newsletter of quaker earthcare witness · 2012. 12. 10. · haps we need new visions and...

Talking with others about Earthcare may requirebetter understanding of our differing worldviews

Volume 18, Number 1 January-February 2005

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SHORTLY after the November 2004 U.S. election, I received an

urgent appeal in the mail from amajor environmental group: Sincethe Bush administration is poisedto do even more environmentaldamage than it has done in its firstterm, the appeal said, we need yourfinancial support more than ever!

I had a different reaction tothis line of reasoning: If they andother organizations have not beenvery effective in countering theneo-conservative juggernaut, per-haps we need new visions and strate-gies, rather than putting more effortinto pursuing the old ones.

One helpful perspective onthe environmental movement’spresent quandary arrived in mye-mail in mid-December. (I endedup with multiple copies because somany people I know were movedto forward it to everyone on theirmailing lists.) It was journalist BillMoyers’s dramatic (and some wouldsay scary) speech to the HarvardMedical School in the fall of 2004,as he accepted the school’s GlobalEnvironment Citizen Award.

His message implied that theBush Administration’s ruinous fis-cal, military, and environmentalpolicies can’t be answered bysomething as straightforward asimproved “strategies” or betterarguments. That approach assumesan opponent that shares a compa-

rable sense of reality—which ap-parently is not the case today. Al-though the neo-conservativemovement’s leaders are very “real-istic” in the way they use the po-litical process to their advantage,much of their public supportseems to come from their successat linking a secular pro-corpora-tion agenda with certain extremereligious beliefs that are virtuallyimmune to rational examination.

“One of the biggest changesin politics in my lifetime is thatthe delusional is no longer mar-ginal,” Moyers told his audience.“It has come in from the fringe, tosit in the seat of power in the OvalOffice and in Congress… For thefirst time in our history, ideologyand theology hold a monopoly ofpower in Washington…”

Moyers described a nationalleadership whose public state-ments and policies are decidedlyout of tune with “what is gener-ally accepted as reality” He notedthat a significant portion of BushAdministration supporters, knownas the “Christian Right,” tend tosee the conflicts in the MiddleEast, as well as looming environ-mental disasters, as the fulfillmentof biblical prophesies, which mustbe allowed to run their course.Human suffering and the destruc-tion of the natural environmentseem a small price to pay for vic-tory in this cosmic struggle be-tween the forces of Good and Evil,according to this worldview.

“Why care about the earthwhen the droughts, floods, famine,and pestilence brought by ecologi-cal collapse are signs of the apoca-lypse foretold in the Bible? …Andwhy care about converting fromoil to solar when the same Godwho performed the miracle of theloaves and fishes can whip up afew billion barrels of light crudewith a word?”

Moyers said he strugglesagainst despair as he reads thenews, connects the dots, and imag-ines where these developmentsare headed. It is clear that thisgovernment’s policies are robbingour children and grandchildren oftheir future by despoiling their

by Louis Cox

Can we talk constructivelywith those who believe the

Second Coming trumpscaring for God's creation?

BeFriending CreationNewsletter of Quaker Earthcare Witness

BeFriending Creation January-February 2005

2

Adoption flyeravailable from QEW! Adoption:

An Earth-FriendlyAlternative

Do you want another child?

Do you have a lot of love to give

to kids, but don’t want to add

to the earth’s population?

Have you considered adoption?

Published by

Quaker Earthcare Witness

Nancy Whitt with her daughter, Vassilka, whom

she adopted from Bulgaria when she was 11 years old

(Birmingham, Alabama, Friends Meeting).

This flyer by the Population Con-cerns interest group begins byexplaining why adoption is a QEWconcern. It then responds to thefollowing questions:

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ What is Earth-friendly aboutadoption?

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ Will parenthood make me moreloving?

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ Are children available for adop-tion?

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ Are children available from othercountries?

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ What if the birth parents changetheir minds?

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ What does it cost to adopt?❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ How can Friends Meetings help?

A number of resources are listedfor those seeking additional infor-mation.

Free copies can be ordered from theQEW office. (Donations to defrayprinting costs are encouraged.)

Eco-tip from NaturalHome magazine

ROUGHLY 1.5 MILLION TONS ofclay are mined annual just to makekitty litter for the nation’s 60 millionfelines (U.S. Bureau of Mines).

Much of the clay is strip-mined, which destroys land andhabitat. Some experts claim kittylitter accounts for more waste inlandfills than disposable diapers! Inaddition, the silica dust in clayclumping litters may cause healthproblems in cats.

Fortunately there are nontoxic,biodegradable, and renewable al-ternatives. Look for brands madefrom corn, wheat, nut shells, orrecycled newspapers, includingSwheat-Scoop, Feline Pine, andWorld’s Best Cat Litter.

(Note: I have been usingSwheatScoop for about a year nowand am very impressed. A benefitis that I can compost it for use onour shrubs and flower beds.)

—Ruah Swennerfelt

world, he said. However, there is apositive side to our dread-filledawareness of impending disaster,Moyers concluded: Facing thetruth can set us free and empowerus to fight for the future we want.

