting could adopt the project. This would enable us to fund you. We can only fund through Quaker Meetings, Churches, Camps, Schools, etc. Matching grants are now available in amounts up to $1,500. More details are on the Mini-Grant application form.
Subscribe to PYM Peace & Social Justice Network

The Eco-Justice newsletter is distributed by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting through the Peace & Social Justice Network. Please sign up to continue to receive the information that interests you by filling out your name and check the “Peace & Social Justice” list via the PYM subscription link.
If you are having difficulty with your subscription to the Eco-Justice Newsletter, please contact Patricia Finley or Ruth Darlington, co-clerks of the Eco-Justice Collaborative.

Please visit the Eco-Justice Collaborative website.​​​​​​

July ’24 Eco-Justice Newsletter

Written on:


ECO-JUSTICE NEWS

July 2024

The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) has committed to a yearly-meeting-wide witness on climate change. The Eco-Justice Collaborative (EJC) of PYM issues this monthly bulletin to provide Friends with timely information and resources to help in their ongoing work witnessing for social and climate justice. Please share as you think appropriate. If you have stories, events, or resources to share, please send them to Ruth Darlington.

Cross stitch at Westfield Friends Meeting, NJ

“We won’t save places we don’t love.

We can’t love places we don’t know.

And we don’t know places we haven’t learned.”

—Baba Dioum

Friends Take Steps to Address the Climate Crisis.

We know that many Friends throughout the yearly meeting and around the world are following their leadings to work on climate change, environmental justice, and habitat and biodiversity protection. Their stories can inspire all of us to make our lives speak, too. This month we hear from Lina Blount, EQAT Director of Strategy and Partnerships about the July 3rd action at Vanguard headquarters in Malvern.

If you have a story to share, please contact Ruth Darlington at rdarlington49@gmail.com.

🌏

Voices of Vanguard’s Impact and Visions for a Livable Future

by Lina Blount

It was an awesome moment in many ways: the stillness, as hundreds of Quakers and allies sat in meeting for worship at the entrance to Vanguard, the world’s largest investor in fossil fuels. Suddenly, after all the singing, marching, coordinated chair setup– there was quiet. You could hear the birds. You could hear the wind.  For me, that moment of worship, even still, with all the logistics in my mind swirling just moments before, invited me deeper into why we were there.  For over twelve months staff and volunteers with the Earth Quaker Action Team had been in meetings planning and building to this specific action moment. For over 3 years the Vanguard S.O.S. campaign had been building to this moment. For decades, allies, who we had just listened to in the park down the road, had been organizing against the impacts of fossil fuels and other polluting industries in their communities and were joining us in this moment.  I don’t know what was in everyone’s hearts, but I felt an alignment of purpose. We were praying for new leadership at Vanguard to correct course for a livable future. We were praying for all that has already been lost to inaction on climate change. We were praying with the voices of those impacted and the vision for a future where all our communities can thrive.

In that moment I felt so much potential. The power of our aligned purpose. The power of many groups, from Quaker Earthcare Witness, Third Act PA, Stop the Money Pipeline, Summer of Heat, Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living, frontline voices from Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights, the Mountain Valley Pipeline fight, and the fight against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline joining EQAT in that place.  I felt joined with my many mentors and elders, those who have walked this walk for a long time. I felt joined with my dear EQAT colleagues, who were buzzing with myriad cares and responsibilities to make this all possible. I felt connected in both deep feeling and deep commitment to enacting change.

Now is the work of ripples and reflection– planning for a distributed day of action in the fall, following up with webinars and money moving, and an attempt at delivery of the vase and soil to incoming CEO Salim Ramji. Debriefing what worked and didn’t work. Listening and learning. Figuring out why that one errant bus never showed, and how we might better support each other holding so much again in the future. Over 70 people had specific roles to pull off the action on the 3rd. That number humbles and inspires me. Other numbers humble and inspire me– about 300 in attendance, over $40 million moved by people of conscience urging Vanguard to:

  • Use its power and influence as a shareholder to push the companies it invests in to do better on climate change
  • Offer climate-responsible funds as mainstream products that are promoted by financial advisors
  • Exit its investments in fossil fuel companies that refuse to transition their businesses to be in alignment with a livable future

And the countless groups around the world joining us in this work to challenge specific fossil fuel projects while following the money and calling for systemic change from the largest profiteers, like Vanguard.  This is a rich and growing ecosystem of change. This ecosystem of change includes the birds, the wind, the ripples, and the silence. The awe, and the fatigue, and the joy that there are many seeds planted, germinating, growing still.  I will return to the depth of that worship often in the coming months and know that the stillness is always there to remind me of that moment, and those to come.

Offered with gratitude to all readers there, and all who may join us again.

​​​

TAKE ACTION! MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Are you looking for something you can do this month to fight climate change, protect vital habitat, or address climate injustice? Here we have listed possible actions you can take organized by the five categories of action in the Climate Change Sprint Report: Advocacy, Education, Finance, Lowering Carbon Footprint, and Mourning Loss and Instilling Hope. We hope you will find something that speaks to you. If you have actions you want to share, please contact us.​​​​​​

ADVOCACY 

Without policy changes at all levels of society, we cannot do enough to stop the worst impacts of climate change.

