Our vision and mission is to reverse climate change in order to heal our earth and ourselves: through educating ourselves and others about climate change and social justice, leading in taking concrete action, and maintaining hope for an earth restored and justice for all.
April 2024
Do you know how our legislators are voting on issues that matter to you? Here is a site you can check to see how you are being represented (or not!) and to let them know that you are paying attention.
League of Conservation scorecard on legislative voting
Lower the climate impact of your diet - Healthier Climate with a Low Carbon Diet
March 2024
Update on Climate Change - Richard Alley's presentation at Foxdale, 3/19/24
See the Slide Presentation
Why and How to Ditch Plastic - 100 ways to Live a Plastic Free Life
PDF Document - opens in new tab
Pondering your next car purchase? Here is information gathered by Sierra Club EV owners that Meeting members (& others) may find useful.
Pros and Cons of Electric Vehicles - https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Ij0FQiHTKXtwdF_IDI8wuPFqB-GJ97jYLghRs_VHZo/edit?usp=sharing
Understanding how EVs work - https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/ev-101-how-do-electric-cars-work
A look at EV battery endurance over time - https://www.autoweek.com/news/a39713122/predicting-how-much-range-ev-batteries-lose-over-time/
How green are EVs compared to gas cars? - https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/electric-vs-gas-cars-what-are-the-hidden-environmental-costs-of-evs
February 2024
Effective Advocacy:
Whether you are writing to legislators and policy makers on Climate Change issues or other topics that impact our Quaker testimonies, the following tips may be helpful in communicating most effectively.
Links open PDF in new tab and can be downloaded.
How to Write to Congress More Tips on How to Communicate with Legislators Visits with Policy Makers
JANUARY 2024
Working in collaboration the Climate Justice Working Group, Climate Care, Green, Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Adult RE committees of Friends Meeting and Foxdale co-sponsored the Jan. 18th, 2024 presentation of Representative Paul Takac on PA's climate and environmental legislation. It was an instructive and inspiring evening.
Watch the presentation: https://youtu.be/PZBiTv01OM0
November 30, 2023
Today Philadelphia Yearly Meeting made a strong public statement on fossil fuel use and reparations for climate damages:
PYM Statement on the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) · Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
September 30, 2023
Jackie Bonomo presented Using Finances for Action on Climate at the Crystal Lake gathering of Friends.
As Quakers it is important to discern what work our money is funding in the world and if that work is consistent with our testimonies and leadings. Please use this slideshow, and accompanying script and links. to share with others as you are led.
Using Finances for Action on Climate Slideshow
(Opens in new tab. Select Slideshow-Start at beginning. Move mouse to bottom left to advance slides.)
Presentation Script - Slide Descriptions
Accompanying Resources:
Climate and Money: Guide to Fossil Fuel Divestment and Reinvestment
All Electric Retrofits Guide
Links for Climate Action Using Finances
Thursday, April 13 - 7:00-8:30 pm
Finding Way Forward: Friends Care for the Earth
A Quaker Earthcare Witness Program
Presenter: Mary Jo Klingel
Hosted by the Climate Justice Working Group
When Quaker Earthcare Witness Friends began speaking to the Religious Society of Friends, we saw our work as alerting Friends to the dangers of climate change. Today, Friends are fully aware of the impending tragedies from our failure to care for the Earth. Friends are more likely to ask us, “What can I do?” and “What can I do that will make any difference?” Mary Jo’s interactive and optimistic workshop will address those questions directly, as we consider the many gifts that Friends have to offer. We will come together as a listening community, grounded in Friend’s Testimonies, seeking guidance to support one another and our Earth.
March 16, 2023, 7:00-8:30
FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC ROOTS OF THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY.- A Quaker Earthcare Witness Program
PRESENTER: Pamela Haines
Hosted by the Climate Justice Working Group
The dynamics and priorities of our economy are a key driver of the climate emergency, and the economy is now driven to a significant extent by the financial sector. You don’t have to be an economist to explore these connections and identify key issues and areas of opportunity.