THIS brings to mind a littlebook that has been on a lot of

people’s must-read lists lately:George Lakoff’s Don’t Think of AnElephant!—Know Your Values andFrame the Debate (Chelsea Green Pub-lishers, White River Jct., Vt., 2004)In this work, he traces the ways inwhich ultraconservative “think-tanks,” radio talk show hosts, andothers have managed to convincea large segment of the U.S. popu-lation that “liberal” values (includ-ing environmental protection) aredangerous and un-American—notwith facts but by how they framethe issues, e.g. taxes as a “burden.”

>>from page 1 Having studied the way thatlanguage is being used in today'spublic life, Lakoff would say thatMoyers's metaphor of “fightingfor the future we want” can misdi-rect us: What one person considers“winning” a debate only reinforcesthe convictions of someone whoframes the issue differently. A moreproductive response is one thatrespectfully reframes the issue interms of one's own values andworldview, Lakoff says.

To restore civility to a politicalatmosphere that seems to be poi-soned by lies and distortions, weneed to understand the psycologi-cal and philosophical underpin-nings of the classic conservativeand liberal worldviews and trainourselves to interpret events indifferent terms that are as compel-ling. Enough—go read the book!(See also Lakoff's book, Moral Poli-tics: How Liberals and ConservativesThink, Univ. of Chicago Press, 1996.)

So, does this mean that envi-ronmental activists should be ableto constructively engage someonewho firmly believes that the Sec-ond Coming trumps care of God'screation? —In my opinion, no.

But I also believe that sincerepeople of faith can be taken in byextreme apocalyptic notions whenthose are the only tools for under-standing the scary modern worldthat are offered to them. We canopen doors to communication ifwe break ourselves of the habit ofdebate-style attacks and becomemodels of seeking truth together.

As Quakers we have the ad-vantage of a tradition of respectfulengagement with those with dif-fering views, similar to whatLakoff is talking about. We alsohave in our tradition an antidoteto the despair Bill Moyers talkedabout: If Truth lives in our hearts,even with all the bad news, how canwe keep from singing? ❖


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AS a board member of theVirginia Interfaith Center for

Public Policy, I was involved thisfall with a projectcalled the “PovertyDiet.” Virginians onfood stamps receivean average of $2.55 aday in food stampsfor each person inthe household. Foodstamps can besupplemented withthe recipient’s otherincome, but with thehigh costs of hous-ing, utilities, andtransportation in Virginia, this isoften impossible. Abrahamic com-munities of faith across Virginiawere encouraged to sponsor com-munity projects to have commu-nity members live on a $2.55-per-person diet for a three-day periodin November.

On the three days of your per-sonal “Poverty Diet” you couldn’teat out of your freezer or pantry.For my personal “Poverty Diet,” Imade a special trip to the grocerystore. It wasn’t long before I knewthat fresh fruits and vegetables,particularly if organic, didn’t fit inmy three-day budget. Having justpaid my share of dues for a localCommunity Supported Agriculture(CSA), I knew that someone onfood stamps probably couldn’tafford to belong to a CSA.

Two weeks later, while I wasreviewing the final draft of thelegislative priorities adopted by acollaborative of Virginia environ-mental organizations for the up-coming General Assembly session,I was reminded of the people I seewith fishing poles and coolers

walking through my neighbor-hood on their way to the JamesRiver. Even though signs in thepark along the river warn peoplenot to eat fish caught in the river

because of the mer-cury contamination,I’ve watched peopleputting fish caughtin the river intotheir coolers. Manyof the people I seewalking with theirfriends and familyto the James Riverfor a day of fishing,live in a neighbor-hood where mosthomes have leadcontamination.

These events made me beginto wonder: Where exactly do thepoor fit into our concern for theEarth? How can we ask them toselect their food using sustainablepractices when they may notknow where their next meal iscoming from? For me the answeris quite simply that we cannot askthem. But at the same time, wemust spread the message to every-one—poor or rich, inner city orsuburb, third, second or first world—that we cannot continue in ourpresent mode of being and acting.

The poor and minorities, andthose who work with them, arethe very ones who should be inthe vanguard of those making theconnection between impoverishedpeople and an impoverished Earth.It is the poor who are paying thehigher price for our planet in peril.Mega-highways are dividing theircommunities and being paid for bytheir tax dollars but do not pro-vide them transportation to jobs,health care, or education. It is theircommunities where landfills arebeing located, toxic wastes

dumped, and incinerators built. Itis the children of the poor who arebeing brain-damaged from eatinglead paint and poisoned foods. Itis billboards placed predominantlyin their neighborhoods that en-courage deadly habits with alcoholand tobacco. It is their homes thatbear disproportionately high en-ergy costs because they are notinsulated or wired well. And it isnot only poor people in this coun-try but whole nations who nowmust destroy their resource base,their forests and soils, to repaydebts to the rich industrializedworld, debts not fairly acquiredand long since repaid.

The injustices are blatant. Theconsequences of a threatenedplanet may be the same for all ofus, but it is apparent how the poorexperience it more cruelly and un-fairly. Ultimately, it is they whobear the brunt of a mind-set, aworldview, an industrial way oflife, a religious perception even,which is grossly out of sync withthe ways of the earth.