Quakers have historically been advocates for truth and justice. We have spoken truth to power, often without guarantee of safety or success. As the window to act on climate change narrows, we need such courageous activism more than ever.

YOUTH: Join the Green Schools Campaign to lead the continuing fight for clean, healthy schools free from coal, gas, and oil. The Green Schools Campaign has been campaigning for years to transition schools to 100% clean energy. This fall the Climate Reality Project (CRP) is supporting student climate leaders and their allies to take this campaign nationwide. You can learn more about the campaign and complete their interest form at Climate Reality’s Green Schools Campaign web page.

🔥YOUTH: August 19th-24th Join the Summer of Heat’s 2nd Youth Week

“Acknowledging the rising tide of young people fighting for their future globally, we are again uplifting the importance of their role in all of our collective futures. Join us the week of August 19th for Youth Week #2 as we continue bringing the heat to Wall Street!” On August 19th, join on Zoom from anywhere to help organize; there is no set start time.

All Summer: Join the Summer of Heat on Wall Street campaign

Non-violent direct actions are happening all summer long to protest the continued funding of the climate crisis by big banks, investment funds, and insurance companies. Most of the action will be in New York City, but there are actions around the country, too, like the one that took place on July 10th at Wells Fargo Bank offices in Philadelphia. Check out the Third Act Summer of Heat map to find a virtual event or an action near you between now and August 19th.

✉️ YOUTH: Sign up for weekly email alerts from Change the Chamber

Change the Chamber is “a nonpartisan coalition of young adults, 100+ student groups, and other allied organizations.” Within their campaigns, they “educate for science-based client action” within governments, trade associations, corporations, etc. Learn more at their website.

Tell OSHA to protect workers from extreme heat!

As we continue to experience some of the hottest temperatures on record, more workers are put at risk from extreme heat. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has sent a proposed rule on heat illness prevention to a White House committee for review. Public Citizen has a petition calling on OSHA to issue an interim rule to protect workers now. You can read more and sign their petition at their website.

Sign up for Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) Alerts

In a recent letter, QAMAR Clerk, Steve Loughin, wrote,

Friends across the Mid-Atlantic region have come together to work more effectively on the most important issues of our time. In order to do that, we have formed a new organization, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) as a nonprofit 501 c-4 so that we can engage directly in policy and legislative work at the state and local level. Our founding Board of Directors has decided that initially we will focus our efforts on two pressing issues: the Climate Crisis and Gun Violence…Friends have a unique voice and history in our region. Our fundamental values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Sustainability can help solve some of our thorniest problems and build a safe, secure, sustainable future for all. If you would like to be part of the solutions we need, please join us…There is no fee to sign up on our Action Network. You’ll receive notification of our upcoming webinars, presentations, workshops, and actions relevant to your area code.

Sign up for FCNL Action Alerts

Sign up to get weekly advocacy alerts and updates from Friends Committee on National Legislation in your Inbox.

EDUCATION

 ​​For our actions to be effective, they need to be informed.

Listed below are several resources to help expand our understanding of the issues and guide our actions.

 

Action Planning 101, the EQAT way!

 EQAT offers four essential questions we should ask when planning an action:

  1. What is the goal of the action?
  2. Who is coming?
  3. How will we amplify our message?
  4. How will we learn?

Find the answers to these questions, along with many more resources to support you in taking action where you live, at the EQAT website. You can also attend the EQAT’s Bringing Action Back Home webinar on July 17th.  See the Events section for details and link to register.

What Is an Effective Climate Protest?

Here is another look at climate actions, this one from Eric Schuman, a researcher at New York University and Harvard Business School. Schuman says the most effective protests

  1. are disruptive,
  2. have constructive intentions, and
  3. target an actual source of the injustice being protested.

You can read more in the Washington Post article by their Climate Advice columnist. This link is to a gifted article that you should be able to read without a subscription.

July 24th Say What? Effectively Communicating Climate Facts and Policy in the U.S.

For their July 24th webinar on climate change communications, ClimateXChange has assembled a panel of experts to discuss the latest research on American views about climate change science and policy. Register to learn more about best practices and lessons learned on communicating climate information across communities, policy makers, researchers, and more.

As the Earth Gets hotter, Can Our Cities Get Cooler?

 Of all the extreme weather events, heat is the deadliest, killing on average 499,000 a year. In our cities, as elsewhere, the less advantaged suffer more during heat waves. In this article from the World Resources Institute (WRI), learn how city infrastructure can be a cooling solution.

🧠 YOUTH: Share your knowledge!

Are there books, videos, or other resources that you would recommend to other young people concerned about climate change?

Please let us know so we can share them with our young readers!

Extreme Heat 101: Everything You Need to Know

If you don’t have time to read a lot of books this summer, there are still websites with reliable information. Heat is the number one killer among climate change impacts, yet it gets much less publicity than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Learn all you need to know in this EcoWatch article. They also have A Page About Droughts 101.

FINANCE

How can we make our financial decisions climate solutions?