Pamela Haines, a member of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, is a writer, workshop leader and speaker with a common theme of demystifying the connections between economics and daily life, while challenging people to claim their power and act on their values. Lead author of Toward a Right Relationship with Finance; Interest, Debt, Growth and Security, she has also written Money and Soul, and blogs at pamelahaines.substack.com.
February 23, 7:00-8:00
RESTORING LIFE AND HOPE: RENEWING BIODIVERSITY, MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT
PRESENTER: JIM KESSLER
Hosted by the Climate Justice Working Group and the Garden Committee
Jim will share powerful and inspiring stories, illustrated with colorful photos, of how creating native plant habitat has positively impacted the mental, physical, and spiritual health of his Quaker family. The presentation also describes how songbird, pollinator, and wildlife populations have dramatically increased in response to the introduction of native plants onto the Kessler Prairie property. Following a spiritual leading, Jim has shared over 100 presentations and workshops about the importance of reintroducing native plantings into personal and public landscapes during the last 12 years. His goal is to motivate others to plant butterfly gardens and larger native plant habitats to confront the extinction and climate crises. Loss of biodiversity can be reversed by the actions of ordinary people. Handouts that explain how to plan, plant, and maintain publicly acceptable native plant butterfly gardens and habitats will be provided for participants
Biographical Information
Jim was born on an Iowa farm in 1946 near Oskaloosa to Quaker parents. In 1970 while in graduate school, he read a Sierra Club book – A Moment in the Sun. This new awareness of environmental issues was a turning point. Soon after accepting a position teaching Biology at Newton High School (NHS) in Newton, Iowa in 1972, Jim visited an incredibly beautiful virgin prairie that was plowed a year later. Soon he planted a prairie garden in his backyard and began to manage the NHS prairie. Jim has been married to Kathy Kessler for over 50 years. They have 2 sons and 7 grandchildren. In 1998, they bought 30 acres south of Grinnell and restored prairie, oak savanna, wetland, and woodland habitats. In 2017, they donated most of the property to the Bur Oak Land Trust in Iowa City. During the past 8 years, Jim has shared over 100 native planting presentations and workshops with audiences in Iowa and in other states. He taught Biology at NHS from 1972 – 2005 and Environmental Biology at Iowa Valley Community College from 2005 – 2020. Jim and Kathy are members of Grinnell Friends Church in Grinnell, Iowa.
January, 2023
LIVING IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIVING WORLD: QUAKER TESTIMONIES AS A TEMPLATE?
Mary Ann Percy, QEW Steering Committee, Bellingham Friends Meeting, WA
The bad news is coming fast now–nearly on a daily basis it seems we’re hearing of another climate-related disaster, another breakdown in Earth’s and Life’s support system–the web seems to be unraveling…
How not to become paralyzed by despair?
What does Friends’ Faith and Practice, and specifically our Testimonies, have to offer us for both understanding and addressing these many challenges which face us?
How may we come to live in Right Relationship with the Living World, respecting and supporting the inherent integrity of the Earth community?!
December 2022
This is a wonderful resource for discovering what your investment/retirement/savings money is actually growing for your future while it is accruing interest.
Invest Your Values — As You Sow
October 2022
This summer Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act. It is a large Bill which will have positive impacts on our carbon future and the planet. It is available here for your review.
Inflation Reduction Act Summary
July 2022
The Zoom presentation "Climate Racism" and accompanying narrative script was jointly developed by the Climate Justice and Racial Justice Working Groups. Any church group or Meeting is welcome to use both the slides and script as an educational presentation if it may be helpful to your members.