We need to go into our Meet-ings and churches to broaden anddeepen the traditional understand-ing of what we are being called todo. We need a spiritual renewalthat will bring people home to theearth and a new perspective onthe context in which the poor live.All the food we eat, clothing wewear, or buildings we live in havebeen supplied by the earth’s lar-gess—a largess being unfairly con-sumed and wasted by citizens ofindustrialized countries. It is theearth in all its expressions—thecommunity of sea and sun, moun-tains and meadows, deserts andfields, plant and animal life—thathas a claim on us.

My hope is that we growskilled in “choosing life,” for allCreation, including the poorestamong us, and thus prove ourfaithfulness to the One who cre-ated all life. ❖

Clerk's message

Where exactly do the poor fitinto our concern for the earth?

by Barbara WilliamsonQEW Steering Committee Clerk


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urged guests who wished togive gifts to instead make do-nations to the American FriendsService Committee, the Free-dom to Marry Foundation, or alocal environmental groupknown as the Sauk Prairie Con-servation Alliance.

3. Wedding bands—Knowing thefull social and ecological costsof mining, we looked into buy-ing rings made of recycledmetal (www.greenkarat.com), buteventually settled on the low-est-impact option: a matchedset of second-hand rings from avintage jeweler.

4. Long-distance transportation—Guests were encouraged to getto Madison by train, bus, or

WE thought other readersmight be interested in the

story of our August 2004 wed-ding in Madison, Wisconsin,which combined the tradition ofQuaker simplicity with the valueof living lightly upon the earth.

It all began with consider-able deliberation about whetherto get married in the first place.The fundamental question for uswas not whether we wanted tospend the rest of our lives to-gether—we had already come tothat understanding graduallyover our four years together—but whether we could actuallypull off a wedding that wouldreflect our shared values. We areboth deeply troubled by weddingsthat involve conspicuous con-sumption of resources, as if “tradi-tion” demanded it. Sadly,most weddings tend to beplanned with little or noconsideration for their eco-logical footprint or thecouple’s relationship to theland. We decided that it would beworthwhile to try something dif-ferent—to let our Light shine andto lead by example.

Here are some of the ways wetried to make our wedding asimple event with minimal envi-ronmental impact. In the end,many of these things also ensuredthat it was personally meaningfuland highly participatory for ourfriends and family:

1. Invitations and thank-you cards—These were hand-made, usingtree-free paper and potato-printdecorations, and mailed in col-orful envelopes we made fromold calendars and magazines.

2. Gifts—We emphasized that thiswas a “buy-nothing” event and

carpool, and to consider thattheir gift to us be the purchaseof carbon offsets to reduce theclimate-change impact of theirtravels. Invitations includedinformation about the relativeimpact of various modes oftravel and websites whereguests could calculate the “car-bon footprints” of their tripsand purchase carbon offsetsdirectly (www.carbonfund.org orwww.climatecare.org). If theyplanned to fly, we suggestedthat tickets be bought throughthe Better World Club(www.betterworldclub.com; 866/304-7540).

5. Guest accommodations—Rather than stay at inconve-niently located, impersonal ho-tels with hidden environmental

costs, we helped connectout-of-town guests withlocal friends willing tohost them for the week-end. Our visiting friendsand family enjoyed the

opportunity to get to knowlocal friends in personal settings.

6. Transportation—We picked alakeshore park near our homeand on a bus line so thatguests could walk, bike,paddle, or take public transit toour celebration; and so wecould make human-powereddeliveries to the park usingbicycles with trailers attached.The park also featured statelyoak trees and a Native Ameri-can effigy mound to remind usof the region’s natural history.

7. Food—We announced theevent as a “Picnic in the Park,”featuring a vegetarian potluckthat emphasized local and or-

Quaker couple ‘pull off’wedding thatis both simple and light on the earth!

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For us, it was simply another manifesta-tion of the continuing revelation that liesat the heart of Quaker faith and practice

JUSTIN MOG and AMANDA FULLER cap offtheir untraditional wedding by leading acolorful parade on a tandem bicycle, drag-ging aluminum cans behind them.

Individual witness


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of America rests on a rising, in-suppressible chorus of voices—whispering, shouting, proclaim-ing, protesting, advocating, resist-ing, singing, supporting, celebrat-ing … and persevering. Speak!”

ONE IMPORTANT thing we canall resolve to do in the comingyear is to keep informed. Read

about the issues, go totalks, listen to thosewe trust.

I am making the fol-lowing resolutions for thecoming year. (I’m keeping

my list short so that I canlook back at the end ofthe year and gauge my

progress!)1. Carpool more and bike or

walk whenever possible. (Liv-ing in the country is our big-gest challenge.)

2. Buy locally produced foodwith minimal packaging, andresist that delicious fruit fromexotic places.

3. Eat what I’ve grown and notlet it go to waste in the rootcellar.

4. Continue my practice of dailyoutdoor thanksgiving, accom-panied by a walk.

5. Write articles for Friends peri-odicals to share more withthe wider Quaker family.

6. Write letters to the editor andmy representatives and par-ticipate in speaking out atdemonstrations.What are your resolutions?