Money drives climate change. Without loans from banks, investments from money management funds, and insurance premiums, fossil fuel projects could not continue. Equally, it takes bank loans, investments, and insurance for clean energy and other climate solutions to go forward. How can we turn our own financial decisions into climate solutions? And how can we address the financial systems that currently drive climate destruction?

💰YOUTH: What does divestment mean?

In her article, “What Students Mean When They Demand Divestment, and Why We Should Listen,” Joyce Ajlouny of AFSC was talking about recent divestment campaigns on campuses across the country to get their schools to stop investing in companies that are profiting from the war in Gaza. The same principles apply to divestment from fossil fuels. Basically, “Stop investing in corporations or other entities that are doing harm.” Read the full article to learn more about the history of divestment campaigns and find out how divesting can “help create new behavior standards that respect human life, human rights, peace and sustainability.”

Learn how to move your retirement account out of Vanguard

Chances are you do not want your retirement savings to be invested in climate destruction. But figuring out how and where to move your money can be a challenge. Get help in taking the next step at an EQAT workshop on July 23rd. See Upcoming Events for details.

LOWERING CARBON FOOTPRINT

While individual actions to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not enough to solve the climate crisis, they are important.

Whether you have already taken steps to lower your carbon footprint or that of your Meeting or your Friends School or you are just starting down that path, we hope you will find ideas here to support your carbon footprint reduction efforts.

Planting native plants can lower your carbon footprint (🌱 YOUTH too!)

Native plants are part of the healthy ecosystems we need to survive, and generally they require less maintenance, meaning less fossil fuel emissions. Learn more about the importance of native plants In the July 5th Planet Philadelphia radio show, “Birds, Bees, and Plants.”
MOURNING LOSS AND INSTILLING HOPE

If we don’t face the grief we experience when faced with the loss of beloved environments or species and the threat that climate change poses to us and future generations, we can find ourselves paralyzed.

Succumbing to despair is not an option, but we need one another’s support to hold onto hope.

🎗️Climate Ribbon Project

At the recent FGC Gathering, the PYM Climate Witness Stewards used a Climate Ribbon Tree to ask passersby, “What do you love and hope to never lose to climate change?” People wrote what they loved on ribbons and hung them on the tree to inspire others to action; as we shared what we loved and read one another’s ribbons, we became part of a community that understands our grief, and we committed to take action to help protect all that we love. You can read more about the project at the project website, where you can also download a toolkit to start your own Climate Ribbon Project here.

📽️YOUTH: Find Your Climate Community

In this Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations podcast, hear the inspiring story of youth climate activists Tony Passino and Sarah Hill from Change the Chamber, and hear what they have to say about the growth of youth climate activism on college campuses.

Attend a Climate Witness Stewards Climate Café Follow the link to the registration form

Next Climate Café: August 29 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm 

The PYM Climate Witness Stewards host these virtual cafes to provide a supportive, spiritually nurturing, and community-building way to share climate action information and hope. The Climate Witness Stewards invite all who are interested to join us.

​​​​​UPCOMING EVENTS

July 17th, 7-8 PM ET, Bringing Our Actions Back Home

Join this EQAT webinar to learn about their strategies for organizing local Vanguard campaign actions all across the country and develop your action skills.

July 18th, 7-8:15 PM ET, Coyamo Home Electrification Journey: One Couple’s Personal Effort to Save the Planet

Hear about their step-by-step electrification planning, including costs and savings, and find out how to apply these techniques to electrify your home! Be sure to register in advance to receive the zoom link.

July 24th, 1:00 PM ET, Say What? Effectively Communicating Climate Facts and Policy in the U.S.

Register for the ClimateXChange webinar to hear about the latest research on the best way to communicate climate facts and solutions/policies across communities, policy makers, etc.

July 27th, 7:30-9 PM ET, Moving Money Out of Vanguard: Supporting Each Other Through the Process

Finding a sustainable alternative home for your retirement account can seem overwhelming. EQAT cannot give investment advice, but at this workshop they will share resources and provide a space where participants can share questions and answers about moving money.

🔥YOUTH: August 19th-24th Join the Summer of Heat’s 2nd Youth Week

“Acknowledging the rising tide of young people fighting for their future globally, we are again uplifting the importance of their role in all of our collective futures. Join us the week of August 19th for Youth Week #2 as we continue bringing the heat to Wall Street!” On August 19th, join on Zoom from anywhere to help organize; there is no set start time.

August 29th, 7:00 pm – 8:30 PM, ET, Free Climate Cafe: A Place for Support and to Report Climate Actions

The PYM Climate Witness Stewards host these virtual cafes to provide a supportive, spiritually nurturing, and community-building way to share climate action information and hope. The Climate Witness Stewards invite all who are interested to join us.

GOOD NEWS

Locally: On June 5th, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) approved a resolution to develop its first climate resilience plan.

Learn more about the work of the DRBC in general and the climate resilience plan in particular at their website.

Nationally: In California, Big Oil has withdrawn its ballot measure to overturn a law establishing a public health and safety set-back to protect schools and homes near gas wells.

