350 KITES FOR CLIMATE ACTION:
NMIPL and First Unitarian of Albuquerque are working together to get 350 kites in the air on May 3 to raise awareness about 350 and the need for leaders to take strong action on climate change at the international meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009

350 represents the parts per million of CO2 that is safe for life on Earth. We are now at 387 parts per million and must address our energy consumption in a variety of ways. If you are in Albuquerque or nearby engage your faith community and youth in creating or bringing kites to Mariposa Basin Park, Sunday, May 3 at 4:00. Bring a picnic and friends and family. Prizes, fun, kite flying, and an interfaith prayer service will make up the great late afternoon event.

If you live outside of Albuquerque, NMIPL would love you to gather friends and faith community to fly kites wherever you are and take pictures to send us that we will celebrate on our website. More information will follow and contact us with questions.

350 KITES
Sunday, May 3, 2009

EARTH HOUR MARCH 28:
Join the International Earth Hour rolling across the world’s time zones to bring attention to climate change and energy use. Turn OFF your lights and unplug electrical items Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 pm. (Note: unplugging as many appliances as possible when not in use, and turning off lights when not is use are recommended all the time.)

Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund and supported by Interfaith Power and Light, Earth Hour got started two years ago and is now the largest event of its kind in the world. Last year, more than 50 million participated and the lights went out at the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the Coliseum in Rome, just to name a few. Even Google's homepage went black for the day! In Israel, President Shimon Peres personally turned off lights in Tel Aviv.

To sign up, visit http://www.earthhourUS.org where you'll learn more including ways you can spread the word about Earth Hour, plus creative things to do when the lights go out in case you need inspiration!

March 28, 2009

Fighting Goliath

CFL LIGHT BULBS AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO FAITH COMMUNITIES AND FOOD PANTRIES
Contact us if you have not done this program and are interested.

RECYCLE BATTERIES AND MORE FREE:
Batteries Plus, which has stores in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Farmington has buckets available that can be filled with batteries and small electrical items, like cell phones, for recycling. Great to have in houses of worship.

Contact:
Batteries Plus +, 4000 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Albuquerque
Tele: 505 - 888 - 1666, www.batteriesplus.com

ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION HIGHLIGHTS TWO NM SUCCESS STORIES:
St. Michael and All Angels food pantry CFL distribution and weatherization project for low income families and the Gallup Solar organization began by women of faith working to get solar energy in McKinnley County will be featured success stories by the Alliance for Climate Protection. Check out our website nm-ipl.org for the scoop.

FAITH COMMUNITIES ENGAGE IN LENTEN CARBON FASTS:
St. Thomas of Canterbury, St. Paul’s Lutheran and La Mesa Presbyterian, all of Albuquerque, are engaging parishioners in Carbon Fasts during Lent. St. Thomas of Canterbury and St. Paul Lutheran are inviting Low Carbon Diets which will culminate with a Low Carbon Dinner after Easter. La Mesa Presbyterian has offered their Minute for Mission to engage the community in addressing Carbon Footprints and supporting Native Energy carbon offsets.

NativeEnergy provides purchasing opportunities for renewable energy credits and carbon offsets. A Native American majority-owned enterprise, it has helped communities and farmers build more than 30 new cleaner energy projects such as the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation Wind Turbine project, the Toksook Bay Alaska Native turbine project, Boulder Creek Hydro project, and the Essex Junction Municipal Bio-gas generator, just to name a few. And for the average homeowner the average contribution depending on the size of one’s usage is as little as $21.00/ mo. and benefits the 50% efficiency, and 50% biomass portfolio.

Don’t forget to Shop IPL for energy saving appliances and a great discount on Sears products. Check out our website.

COOL CONGREGATIONS CONGRATULATIONS:
Thank you to The Cathedral of St. John’s, Albuquerque Mennonite, Church of the Good Shepherd, St. Michael and All Angels and First Unitarian who entered the Cool Congregations energy project so far. They will be monitoring their energy use and reduction throughout the year and may win a $5,000 prize from IPL. While it is too late to enter for the year end prize, your congregation can still log on and begin the process of evaluating and saving energy in the Cool Congregations project. Check out the website.

Send us your news, ideas and suggestions!

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS AND RESOURCES

New Climate Change Resources Released By US Agencies
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) recently issued the last of its 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products commissioned as part of an interagency effort to integrate federal research on climate change and to facilitate a national understanding of the critical elements of climate change. CCSP is responsible for coordinating and integrating climate research, observations, decision support, and communications of 13 federal departments and agencies. Find the reports at http://www.climatescience.gov/

Water Resources to become scarce due to Climate Change
The entire U.S. West on average will get less precipitation as a result of climate change. For an insightful discussion about allocation of this scarce and unvalued resource among rural and urban uses, visit http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE52900820090310