What will you be doing to make adifference in 2005? I want to hearfrom you and share what you saywith BeFriending Creation readers.

—Ruah SwennerfeltQEW General Secretary

ganic foods. Friends broughthundreds of delicious picnicofferings, including a beautifulvegan wedding cake decoratedwith organic flowers.

8. Flowers—Rather than buyingflowers that had been importedthousands of miles, friendsgathered local wildflowers intobeautiful bouquets.

9. Accessories—Our event sentalmost nothing to the landfill,thanks to friends who broughtglasses, ceramic plates, silver-ware, cloth napkins and table-cloths. All recyclable beveragecontainers were collected andbrought home to be recycled.

10.Energy—Having the weddingoutdoors during the day meantno need for electricity to pro-vide lighting, comfort, or enter-tainment. Friends brought in-struments and played live mu-sic that filled our ears withoutamplification, while othersplayed lawn games in the sun.Helpful guests washed dishesby hand.

11.Pageantry—Who needs a lim-ousine? Our event culminatedin a huge, colorful parade.Guests donned costumes as-sembled from festive second-hand clothing, and we led theway on a tandem bicycle, drag-ging aluminum cans behind us.

WE did all of this because wefelt that a wedding should

reflect the values of the couple,rather than the conventions of“tradition.” For us, it was simplyanother manifestation of the con-tinuing revelation that lies at theheart of Quaker faith and practice.We hope that our story may helpinspire others to follow their ownleadings with respect to livinglightly upon the earth.

—Justin Mog and Amanda FullerMadison, Wisconsin

IT’S 2005, and I struggle to re-main optimistic, post-election,and in the midst of such devas-tating news coming through themedia each day. I’m sure many ofyou are feeling similarly, and onething that gives me hope is all ofyou. I see and hear of the goodwork that you are doing. I knowthat we are building within theshell of the dominant culture aworld that can possibly sur-vive when (as Lester Brownpredicted at last summer’sFGC Gathering) dwin-dling fossil fuel and freshwater supplies causefood prices to soar andmay trigger more wars.We at QEW will con-tinue to speak clearly and force-fully for all Creation and againstthe overconsumption of materialresources.

Right after the Novemberelection, Richard Nelson, authorof The Island Within and Huntersof the Northern Ice, was asked byGrist magazine, along with otherenvironmentalists, what we needto do now. His response was:

“When politicians work todeplete the forests and farm-lands—speak. When they threatenthe air and waters—speak. Whenthey undermine the well-being ofour neighborhoods—speak. Whenthey disregard the rights of hu-mankind—speak. When they dis-parage the principles of freedomand democracy—speak. Whenthey ignore the responsibilitiesthat accompany inordinatepower—speak. When they imperilthe possibilities for peace—speak.And above all, when they de-mand silence—speak. Never morethan now, the hope and promise

What canst thou resolve tocare for Creation in 2005?

>>from page 4

Individual witness

[See slso the Suzuki Institute’s “Nature Challenge” on page 12.]


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New Steering Committee member pursuesright livelihood on northeast Minnesota farmFOR THE PAST 17YEARS, David Abazs,a new QEW SteeringCommittee memberrepresenting North-ern Yearly Meeting,has been pursuingright (sustainable)livelihood in aQuaker frameworkon a farm in north-eastern Minnesota.

The 40-acre prop-erty, located on thenorth shore of LakeSuperior, is sur-rounded by wilder-ness. There Davidand his wife Lise and their chil-dren, Colby, 13, and Tremayne,10, have been pursing a varietyof trades to make a living in har-mony with the land.

In addtion to producingmuch of their own food, thefamily grows and sells Christ-mas trees and wreaths. Davidteaches conservation and stone

DAVID ABAZS of Finland, Minn., who recentlyjoined the QEW Steering Committee, marvels atthe tenacious roots of an invasive plant, during anatural area restoration project in connectionwith the fall QEW Annual Meeting in Burlington, N.J.

masonry at an area school andhelps other rural homesteaderswith solar installations. Liseworks part-time at an environ-mental learning center. They arealso active in a non-profit seed-savers program.

A member of Duluth-SuperiorMonthly Meeting, David becamea QEW supporter three years ago.

MIDLOTHIAN (Va.) Friends Meeting runs a thrift shop

called “The Thrifty Quaker” inMidlothian, Va., that donates all itsproceeds (after operating ex-penses) to charities. Each monththey select a nonprofit organiza-tion or worthy cause to receive thenext month’s proceeds.

Imagine my surprise and de-light when I received a phone callone morning, here in the Vermontoffice of QEW, that Septemberwas to be the Quaker EarthcareWitness month! They put out QEWliterature to share with ThriftyQuaker customers somethingabout the organization that wasbeing sponsored that month. Re-cently they sent QEW a check for$836.87, which will be especiallyhelpful in our efforts to increasefunding for QEW’s expanded out-reach ministry.

This is such a creative way tosupport local needs as well as sup-porting organizations doing goodwork in the world that I wantedto share this with you.