🌏Globally/YOUTH: The Tapei Global Shaper Hub has launched a project to educate the public about greenwashing

The group used the award it received as winner of a challenge grant from the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers community and the Climate Reality Project to train thirty-three students in designing public awareness campaigns on climate and sustainability. You can learn more about the Global Shapers Community’s work to empower young leaders here.

Globally: EU passes Nature Restoration Law

As reported in euronews, the law aims to restore 20% of Europe’s degraded nature by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

Globally: The world’s largest solar plant is up and running in China

We Don’t Have Time reports the solar farm is almost the size of New York City! It can generate up to 6 billion Kilowatt hours a year.

RESOURCES

“Creating a Playbook for Climate Action”

This Yearly Meeting guide is intended to help Meetings develop a playbook to support individuals, households and meetings address climate change.

Solar Toolkit for All

Developed by the Philadelphia Solar Energy Association (PSEA), Solar Schools for All is available for free through the PA DEP. The toolkit “details the process in ten steps, provides access to all the new federal tax credits, grants and loans available, provides a sample Request for Proposal (RFP), and two powerful proformas. One proforma is for a Power Purchase Agreement and the other is for Direct Ownership, to help schools run the numbers in a range of scenarios to decide how to optimize the benefits of solar for any school.”

Climate Witness Stewards on the PYM website

The Climate Witness Stewards (CWS) were established to support the Yearly Meeting and hold it accountable to its climate change witness. You can read their full charge and find bios of the individual stewards at the CWS page of the PYM website.

📽️YOUTH: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book about “Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants” has been a source of inspiration and information for many people concerned about taking care of the planet. It has been adapted for young adult readers by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt. Published by Lerner Publishing Group, the book is available through online booksellers, including independent booksellers. Watch the YouTube video for an audio preview of the book.

Rewiring America’s Personal Electrification Planner

By electrifying your home, you can save thousands of dollars and eliminate the majority of your GHG emissions. This personal planning tool from Rewiring America makes it easier.

Greening Sacred Spaces Webinar Recordings.

Here are the recordings from the three Greening Sacred Spaces webinars that EJC and the Climate Action Working Group (CAWG) of Concord QM hosted in the past year to inspire and assist Friends Meetings and institutions to make their property management policies more supportive of all of Creation.

Watch the recordings on the PYM YouTube channel:

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 1

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 2

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 3

Clean Energy 4 PA: 30 X 30 and Community Solar

On Sept. 18th, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) hosted an action workshop concerning how much of Pennsylvania’s energy comes from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal. Nearly 70 people participated in the virtual workshop. At this link, you can see a video of the presentation by Liz Robinson (CPMM) and Bruce Birchard (CPMM) as well as view the slide deck and find additional background information.

Climate and Money: A Guide to Fossil Fuel Divestment and Reinvestment

This guide was prepared by Friend Jennie Ratcliffe and fellow members of Durham (NC) Meeting’s Earthcare Witness Committee. It provides information about the what and the why of divestment, which banks, or funds to divest from, and how to divest and reinvest in a more livable world. The guide is available at the website of Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW).

BeFriending Creation

Here is the latest edition of the Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) quarterly newsletter. Read online or download the pdf and be inspired by how Friends in North America are building community to address the climate and biodiversity crises.

Inside the Greenhouse

Inside the Greenhouse is Friends Committee on National Legislation’s monthly newsletter on energy and the environment. Read the May 2024 issue and previous issues at the FCNL website.

PYM Funds for Suffering

This PYM granting group provides help to PYM members who experience financial hardship occasioned by obedience to the leadings of God’s spirit, or to conscience, consistent with Quaker testimonies. Download the Fund for Sufferings Fact Sheet [PDF] for application details. Grants can go to individuals only, not organizations, but requests for assistance can come from the individual concerned, from a Monthly Meeting on behalf of an individual, or in special cases from some person or group close to the person in need of assistance. If time allows, the request should be in writing. If urgent, and unable to reach the Clerk at the number listed, email Grants@pym.org. Applications are considered on a rolling basis; there are no deadlines for applications. The group email is FundForSufferings@pym.org.

Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) Mini-Grants

Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) is a network of Quakers seeking to live in right relationship with Earth and in unity with nature. The QEW Mini-Grants Committee provides small matching grants to help fund Friends’ projects that put this principle into practice. We are looking for projects to support, especially those that help with providing food, involve youth, or help with challenging racial/ethnic barriers. If your Quaker organization is doing a project that meets our criteria, we invite you to apply. If you are an individual Quaker, involved with a project that meets our criteria, perhaps your Meeting could adopt the project. This would enable us to fund you. We can only fund through Quaker Meetings, Churches, Camps, Schools, etc. Matching grants are now available in amounts up to $1,500. More details are on the Mini-Grant application form.
Subscribe to PYM Peace & Social Justice Network

The Eco-Justice newsletter is distributed by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting through the Peace & Social Justice Network. Please sign up to continue to receive the information that interests you by filling out your name and check the “Peace & Social Justice” list via the PYM subscription link.
If you are having difficulty with your subscription to the Eco-Justice Newsletter, please contact Patricia Finley or Ruth Darlington, co-clerks of the Eco-Justice Collaborative.

