Yolo Interfaith Alliance for Climate Justice presents

Climate Crisis Conference: Putting our Faith into Action

Sunday, March 30, 2014 from 1:30 -5:30 pm

United Methodist Church of Davis (1620 Anderson Road, Davis)

All are welcome to attend the Interfaith Climate Crisis Conference.

Our current way of living is not compatible with the planet we live on. The good news is, we have an opportunity to do something about it now. If we make changes in our lifestyle and in our public policy in relation to the earth itself, future generations will reap the benefits of our wisdom and self-restraint. For people of faith it means caring for God’s good and sacred creation. For everyone it means working together to preserve the only home we have.
– Pastor Daniel Smith, Lutheran Church of the Incarnation

Our conference this year emphasizes the importance of working together toward climate solutions. Environmental groups are working together toward common goals. Our faith communities are learning we can accomplish more if we join together. Today, our keynote speaker will examine how faith and science groups can work together to speed the transition away from fossil fuel toward clean energy.

Keynote speaker:

Adrienne Alvord, the CA and Western States Director of the Union of Concerned Scientists, is a policy expert who has worked extensively on climate, energy, fuels, waste and agricultural issues. She has deep experience both in translating scientific and technical work into policy ideas and in creating strategic partnerships to achieve these policies.

Topic

Science and Faith: Working Together to Inspire Action on Climate Change
The worlds of science and faith both have an urgent and compelling mission when it comes to addressing climate change. This talk will provide information on ways to think and talk about climate change and the science underlying it that can help overcome the fear and reticence that many have, and inspire action. The talk offers some good news about how local action is galvanizing real change.

After a refreshment break, participants will have an opportunity to attend a choice of two workshops.

Workshop choices:  choose two

• Speaking up: How to be effective educating and influencing policy-makers (politicians) and opinion-makers (media). We sometimes believe big money destroys our democracy, but we can defeat that; nothing beats the power of our voices when we use them effectively, especially when we use them together. Libby has handouts to guide us and her experience of growing her core of active voices from 34 to a quarter of a million strong throughout California. (Libby Sholes, Director of Special Projects, CA Council of Churches/CA Church IMPACT )

• Taking Action for Climate Justice–How Values Become Behavior  Are you frustrated at society’s lack of concern?   Do you want to take action but find something stopping you?  This workshop will explore barriers to action that we all face–physical and psychological, personal and community-wide.  We will look at how to identify your passion, find others of your kind to form a group, or find your place in a group already formed.  Through personal stories and group discussion, we’ll learn how action for climate justice helps us grow, as individuals and people of faith.  (Beth Robbins, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church)

• Cooking for a Cool Climate: using local, seasonal produce and “unplugged” techniques as a way of greening your food print and eating healthfully, too. Demonstrations, tips and recipes by Chef Debra Chase. A small change in your habits can be a big change for the planet.  (Debra Chase is an experienced personal chef and cooking instructor.)

•Greening our households:  Become a Cool Home like these three faith families who share their stories about conserving energy in their houses, shifting their transportation mode, and producing less waste.

Greening our churches offers three ways to go green and save money, too, beginning with information on adding solar, then challenging others to “Travel Lite to worship” and leave the car at home, and finally by aiming for zero waste events at church.

• Interfaith statements on Climate Change. Address our moral responsibility for the renewal of our Earth through interfaith solidarity, and study the multi- faith perception of   the threat to all life caused by climate change.  Discuss how faith groups can communicate among themselves more effectively regarding  the climate crisis. Reflect on what role we, as individuals, intend to play in climate change advocacy through participation in our own faith groups and in building our  own Eco-Faith Community.   (Stephanie Carucci, Davis Friends) 

Please pre-register here .

Sponsored by Cool Davis and its Faith Group Partners for this event: Green Task Force of Davis United Methodist Church, Green Sanctuary Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, Davis Community Church, Green Faith Action Team of Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Care for God’s Creation Commission of the Episcopal Church of St. Martin, Davis Friends Meeting, and also St. James Gospel Justice Group of St. James Catholic Church