The Thrifty Quaker receives allits goods from donations; sorts,cleans, and organizes them; andthen places them for sale in itsshop, located in the MidlothianStation Shopping Center, in thehistoric Midlothian Village, acrossfrom Sycamore Square. The storehas a small paid staff and reliesheavily on volunteers. The chari-ties that receive the profits fromthe Thrifty Quaker are selectedbased partly on suggestions fromthe community. The set of criteriaused for selecting charities wasestablished by Midlothian FriendsMeeting, and can be obtained atthe store.

The following is from theirwebsite, www.thriftyquaker.org.

Proceeds from the ThriftyQuaker are used to provide help to:

❖ Needy local individuals andfamilies.

❖ Victims of war, violence, ordisasters.

❖ Social and peace organizations❖ Underprivileged and oppressed

groups.

‘Thrifty Quakers’ in Maryland giveboost to QEW’s outreach ministry

❖ Political organizations andcharities established for thepurpose of evangelizing orproselytizing are not eligibleto receive funds from theThrifty Quaker.

AS OF APRIL 2004, the ThriftyQuaker has contributed about$1.375 million in goods and cash tocharities. Recently they supportedan area homeless shelter and ascholarship program for juvenileoffenders.

We are pleased that QuakerEarthcare Witness was recognizedas being a significant nonprofitorganization and deemed worthyof this donation.


Corporate witness


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by Ruah SwennerfeltQEW General Secretary

RICK MORGAN of Bethesda (Md.) Friends Meeting has

dedicated his adult life to workingon energy issues from a Quakerperspective. During a workshoptitled “Speaking Truth to PowerCompanies” that he presented atthe QEW Annual Meeting & Gath-ering this fall in Burlington, N.J.,he discussed ways that Quakervalues are congruent with publicpolicies that promote a cleanerenvironment.

As background, Rick said hewas influenced in his early life byQuaker parents who were in-volved in peace and civil rightsissues. They took their childrencamping to inspire an appreciationfor nature. In fact, his mother,Emily Morgan, wrote the follow-ing in 1936, an excerpt from a pa-per titled, “The Need for Conser-vation:”

Were the people of America to lookdown upon their country from aplace such as Mount Olympus,they would no doubt be consider-ably startled to see the appallingwaste which we, with such aston-ishing complacency, allow to go oneach day, hour, and minute.

In the early 1970s Rick beganto question why utility companieswere promoting the use of moreelectricity while saying theyneeded to build more powerplants. Thus began his journey oflearning about energy issues froma variety of perspectives. Duringthe 1970s Rick helped organize anational network of environmen-tal consumer and labor groups. Heworked for the EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) for 12years, encouraging use of renew-

able energy. He also worked onemissions-trading in the acid rainarena. (Emissions-trading is a sys-tem for rewarding power plantsthat have lowered their harmfulemissions below current EPA

thresholds, while providing aneconomic incentive for others todo so.) He has authored numerousbooks, papers, and articles aboutelectric utilities and energy policy.Over the years he has crossedpaths with many Friends whowere working in the same field.

He shared that when hestarted out in the field of energy,the utility companies were sayingthat nuclear power would be “toocheap to meter,” that reducing airpollution would be too costly, andthat renewable sources of energywere too costly and unreliable.Now we know that all thoseclaims aren’t true. Through yearsof citizen pressure we’ve helped tostop constructing ill-conceivednuclear power plants, we aregradually cleaning the air, andrenewables are making inroads, hesaid.

After more than 30 years oftelling energy policy makers whatto do, last year he became a utilityregulator. He is currently servinghis first four-year term as a com-missioner on the Public ServiceCommission of the District of Co-lumbia. Public service commissionsare quasi-judicial bodies that regu-late electric, gas, and phone ratesand set policies. These commis-sions are influential on energypolicies such as renewable energysources (green power), energy effi-ciency as a resource, and rate de-sign.

In his present work as a utilityregulator, he explained in theworkshop, he has an influence onhow much energy is used, sincehigher utility rates generally trans-late into lower use. Since a utilityregulator implements policy ratherthan developing new policy, Rickis still adjusting to his new role.

Rick said that the challengesahead are climate change (and theneed for utilities to accept the factof climate change) and growth indemand. Unfortunately, the cur-rently projected growth in energydemand is likely to eclipse gains inreducing environmental impacts.An obvious partial solution, hesaid, is to practice conservation aspart of our own Quaker testimonyon simplicity.

Thanks to people like RickMorgan, a former co-clerk of theBaltimore Yearly Meeting Unitywith Nature Committee, there isstill hope that we will stop theforces of human-induced climatechange and that more “green” en-ergy will make its way into themarket as a major source of elec-trical needs. And if he has his way,conservation will be the focus ofhelping to meet our future energyneeds. ❖

Quaker utilities commissioner sees conservationas the first step in meeting future energy needs

Quaker Earthcare Witness events

Rick Morgan


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I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS forfive years now. I got the ideafrom Friends of the Earth (FOE)in Birmingham, England. Theydid a campaign on this, encour-aging everyone who flew to paya voluntary 10-percent tax on theairfare. FOE used the funds itreceived from this for twothings: 1) tree planting to miti-gate some of the damage doneby the pollution and advocacyand 2) education to further thecampaign around air fuel taxes,etc.