Please visit the Eco-Justice Collaborative website.​​​​​​
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June 2024 EJC Newsletter

Written on:


ECO-JUSTICE NEWS
June 2024

The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) has committed to a yearly-meeting-wide witness on climate change. The Eco-Justice Collaborative (EJC) of PYM issues this monthly bulletin to provide Friends with timely information and resources to help in their ongoing work witnessing for social and climate justice. Please share as you think appropriate.

If you have stories, events, or resources to share, please send them to Ruth Darlington. 

“If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us.”

—David Suzuki

 

 

Cross stitch at Westfield Friends Meeting, NJ

Friends Take Steps to Address the Climate Crisis.

We know that many Friends throughout the yearly meeting and around the world are following their leadings to work on climate change, environmental justice, and habitat and biodiversity protection. Their stories can inspire all of us to make our lives speak, too. If you have a story to share, please contact Ruth Darlington at rdarlington49@gmail.com.
​​​​​

TAKE ACTION! MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Are you looking for something you can do this month to fight climate change, protect vital habitat, or address climate injustice? Here we have listed possible actions you can take organized by the five categories of action in the Climate Change Sprint Report: Advocacy, Education, Finance, Lowering Carbon Footprint, and Mourning Loss and Instilling Hope. We hope you will find something that speaks to you. If you have actions you want to share, please contact us.​​​​​​

ADVOCACY 

Without policy changes at all levels of society, we cannot do enough to stop the worst impacts of climate change.

Quakers have historically been advocates for truth and justice. We have spoken truth to power, often without guarantee of safety or success. As the window to act on climate change narrows, we need such courageous activism more than ever.

URGENT: PECO wants to raise electricity and gas rates again! You can testify at a hearing near you! The Public Utility Commission (PUC) has scheduled six public hearings to hear from rate payers about the impact of these proposed rate hikes on them. Your voice matters. If you are a PECO customer, you can make a public comment at one of the upcoming hearings:

Key points to make in your testimony:

1. PECO has taken a piecemeal approach to grid modernization.  It needs a comprehensive plan! The PUC must require PECO to do an Integrated Distribution Plan immediately.

2.  Climate change is not new.  PECO’s reactive approach will guarantee failure and is already wasting millions of dollars.  PECO must diversify away from gas as a source of electricity generation and start adding significant amounts of clean, renewable energy.

3.  PECO must meet all new load growth with 100% renewable energy.

4.  PECO is on a collision course with reality.  It must undertake comprehensive planning to build a clean energy future that is equitable for all.  Expecting its customers to continue to absorb these unprecedented rate increases will guarantee failure.

Monday, June 10th at 6:00 PM (In-Person)

Kennett Square, Borough Building, 600 S. Broad Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348

Wednesday, June 12th at 1:00 and 6:00 PM (In-Person)

Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

Thursday, June 13th at 1:00 and 6:00 PM (Telephonic)

You do not have to pre-register to testify in-person. However, if you wish to testify by telephone, you must pre-register by 4:00 PM on June 12th. Pre-register by calling 215-560-2105 or emailing sdelvillar@pa.gov. If you require an interpreter, pre-register as soon as possible.

Join EQAT’s July 3rd Action at Vanguard Headquarters. Join EQAT and their allies fighting fossil fuel projects in their communities for a large mobilization outside Vanguard headquarters in Malvern. See the Upcoming Events listing for details. If there is a financial barrier to participating, such as transportation, childcare, or lost wages, we have funds available. Please email richie@eqat.org for more information and to share what support you would need to attend.

Take action with the World Ocean Day 2024 12 Months of Action. Actions for June include advocating for a strong Global Plastics Treaty and a High Seas Treaty and calling for a moratorium on deep sea mining. See the website for monthly actions, including those from January through May, which are still available.

Sign Kiss the Ground’s Regenerative Agriculture petition. Join Kiss the Ground and Regenerate America in calling for a Farm Bill that prioritizes communities over corporations. Read more and find out how to support the petition’s goals at the Kiss the Ground website.

YOUTH: Join World Ocean Day’s Global Youth Leaders Network. At the website, you can sign up for their youth newsletter, learn about free training opportunities, and find action opportunities near you.

Join Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) in Defending Our Climate.  Sign IPL’s petition urging our leaders to protect the progress already made to address climate change and defend our environment. Read more at the IPL website.

Tell the World Bank to prioritize investments in the green energy transition. As the climate crisis intensifies daily, Friends of the Earth is petitioning the World Bank to shut down its Private Sector Investment Lab and stop taking advice from the very corporations that have fed the crisis. You can read the petition and sign at the Friends of the Earth website.

Tell OSHA to protect workers from extreme heat! As summer temperatures get hotter, more workers are put at risk from extreme heat. Public Citizen is calling on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a rule to protect workers. You can read more and sign their petition at their website.

