The final version of the tax bill, passed in late December, will now open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling while maintaining a 14% cut in the corporate tax rate. This will allow oil and gas companies to gain and additional $1 billion in profits. In addition, oil and gas companies were granted increased ability to write-off new equipment expenditures. Republicans had to find ways to pay for their corporate tax cuts, which could cost up to $1.5 trillion. Alaska’s Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski stipulated she…
NCIPL Testifies at EPA Hearing on Clean Power Plan
Last week North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light spoke at the EPA public hearing in Charleston, West Virginia, on the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan. The EPA has proposed that the Clean Power Plan is not consistent with the Clean Air Act. The EPA held the public hearing on this critical issue in the heart of coal country. Faith leaders, including those from West Virginia Interfaith Power & Light, spoke in support of the Clean Power Plan because it sets flexible and achievable limits on otherwise unlimited dumping of carbon pollution from power…
Join Us for the PHW Faith and Health Summit
On Thursday, October 19th Partners in Health and Wholeness will host our 2017 Faith and Health Summit. Thursday’s events include a community gardens and permaculture tour throughout the city of Greensboro. Unfortunately this tour is full, but don’t let that discourage you from driving to Greensboro on Thursday. At 6 p.m. that evening all conference attendees are encouraged to join us for light refreshments in the cafe of First Baptist Church Greensboro. This will give all the attendees a chance to check-in, pick up conference folders, and mingle with the…
Wood Pellet Plant Would Be Environmental Injustice
More than 10,000 individuals and 50 organizations have signed a petition asking Governor Cooper to revoke the world’s largest wood pellet manufacturer’s flawed air quality permit in Richmond County. At a Raleigh press conference on July 18, speakers represented prominent NC organizations such as Dogwood Alliance, Concerned Citizens of Richmond County, and Clean Air Carolina. Susannah Tuttle of NC Interfaith Power& Light was among the speakers. She said: We are called to be stewards, but are giving away our resources. Our faith calls upon us to stand with the people…
2017 Lenten Guide — Second Sunday
For this year’s Lenten Guide, each member of the Council staff chose a verse from a favorite hymn to write about. We will post their reflections throughout Lent, for Ash Wednesday, each Sunday and throughout Holy Week. Let us hope when hope seems hopeless, when the dreams we dreamed have died When the morning breaks in brightness, hunger shall be satisfied. “Let Us Hope When Hope Seems Hopeless” ~ The New Century Hymnal #461 During this crucial and troubling political time I have noticed that the idea of hope is…
Ethical Debates on Industrial Agriculture
An ethical debate is a bit of a juxtaposition. As we know, ethics are a set of moral principles. It is how we understand right from wrong. So how can what is right and what is wrong be up for debate? In Carl Sigel’s post on the “Caring for Creation” section of the Church of the Nativity webpage he discusses the two main types of ethical practices in the agricultural world. Continuing with the use of Robert Zimdahl’s term “productionist ethic” and Aldo Leopold’s term “land ethic” we place in…