For the last few flights that Ihave taken I have chosen organi-zations related to ecology for my10-percent voluntary “tax.” Forthe flight on which I returned toCanada in July I made a contri-bution to a small NGO workingin northern Scotland to re-estab-lish the Caledonian forests. Formy trip to Yearly Meeting I con-tributed to a project workingwith African villages to reforestareas. The benefits this wouldprovide include protecting watersupplies as well as supplying arenewable source of fuel.

My thinking behind the idea is:Canadian Friends (and oth-

ers) are not immediately goingto stop taking flights. This meansthat we will continue to damagethe environment with our use ofair transport. The least we can dois to pay a voluntary “tax”of 10percent of the cost of the airfareas a mitigation action. This 10percent is donated to an organi-zation of the person’s choice thatis addressing in some way thedirect environmental damagecaused by the flight or some as-

pect of the wider environmentalchallenge. For example, with myflight to Canadian Friends ServiceCommittee next weekend I willbe making a donation to FortWhyte, a local nature reserve thatis doing sustainability education.

The purpose of this is two- fold:

1. It names and acknowledgesour complicity in causing thisdamage to the environment. Thisis an important part of our testi-mony to truth.

2. It contributes a small stepto mitigate the damage.

I would hope that, over time,the Canadian Yearly MeetingTravel Fund would accept thatthe voluntary tax is a right cost ofCYM travel. I would not expectthat immediately, knowing con-cerns that are expressed about thecosts of travel. Yet lack of ac-knowledgment of the environ-mental cost of CYM travel also isnot acceptable.

I think it important to seemitigation as an interim place.Ultimately we need to stop thedamage. This can be a step on theway, along with the other ideasbeing discussed in various partsof the Yearly Meeting, such asregionalizing committees, chang-ing meeting patterns of CYM, etc.

In the chats I have had withJoe [Ackerman] we have talkedabout the potential for QEAN toresearch appropriate organiza-tions regionally and locally tohelp folk pick up on this idea.

—Elaine Bishop860 Laxdal Road

Winnipeg, Canada MB R3R 0X1204/783-2176

New flyer from QEW!

THIS NEW QUAD-FOLD by the QEWSustainability—Support & Actioninterest group speaks frankly aboutthe deadly effects of fossil-fuel in-duced global climate change andoutlines ways we can more rapidlyshift to various forms of non-pollut-ing and renewable sources of en-ergy. It talks about practical thingswe all can do to save energy, as wellas changes in public energy policywe should support.

Free copies can be ordered from theQEW office. (Donations to defrayprinting costs are encouraged.)

I pass along this e-mail from the Quaker Ecology Action Network (QEAN)list because I think this might be something we in Quaker Earthcare Witnesscan do for ourselves. If we must fly to a destination rather than ride a moreecological train or bus, we could donate a 10-percent flight tax to QEW!Maybe we could also do it when we drive. What do you all think?


Voluntary Air Transport Use TaxFriends and

RenewableEnergy

Only when we see that we are

part of the totality of the planet,

not a superior part with special

privileges, can we seek effectively

to bring about an earth restored

to wholeness.—Elizabeth Watson

“Your God Is Too Small,” 1996

Simplicity as

Spiritual ExerciseSeries

Energy Saving Tip`# 1A microwave oven uses onlyone-third the energy used by aconventional oven. Because itheats the kitchen less, thekitchen will be cooler, and youwill save on summer air con-ditioning costs.

Canadian Friends


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BUT what can I do?” This question comes to mind the

minute we imagine the sources ofenergy-related pollution and theever more obvious impact theseemissions have on the chemistryof our planet. The power for enor-mous incremental change is in ourhands, however, in many ways.

My organization, the Interre-ligious Eco-Justice Network, isone of 17 comprising the Na-tional Interfaith Power & Lightmovement. Alongside other reli-gious and secular groups, theIP&Ls aim to be market drivers,to help well-intentioned peoplefind ways to bring their valuestogether with their purchasingpower to create real change.

Solar and wind energy sourcesare generated in most parts of thecountry. These technologies arebecoming cleaner, cheaper, andbetter integrated into our energypicture.

Not surprisingly, the cheaperelectricity sources are the older,dirtier, more established genera-tors, such as nuclear and coal.Newer technologies and cleanersources do cost more now, partlybecause they are new! There isrelatively little federal support forclean energy technologies. Butgroups like ours and a number ofenlightened cities and states havegarnered commitments to pur-chase clean energy, even at an in-creased cost.

Creating demand for clean en-ergy is a critical market factor, andwe in the faith community can bethe driving force for this move-ment. Eighty percent of people ina survey said they would paymore for clean, renewable electric-ity. In many states, you can cur-rently purchase “green” electricityright from the public utility. Acouple of cents per kilowatt-houris added on to the bill. In return,

the public utility agrees to buyyour portion of its electric supplyfrom a clean energy source. Youare basically paying the utility thedifference between the cheapestenergy source they can find (coal,nuclear) and the kind you wantthem to buy (solar, wind).

This is called Green Up inRhode Island, other names in otherplaces. Efforts are underway tocreate a green pricing option inmore states. Public education isstill needed in states with a cleanpricing option! Eighty percent ofus want this, but the sales of cleanelectricity—when it is availablethrough the utility —are not yetexceeding a few percentage points.