Sign up for Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) Alerts. In a recent letter, QAMAR Clerk, Steve Loughin, wrote, “Friends across the Mid-Atlantic region have come together to work more effectively on the most important issues of our time. In order to do that, we have formed a new organization, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) as a nonprofit 501 c-4 so that we can engage directly in policy and legislative work at the state and local level. Our founding Board of Directors has decided that initially we will focus our efforts on two pressing issues: the Climate Crisis and Gun Violence…Friends have a unique voice and history in our region. Our fundamental values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Sustainability can help solve some of our thorniest problems and build a safe, secure, sustainable future for all. If you would like to be part of the solutions we need, please join us…There is no fee to sign up on our Action Network. You’ll receive notification of our upcoming webinars, presentations, workshops, and actions relevant to your area code.”

Sign up for FCNL Action Alerts. Sign up to get weekly advocacy alerts and updates from Friends Committee on National Legislation in your Inbox.

EDUCATION

For our actions to be effective, they need to be informed. Listed below are several resources to help expand our understanding of the issues and guide our actions.

See how much access you have to nature where you live. Being near nature is good for our mental and physical health, but not all neighborhoods are equal when it comes to having access to green spaces. The Washington Post Climate Lab’s interactive map lets you enter the name of your city to see where you stand.

Learn how to use citizen science to address climate change. On June 18th the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) will host a webinar where you can learn how to use the MyCoast NJ App to share important weather and climate related events in your community, including flooding from storms, high tides, etc. The webinar will be led by presenters from the New Jersey DEP and the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, who partnered to develop this citizen science platform. The collected data will help develop resilience priorities and strategies for New Jersey. See Upcoming Events for details.

Create your own climate change summer reading program. Yale Climate Connections offers a list of books on climate science, impacts, and action, and suggests picking six books from modules covering an overview, how climate change impacts our lives, ways to respond (economics and technology), and how to take action.

YOUTH: Young Friends Bookshelf from Friends Journal. Looking for summer reading for young children? Here are reviews of two books from Friends Journal’s Young Friends Bookshelf for June: In the Palm of My Hand and Psalms of Wonder: Poems from the Book of Songs (Read the Reviews here.).

Extreme Heat 101: Everything You Need to Know. If you don’t have time to read a lot of books this summer, there are still websites with reliable information. Heat is the number one killer among climate change impacts, yet it gets much less publicity than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. Learn all you need to know in this EcoWatch article. They also have a page about Droughts 101.

Learn about the Ocean and Offshore Wind. Listen to a recording of the recent webinar sponsored by the NJ League of Conservation Voters for a breakdown of the science of offshore wind: the important role of oceans in fighting climate change, and how offshore wind fits into the picture. The slide presentation is also available here.

​​

FINANCE

How can we make our financial decisions climate solutions?

Money drives climate change. Without loans from banks, investments from money management funds, and insurance premiums, fossil fuel projects could not continue. Equally, it takes bank loans, investments, and insurance for clean energy and other climate solutions to go forward. How can we turn our own financial decisions into climate solutions? And how can we address the financial systems that currently drive climate destruction?

Talk to your bank about climate change at bank.green to see if your money is funding the climate crisis. Then find a green bank, AND talk to your old bank about why you’re leaving. At bank.green’s Take Action page you can pledge to move your money and find tools to phone, write, or visit the local branch of your old bank.

LOWERING CARBON FOOTPRINT

While individual actions to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not enough to solve the climate crisis, they are important.

Whether you have already taken steps to lower your carbon footprint or that of your Meeting or your Friends School or you are just starting down that path, we hope you will find ideas here to support your carbon footprint reduction efforts.

Look for Climate Neutral Certified Brands when you shop! 334 brands have received Climate Neutral Certification by pledging to reduce emissions wherever possible and offsetting 100% of their not-yet-eliminated emissions. You can find out more about these brands and what they are doing to address climate change at the Change Climate website.

Ways to Ditch Plastic from Your Daily Life. Read this article from Green America for some simple ways to reduce your use of plastic.

MOURNING LOSS AND INSTILLING HOPE

If we don’t face the grief we experience when faced with the loss of beloved environments or species and the threat that climate change poses to us and future generations, we can find ourselves paralyzed. Succumbing to despair is not an option, but we need one another’s support to hold onto hope.

Gathering Wisdom from the Wise Ones. Join PA Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) on Monday, June 10th, at 7 PM EDT, for this second program in their 2024 Interfaith Spiritual Care series.  Explore the ecological wisdom and guidance of Robin Wall Kimmerer, Sandra Ingerman, and Lyla June Johnston with music, prayer, meditation, responsive reading, and discussion.

YOUTH: “My Climate Story” As reported on WHYY’s Fresh Air program, this public storytelling project began with videos produced by a public research intern at the University of Pennsylvania. The storytelling project is designed to help “middle-to-high school students connect the dots [about climate change] with personal experiences.”

Hope & Joy Series: Reflections of Life. On June 11th, Third Act will host an online conversation with filmmakers Justine du Toit and Michael Raimondo about creating the short films that make up the Reflections of Life project, highlighting “the boundless beauty inherent in the human experience.”

Visit the Earthcare Center at the FGC Gathering in Haverford this summer.  Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) and the Eco Justice Collaborative (EJC) will host the Earthcare Center from June 30th to July 6th. Friends from the PYM region and from across the country will be there to talk about their work. Share your story and be inspired by others.

