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March 2011

HIPLLogo HIPL 2011 Lenten Calendar

Education and Commitment: Commit to educate yourself about the spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis and to respond as a person of faith.

Lent is a season of reflection, personal sacrifice, and preparation for the celebration of the triumph of life over death. Hawaii Interfaith Power and Light invites you to celebrate this Lenten season by reflecting on the spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis, reducing your energy use on behalf of the environment, and advocating for a future where green, renewable energy sources finally break our dependence upon fossil fuels. May the suggestions in this calendar inspire you this season and throughout 2011.

Printable copy of this Lenten calendar.

Visit hipl.org/links.html for a list of spiritual and secular resources, news, views, and information. Sign up for the Ecumenical Carbon Fast for daily meditations and advice. Also on Facebook.

Check out the new book Moral Ground, essays by religious leaders on our moral duty to respond to the climate crisis

Contact HIPL (hipl@hipl.org) to get Preaching for the Planet, interfaith sermonettes published by IP&L.

Subscribe to IPLTalk, the Interfaith Power & Light blog on how people of faith are responding to global warming

Beginning the Journey: Begin your journey be deciding how you will make a difference this year personally and communally.

Raise awareness in your community with a film series or book discussion.

Visit hipl.org/library.html or hipl.org/links.html for suggestions

Take action to reduce the carbon footprint of your household or faith community.
Visit hipl.org/resources.html
for home and community resources.

Advocate on behalf of energy conservation and renewable energy policies.
Visit hipl.org/links.html for sources of news and policy discussions.

Sketch a plan of action and share with your household or faith community leaders

Use the EPA Energy yardstick at www.epa.gov/yardstick to assess your home energy use

Visit the Energy Star congregations website to find out how to reduce your community’s energy use and carbon footprint

Announce your plans for the community at your weekly faith community meeting

Implementing the Plan: Start putting your plan in action at home and in your faith community.

Film or Book Discussion

Begin your book reading or film discussion series

Hint: food and fellowship go great together!

Reduce Your Footprint

Do the free and easy things first to reduce energy use: visit hipl.org/20things.html or 25 Simple Steps from the Iowa IPL for suggestions.

Advocate for the Planet

Write down potential issues and policies that connect to your faith tradition

Share the issues and actions you can take with your faith community

Refresh and Inspire

Download the Web of Creation “Stewardship of Creation“ devotion. Read the scriptures and prayers and connect them to your own Lenten journey.

Write down 5 reasons why a “carbon fast” reflects the principles and practices of your own faith tradition.

Choose the advocacy actions you want to take: petitions, writing letters, phone calls and visits, attending meetings or hearings, organizing a rally or demonstration

Faith Community Meeting

Describe the actions you’ve started taking at your weekly faith community meeting

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Get Everyone Involved: Now that you’ve gotten started it, get more in your household or community involved in the effort

Film or Book Discussion

Publicize your discussion series more widely, and get attendees to spread the work

Reduce Your Footprint

Hold a community competition for the most documented energy savings. Contact HIPL for suggestions on prizes and funding.

Advocate for the Planet

Contact HIPL with your advocacy plan and we’ll spread the word through our network, including the local media.

Refresh and Inspire

Unplug yourself and take time to enjoy the beauty of God’s Creation now that spring has officially started.

Give your automobile one day off each week! Walk, ride your bike, or take public transportation. Half of household energy use is transportation related.

Give up meat on Friday. It’s not just an old Christian tradition, it saves water and energy and reduces animal sources of greenhouse gases

Plant a seed, start a garden, or shop at a local farmer’s market this spring

April 2011

Keep Up the Good Work: Stay focused and encourage others to maintain their commitment

Film or Book Discussion

Discuss how the core of your religion or spirituality is linked to energy and climate issues

Reduce Your Footprint

Remind yourself (and everyone else) that it takes 30 days to reshape our habits and thinking; keep at it!

Advocate for the Planet

Send a final encouraging reminder to get those letters out, make those calls, and schedule those meeting!

Refresh and Inspire

Read and share some of the great stories of communities putting their faith in action as stewards of Creation at www.nccecojustice.org/stories/

Donate unwanted items to a local organization for reuse. Even better, consider buying from them for your next household purchase.

Try making a meal that uses only locally grown foods. If going out, find a restaurant that features local ingredients.

Faith Community Meeting

Encourage your community to stick with the program and begin documenting their accomplishments

Reflect on Your Progress: Reflect on how you’re doing and think about the next steps

Film or Book Discussion

Have the group explore how their faith tradition calls them to respond to the climate crisis

Reduce Your Footprint

Document your progress in kW, CO₂, and $ saved so far. Think about how to take your actions to the next level

Advocate for the Planet

Have your community report in and share stories on calls, visits, letters, etc. Get ready for that final rally or demonstration!

Refresh and Inspire

Renew your enthusiasm and commitment with some of the inspirational messages in Eco-Justice Notes by Peter Sawtell

Try washing your laundry on the cold setting. Practically all the energy used by a washing machine is to heat the water. Liquid detergents work fine in cold water.

Try to calculate the food miles for all the ingredients in a family meal, based on where you live and the state or country of origin for the food.

Faith Communtiy Meeting

Report in on the accomplishments of your Lenten program. Encourage everyone to maintain their commitment year-round.

Celebrate and Prepare: Celebrate your accomplishments and prepare for the next phase in your journey of stewardship and care of Creation

Film or Book Discussion

Discuss the major theme that emerged from the discussion and how the community can take concrete steps to respond

Reduce Your Footprint

Introduce your participants to the Cool Congregations program and discuss becoming a participating community.

Advocate for the Planet

Discuss what was effective in your efforts and how you can build on that for the next issue or campaign

Explore how other faith traditions are responding to the climate crisis. Visit Interfaith Power and Light to see how this effort is not just ecumenical but truly interfaith.

Calculate your expected energy savings over the past 6 weeks. Compare that to what you had to spend to determine your “pay-back” period.

Reconsider the sacred act of eating and how our prayers and choices reflect our connection to food and the environment. How can you make eating a more mindful and planet-friendly ritual?

Faith Community Meeting

May this joyous celebration be not the end but the beginning of new life and a new relationship with all of Creation