Green Corner: More on the California Interfaith Power and Light’s “2016 Cool Climate” Award
Interfaith Celebration Highlights Solidarity and Sustainability, by Allis Druffel, California Interfaith Power &Light, Southern California Outreach Director
California Interfaith Power & Light held its 10thannual awards ceremony at Oakland’s Beebe Memorial Cathedral November 16, 2016, andthe feeling ofinterfaith solidarity in the room was palpable. Representativesfrom the Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Unitarian traditions met withone another, sharing best practices on sustainability, which only increased thecapacity of the interfaith community going forward.
The program started with an indigenous prayer in mindfulsupport of fellow faith leaders at Standing Rock. Presenters of the awardsincludedCIPL Steering Committee members Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll, Pastor ofthe Church by the Side of the Road in Berkeley; Rabbi MarvinGoodman, ExecutiveDirector of the Northern California Board of Rabbis; Juana Torres of the SierraClub and volunteer with the CatholicArchdiocese of Los Angeles; and G.L. Hodge,Administrator of Providence Baptist in San Francisco.
The Catholic community was well represented this year withawards going to both St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Palo Alto and St.Anthony High School in Long Beach for Green Building, and American MartyrsChurch and School in Manhattan Beach for EnergyEfficiency and Conservation. LaCasa de Maria in Santa Barbara, originally started by the Immaculate Heart ofMary community won theaward for Green Retreat Center. All four had focused onsustainability initiatives for several years, with Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato si,’re-energizing action andcommitment.
St. Thomas Aquinas especially was noted for its leadership within the Diocese of San Jose. In the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching and Creation protection, this parish has implemented many energy- and water-saving measures, including installing two solar systems totaling 62 kilowatts of clean power; and employing energy-efficient lighting and drought-tolerant landscaping. St. Thomas Aquinas has an active Green Committee, which has hosted presentations on Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology, advocated for clean air policies to local regulatory agencies, and held Earth Day celebrations that provide resources on actions their parishioners can take. Among the highlights of the evening, one stood out inparticular: the video of and words from Rev. Ken Chambers, pastor of West SideMissionary Baptist Church in Oakland. This congregation, along with numerousfaith communities and organizations, engaged in an historictwo-year strugglethat ultimately defeated a proposal to bring coal from Utah into an exportterminal in Oakland. The defeat of this project wasmore than just one regionalsuccess; it signified for all present the local and global demand for – andongoing transition to – clean energy,which creates jobs and does not endangerpublic health. In accepting the award for Climate Advocacy, Rev. Chambersstated, “West SideBaptist Church was a vessel to be used but the campaignwould not have happened without everyone that played a part.” In referring tothecommunal feelings of post-election uncertainty, he added, “In lieu of ourpresent, political dynamics, if we ever worked together before, wesurely mustwork together now.”