Some of us live in states wherea green pricing option is not yet inplace. We can do the same thingprivately that the utilities are do-ing publicly. We can send that 2cents per kilowatt-hour directly toa green generator. This incomestream allows the clean energygenerator to sell its electricity at arate that competes well withdirtier sources.

This “2 cents per kilowatt-hour” is called variously a “greentag” or a Renewable Energy Credit(REC). The actual cost for a tag

varies between 1 and 4 cents perkilowatt-hour.

Renewable energy credits are anexcellent way for us to walk our talkand bring our values to the market-place.

Hopefully, I’ve done a goodjob of explaining to you what anREC is. Not everyone has the pa-tience or motivation to become a“clean energy market driver.”RECs aren’t sexy, and they aren’teasy to explain. So I encourage youand your communities to consideran Adopt-a-Windmill Campaign inyour state if you do not yet have agreen pricing option.

ADOPT-A-WINDMILL Cam- paign is a great way to envi-

sion how our small efforts can ac-cumulate to big improvements.For every 500 households whichoffer their 2-cent premium for allof their electric usage, one new 1.5megawatt wind turbine can be putin the ground.

Five hundred is a lot of house-holds, and not all of our memberscan afford to pay the 10-percent orso premium on their electricity.But this is a doable, visually excit-ing goal, perhaps for a number offaith communities in a region or atown. Community Energy andNative Energy are two companieswe have worked with to createthis kind of campaign. There maybe other good partners in yourregion. We’d be happy to shareour research with you!

—Rabbi Andrea Cohen-KienerInterreligious Eco-Justice Network

P.O. Box 270147West Hartford CT 06127

860/231-8554; [email protected]

Green energy is now more accessible than you think!“

For further information contact:Mass Energy Consumers Alliance670 Centre St.Boston MA 02130617/524-0776; www.massenergy.com

For every 500 householdswhich offer their 2-centpremium for all of theirelectric usage, one new1.5-megawatt wind turbinecan be put in the ground

Action tips


10 LettersLettersLettersLettersLetters

Donn Kesselheim of QEW's PopulationConcerns Interest Group sent the follow-ing response to Liz Hofmeister, Manag-ing Editor for Publications for FriendsCommittee on National Legislation.

AFTER READING the September,2004, issue of FCNL’s WashingtonNewsletter, I write to express keendisappointment at the omission ofenvironmental issues from your pro-files of Senator Kerry and PresidentBush. It is in this vitally importantsector that the contrast between therecords of the two men is greatest.John Kerry’s lifetime record of voting92 percent with the League of Con-servation Voters on environmentalmatters must be publicized. At the

same time, all Americans need toknow that George W. Bush has com-piled the worst environmental recordin the history of our nation.

His administration’s approach tothe environment has demonstrated aclear bias toward the interests of cor-porate polluters and special interests.From Vice President’s Cheney’s secretenergy task force to the appointmentof industry lobbyists to rewardingcampaign contributors with numer-ous policy paybacks, President Bushhas put corporate interests first—andthe public’s interest in clean air, safedrinking water, and sound energypolicy last. In the long run, this willhave a disastrous impact on ourhealth, our economy and our way oflife.

What you have highlighted in-stead is a debate on the topic of whocan make war smarter, more effec-tively, while ignoring the reality that“War Is Not the Answer.” JohnKerry’s finest hour was when he pro-vided courageous, imaginative leader-ship to “Vietnam Veterans against theVietnam War.” Why was there noreference to this part of his record?

Please consider publishing a spe-cial paper, comparing the two menon environmental issues.

—Donn KesselheimLander, WY 82520

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IT WAS A SPECIAL TREAT to pickup the October 2004 issue of FriendsJournal, and find it devoted to thetheme: Friends and the Environment.Articles by several QEW Friends, in-cluding Louis Cox, Ruah Swenner-felt, and Mac Given, among others,have made this a powerful testimonyissue.

Thanks for everyone, and toFriends Journal, who made this thetheme for its October issue. For thosewho do not have access to FJ by sub-scription or from a Meeting library, Iurge you to write for a copy. It can behad for $5 (including postage) fromFriends Journal, 2A-1216 Arch Street,Philadelphia, PA 19107.

—Arnold RannerisVictoria, BC

FOLLOWING THE SHOWING ofthe film, The End of Suburbia, aboutthe end of cheap, abundant oil—where they expected 50 people andhad 200-plus—a group is forming inBellingham, Wash., to plan for a sus-tainable local economy. There arealready many local and county folksleading the way. It is hopeful andexciting.

There is so much going on that Ican’t begin to keep up with it all, sotonight I’m going to hear poet GarySnyder and later this week environ-mentalist David Suzuki. Also, a newCreation Spirituality group hasstarted here. Their first (monthly)meeting was, very appropriately, formourning, after the election.

—Doris FermBellingham (Wash.) Friends Mtg.

AS I READ THROUGH the lastFriends Journal I thought of you sooften—not just in your article aboutthe Earth Charter—I reveled in thefact that Friends Journal had done awhole issue—finally—on this vitalsubject.