Climate Racism Slideshow Slideshow Script
June 2022
Amanda Gorman's "Earthrise" poem -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwOvBv8RLmo&t=255s
Take action information links -
EQAT or Earth Quaker Action Team peacefully fights for a just and sustainable economy and is calling for Vanguard to divest from fossil fuel infrastructure and deforestation. https://www.eqat.org
Th!rd Act is an organization of mostly elders working to have people divest from the 4 biggest banks, Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Citibank, who are the largest funders of fossil fuels and deforestation in the world. You can sign-on to the Customers for Climate Justice Open Letter to CEOs by filling out an online form https://thirdact.org
May 2022
Recently, Dorothy Habecker and Jackie Bonomo wrote articles for the Friends Journal about their work as climate activists. Jackie shares information on personal lifestyle choices while Dorothy writes on sustaining herself in the work. Both essays are powerful and inspirational.
Take a look at them on the Friends Journal website: https://www.friendsjournal.org/two-climate-justice-stories/
February 2022
Climate Justice Resources Document
This document is an extensive listing of resources we have found helpful in learning about Climate Change and Climate Justice. Although there are many resources and organizations included here, there are many more available and more being created every day. Take some time to learn a little each day. Sign up for one of the newsletters and get current information on happenings delivered by email. Become informed yourself and talk to others and help them learn about what is happening. Together, we can make a difference.
January 2022
Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) upcoming events for Spring 2022- https://fb.watch/akGNOSmWpu/
December 2021
Eco-Justice webinar: Electrify Your Life
Cutting our CO2 emissions in half in the next 8 years will take all of us. Five expert presenters provide an overview of how to decarbonize our homes by cleaning our electricity supply, reducing our load, and then electrifying our end uses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM9e5qSwar8
Guidelines for a Meaningful Life on Earth
by Paul Hawken
Does the action create more life or reduce it?
Does it heal the future or steal the future?
Does it enhance human wellbeing or diminish it?
Does it prevent disease or profit from it?
Does it create livelihoods or eliminate them?
Does it restore land or degrade it?
Does it increase global warming or decrease it?
Does it serve human needs or manufacture human wants?
Does it reduce poverty or expand it?
Does it promote fundamental human rights or deny them?
Does it provide workers with dignity or demean them?
In short, is the activity extractive or regenerative?
September 2021
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has launched a strong initiative on Climate Action
12 min. video summarizing PYM's request of all Friends and Meetings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBCVQJ_AKcE
PYM charged a sprint committee to create a detailed document for guidance and accountability: http://www.pym.org/sessions/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/07/Moving-Together-in-the-Face-of-Climate-Change.pdf
Update on CJWG's action on carbon reduction: Over the 9/11 weekend, Lynne Heritage installed double cellular shades on the windows in the Childcare wing, including the SCFM office. Lynne generously donated her labor time. The shades will reduce summer heat gain and winter heat loss, thus reducing the boiler's gas burning and our CO2 footprint.
The cost of the shades was paid with the ongoing Carbon Reduction Donations Fund ($1400) and Buildings & Grounds funds for deferred maintenance ($2600). Please continue to donate to the Carbon Reduction Fund as you are moved to do so.
Climate Actions for Individuals
DorothyHabecker, Lisa Gamble and Jackie Bonomo did a Zoom presentation on Sept. 13th, 2020 on 7 Climate Actions individuals can take for stewardship.
A link for the 6 min. climate justice film "Dear Future Generations:Sorry" by Prince Ea
Links to Climate Justice book lists
Yale Climate Collection: a reading list on women and climate change
Yale Climate Collection: 12 books about climate change solutions
Yes Magazine: 10 books climate activists are reading
Meetinghouse Energy Review
The Meetinghouse building was completed in 1980.
In 2014, 16 kW of roof mounted photovoltaic panels were installed. 100% of our annual electrical use (and bill) is offset by the electricity generated by the solar panels!
In September, 2020, Envinity, a local solar energy company, completed a Meetinghouse energy audit recommending the following CO2 reducing energy improvements:
# CO2/yr Estimated Cost (includes labor)
12 LED light fixtures 7,382 (electric) $5,000
Attic/crawlspace insulation 2,858 (gas) $11,000
8 programmable thermostats 980 (gas) $1,000
44 Andersen Narroline windows 2,613 (gas) $25,000