​​​​​UPCOMING EVENTS

June 10th 7PM EST, PYM Zoom Call with the Quaker Call. In this special zoom call for PYM member and Quaker Call steering committee member Bruce Birchard will introduce the Quaker Call, review some of its resources, and “explain how the Quaker Call can support Friends and Meetings in protecting elections in our tri-state area.” With government actions at all levels having the power to either empower or obstruct progress in addressing climate change and environmental justice, protecting our democracy is a vital part of our advocacy.

Monday June 10th, 7 PM EST on Zoom, Gathering Wisdom from the Wise Ones. Join PA Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) for this second program in their 2024 Interfaith Spiritual Care series  Explore the ecological wisdom and guidance of Robin Wall Kimmerer, Sandra Ingerman, and Lyla June Johnston with music, prayer, meditation, responsive reading, and discussion.

June 10th-11th, Join the UN Bonn Climate Change Conference Climate Hub. The annual Bonn Climate Change Conference began June 3rd. We Don’t Have Time and partners are hosting two full days of broadcasts from the conference with a special focus on the role of finance in speeding up the green transition. Register for free to get updates and reminders about how to join the broadcasts.

June 12th, 3PM PDT/6PM EST, Stand and Deliver: The Nuts and Bolts of PUC Intervention. This Third Act webinar is the second in their Power Up Communities! series designed to give you tools to stop public utilities from blocking renewable energy. (You can watch a recording of the first webinar here) Register for the June 12th webinar to learn what to expect in a Public Utilities Commission (PUC) hearing and how to testify.  Third Actors have already made strides in Pennsylvania, New England, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Learn about their accomplishments here.

June 14th is World Ocean Day. The new multi-year action theme is Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean and Climate. See the Advocacy section above, as well as the World Ocean Day website, for more information about how you can take action.

June 15th, Global Wind Day Celebration.  Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ. This family-friendly event hosted by the NJ Chapter of Sierra Club, NJ Wind Works, and other environmental and EJ organizations, will feature live music, food trucks, speakers, children’s entertainment, and more to help us celebrate the importance of wind energy in achieving our clean energy future.

June 18th, 7PM EST, Using MyCoast NJ App to Capture Important Weather and Climate Related Events in Your Community If you live in New Jersey, this ANJEC webinar can help you collect important information that will support resilience planning for NJ communities. See the ANJEC website to register.

June 24th, 8PM EST, Navigating the Storms: Prophetic Witness for an Earth Restored. FWCC says, “If humanity does not soon develop wisdom and global solidarity, we will, through technological hubris, vain ambition, and age-old rivalry, unravel the thread of life.” This pre-World Plenary FWCC Consultation asks how Quakers can become students of the living world and use our prophetic voice to take bold action in this time of great change. Learn more and register at the FWCC website.

June 30th-July 6th, FGC Gathering at Haverford College. Late registration is still open for the FGC 2024 Gathering, though late fees may apply. Quaker Earthcare Witness, Eco Justice Collaborative, Earth Quaker Action Team, and others will host a daily Earthcare Center.

Eileen Flanagan will lead a workshop on The Practice of Nonviolent Direct Action

EQAT will provide transportation to their July 3rd family-friendly Vanguard action.

July 3rd, 1-4PM, Voices of Vanguard’s Impact and Visions for a Livable Future. Join EQAT and its allies for a large mobilization at Vanguard’s headquarters in Malvern, PA. Stand with others to share the impacts of Vanguard’s continuing investment in fossil fuels and call on Vanguard’s next CEO to be a true leader for a livable planet. This is a family -friendly event, and Quakers attending the FGC Gathering are encouraged to attend. Be sure to register to receive updates.

July 11th, QEW UN Working Group Side Event at the UN High Level Political Forum. SAVE the DATE! In recognition of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015 – 2024) and the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development (2018-2028), the Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW), United Nations Working Group will convene a virtual side event during the 2024 UN High-level Political Forum.  Registration information is not yet available, but this event will happen before the next EJC newsletter goes out. Please contact Beverly Ward for details and registration information: fsearthcare@seymquakers.org  

GOOD NEWS

Locally: Pennsylvania pays residents to turn lawns into meadows. As reported in The Cool Down and by WHYY, Pennsylvania is encouraging residents to convert their lawns into native plant meadows to save money, save water, reduce pollution, and support native wildlife. The Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources has set aside funds to help people with the cost–$2,000 to $5,000 per acre.

Nationally: U.S. to end coal leasing in nation’s largest coal-producing region. In May, the Washington Post reported that the administration had announced ending all new coal leases in the Powder River Basin, “which could prevent billions of tons of coal from being extracted…with major implications for U.S. climate goals.”

Nationally: FERC issues new rule to overhaul planning and financing of the electric grid NJ Spotlight News reported that the new rule is “intended to prod utilities and grid operators across the country into more forward-looking, comprehensive and cost-effective planning of large electric transmission lines and better account for the broad benefits those wires provide.”

