Advocacy

The cumulative actions we take to be good stewards of God's gift of energy in our buildings and in the private lives of our members can make a big contribution to a healthier world. We also can serve as a faithful model of good stewardship that can be an inspiration to others.

But in addition to these independent actions, we must work for sensible national policies that promote the wise and just use of energy.

• Faith-based
• Secular
• In New York State
  

Faith-based advocacy

• National Council of Churches Eco-Justice
• COEJL: Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
  • COEJL's Climate Change Action Center
• Driven by Values
• U-M Power: The United Methodist Church

Secular advocacy

• Environmental Advocates of New York - an environmental policy analysis group that evaluates New York State environmental policies and legislation.

• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) - is a cooperative effort by Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions – a greenhouse gas that causes global warming. The RGGI participating states will be developing a regional strategy for controlling emissions. This strategy will more effectively control greenhouse gases, which are not bound by state or national borders. The proposed program, which will require electric power generators in participating states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, is planned to be designed by April 2005.

• We support the Alliance for Clean Energy New York whose mission is:

  to promote the use of clean, renewable electricity technologies and energy efficiency in New York State, in order to increase energy diversity and security, boost economic development, improve public health, and reduce air pollution.

  The Alliance for Clean Energy New York is a group of organizations which share the goal of bringing clean energy technologies to New York. This alliance includes non-profit environmental, public health and consumer advocacy organizations, educational institutions, and private companies that produce or sell renewable energy technologies or energy efficiency services. Together these organizations have produced the www.aceny.org web page to serve as a resource for New Yorkers interested in promoting the clean energy technologies that will provide cleaner air and a more diverse and secure electricity future.

  • Overview of clean air and energy issues in NYS: Acid rain; Clean Smokestacks Campaign; distributed generation; nuclear policy; power plant siting; small particle pollution, power plants and fuel; smog; Renewable Portfolio Standard 
  • Groups ask Governor to stand up to big energy; stand up for kid's health, a joint initiative by American Lung Association, Environmental Advocates of New York, Sierra Club - Atlantic Chapter, and NYPIRG: Commemorating the fifth anniversary of Governor Pataki’s announcement to rein in the precursors to acid rain, health and environmental groups called on Governor Pataki to modernize the state’s efforts to reduce power plant pollution. The groups called on the Governor to enact deeper cuts in acid rain-related emissions and to cap and reduce greenhouse gases and mercury that power plants also emit.