RESOURCES

Climate Opinion Factsheets. People’s opinions about climate change vary depending on where they live. This tool from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication lets you research opinions by state, county or Congressional district, providing valuable information for climate change conversations.

“Creating a Playbook for Climate Action” This Yearly Meeting guide is intended to help Meetings develop a playbook to support individuals, households and meetings address climate change.

Solar Toolkit for All. Developed by the Philadelphia Solar Energy Association (PSEA), Solar Schools for All is available for free through the PA DEP. The toolkit “details the process in ten steps, provides access to all the new federal tax credits, grants and loans available, provides a sample Request for Proposal (RFP), and two powerful proformas. One proforma is for a Power Purchase Agreement and the other is for Direct Ownership, to help schools run the numbers in a range of scenarios to decide how to optimize the benefits of solar for any school.”

Climate Witness Stewards on the PYM website. The Climate Witness Stewards (CWS) were established to support the Yearly Meeting and hold it accountable to its climate change witness. You can read their full charge and find bios of the individual stewards at the CWS page of the PYM website.

YOUTH: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book about “Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants” has been a source of inspiration and information for many people concerned about taking care of the planet. It has been adapted for young adult readers by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt. Published by Lerner Publishing Group, the book is available through online booksellers, including independent booksellers. Watch the YouTube video for an audio preview of the book.

Energy Stewardship for Friends Institutions. This EJC series consists of four workshops designed to help stakeholders at Friends meetings, schools, retirement communities, and other institutions make their facilities more sustainable. This link will take you to a list of recordings, including those of the first three workshops: “Solar Schools and NonProfits Tool Kit,” “Saving Money on Your Electrical Account,” and “Options and Funding for Electrifying Your HVAC Systems.”

Rewiring America’s Personal Electrification Planner By electrifying your home, you can save thousands of dollars and eliminate the majority of your GHG emissions. This personal planning tool from Rewiring America makes it easier.

Greening Sacred Spaces Webinar Recordings. Here are the recordings from the three Greening Sacred Spaces webinars that EJC and the Climate Action Working Group (CAWG) of Concord QM hosted in the past year to inspire and assist Friends Meetings and institutions to make their property management policies more supportive of all of Creation.

Watch the recordings on the PYM YouTube channel:

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 1

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 2

Recording: Greening Sacred Spaces Workshop 3

Clean Energy 4 PA: 30 X 30 and Community Solar. On Sept. 18th, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) hosted an action workshop concerning how much of Pennsylvania’s energy comes from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal. Nearly 70 people participated in the virtual workshop. At this link, you can see a video of the presentation by Liz Robinson (CPMM) and Bruce Birchard (CPMM) as well as view the slide deck and find additional background information.

Climate and Money: A Guide to Fossil Fuel Divestment and Reinvestment. This guide was prepared by Friend Jennie Ratcliffe and fellow members of Durham (NC) Meeting’s Earthcare Witness Committee. It provides information about the what and the why of divestment, which banks, or funds to divest from, and how to divest and reinvest in a more livable world. The guide is available at the website of Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW).

BeFriending Creation Here is the latest edition of the Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) quarterly newsletter. Read online or download the pdf and be inspired by how Friends in North America are building community to address the climate and biodiversity crises.

Inside the Greenhouse. Inside the Greenhouse is Friends Committee on National Legislation’s monthly newsletter on energy and the environment. Read the May 2024 issue and previous issues at the FCNL website.

PYM Funds for Suffering. This PYM granting group provides help to PYM members who experience financial hardship occasioned by obedience to the leadings of God’s spirit, or to conscience, consistent with Quaker testimonies. Download the Fund for Sufferings Fact Sheet [PDF] for application details. Grants can go to individuals only, not organizations, but requests for assistance can come from the individual concerned, from a Monthly Meeting on behalf of an individual, or in special cases from some person or group close to the person in need of assistance. If time allows, the request should be in writing. If urgent, and unable to reach the Clerk at the number listed, email Grants@pym.org. Applications are considered on a rolling basis; there are no deadlines for applications. The group email is FundForSufferings@pym.org.

Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) Mini-Grants. Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) is a network of Quakers seeking to live in right relationship with Earth and in unity with nature. The QEW Mini-Grants Committee provides small matching grants to help fund Friends’ projects that put this principle into practice. We are looking for projects to support, especially those that help with providing food, involve youth, or help with challenging racial/ethnic barriers. If your Quaker organization is doing a project that meets our criteria, we invite you to apply. If you are an individual Quaker, involved with a project that meets our criteria, perhaps your Meeting could adopt the project. This would enable us to fund you. We can only fund through Quaker Meetings, Churches, Camps, Schools, etc. Matching grants are now available in amounts up to $1,500. More details are on the Mini-Grant application form.

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Eco Justice News August 2021

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ECO-JUSTICE NEWS
August 2021

The Eco-Justice Collaborative (EJC) of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting issues this monthly bulletin to provide Friends with time-sensitive information and resources to help in their ongoing work for social and environmental justice. Share widely, as appropriate. If you have events or resources to share, please send them to Ruth Darlington. [Read more…] about Eco Justice News August 2021

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