As I’ve made choices over theyears as to where to put my time,Quaker Earthcare Witness hasn’t beenmy first choice—as you know—butmy heart has been with you so often,and I have admired the long years of

work you all—the Phillipses, theBlisses, the Howenstines, and more—have given to the Religious Society ofFriends in this capacity. I guess theutter faithfulness of it—many yearswhen it seemed not well rewarded—and now, finally, the attention youall deserve. My daughter Karenknows some of these folks better. Forme, you, Ruah, were the standardbearer that just kept going and heldthings together. Maybe it’s not eventrue—but in my eyes it has been! Sowhether or no, thank you very much!

—Barbara GreenlerMadison, Wis.


11

BeFriending Creation, Vol. 18, No. 1,January-February 2005. Newsletter ofQuaker Earthcare Witness (formerlyFriends Committee on Unity with Nature).ISSN 1050-0332. Published bi-monthly.

We publish BeFriending Creation topromote the work of Quaker EarthcareWitness, stimulate discussion and action,share insights, practical ideas, and news ofour actions, and encourage among Friends asense of community and spiritual connec-tion with all Creation. Opinions expressedare the authors’ own and do not necessarilyreflect those of Quaker Earthcare Witness,or of the Religious Society of Friends(Quakers). The editor is responsible forunsigned items. Submission deadlines areFebruary 7, April 7, June 7, August 7, Octo-ber 7, and December 7.

Contents of BeFriending Creationcopyright ©2005 Quaker Earthcare Wit-ness, except as noted. Permission to reprintnewsletter material must be requested inadvance from the editor.

Membership is open to all who demon-strate commitment to support the work ofQuaker Earthcare Witness and who supportits work at the Monthly or Yearly Meetinglevels, or through other Friends organiza-tions. Quaker Earthcare Witness is a501(c)3 nonprofit corporation; contribu-tions are tax deductible to the full extentallowed by law.

VISION AND WITNESSWE ARE CALLED to live in right relation-

ship with all Creation, recognizing that theentire world is interconnected and is a mani-festation of God. WE WORK to integrateinto the beliefs and practices of the Reli-gious Society of Friends the Truth thatGod's Creation is to be respected, protected,and held in reverence in its own right, andthe Truth that human aspirations for peaceand justice depend upon restoring theearth's ecological integrity. WE PROMOTEthese truths by being patterns and examples,by communicating our message, and byproviding spiritual and material support tothose engaged in the compelling task oftransforming our relationship to the earth.

Steering Committee Clerk: BarbaraWilliamson, 2710 E. Leigh St., Richmond VA23223-6514; 804/643-0461; [email protected].

Gen. Secretary: Ruah Swennerfelt, 173-B N. Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05401.802/658-0308; [email protected].

BFC Editor: Louis Cox, 173-B N. Pros-pect St., Burlington, VT 05401. 802/658-0308; e-mail: [email protected]: www.QuakerEarthcare.org

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Make checks payable to Quaker Earthcare Witness. Send with this form toQuaker Earthcare Witness, 173-B N. Prospect St., Burlington VT 05401-1607.

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Canadians may contribute through Canadian Yearly Meeting for a tax receipt, startingat $45/Can. Please send check to Canadian Yearly Meeting, 91-A Fourth Ave., Ottawa,ON K1S 2L1. CYM needs to know that the money is for QEW support. Forward thisform to QEW to let us know that you have chosen to contribute through CYM.

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Interests

THE WHITE HOUSE and Con-gress may refuse to address thegrowing threats from climatechange, but consumers are helpingto reduce carbon emissionsright now by replacing gas-guzzling vehicles withhybrid electric cars.

The Center for aNew American Dreamis generating thousands of lettersto auto manufacturers urging themto deliver more hybrid electricvehicles to the U.S. market. Rightnow, there are waiting lists acrossthe nation, and demand exceedssupply. The Washington Post re-cently reported that ice formationsare rapidly melting in the North-ern Hemisphere and that polarbears are likely to go extinct dueto loss of habitat. Please help usput the pressure on by getting theword out.

Toyota has already agreed toramp up production of hybrids butthey can do much more, and socan Detroit. We have met withsenior representatives of all of thehybrid manufacturers and are per-

suaded that they do listen to cus-tomers.

That’s why the Center for aNew American Dream has

launched a contest tocome up with ashort, catchy slo-gan to convinceautomakers tobring more hy-

brids to market now.The first prize for the contest

is a brand new 2005 Toyota Prius!We’ve created lots of different

materials you can use to helpspread the word about this contest—an e-mail message, newsletterblurbs, text links, banner ads, etc.You can view them all and findthe materials that work best foryou at our online media kit page:http://www.newdream.org/prius/kit.php.

—Kathryn DeLongaOutreach Associate

Center for a New American Dream6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 900

Takoma Park MD 20912Tel: 301/891-3683Fax: 301/891-3684

Win a 2005 Toyota Prius!


✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Talking about Earthcare by sharing about differing worldviews. 1✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Where exactly do the poor fit into our concern for the earth? 3✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ A Quaker wedding that is both simple and light on the earth. 4✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Thrifty Quakers in Md. give boost to QEW's outreach ministry. 6✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Voluntary air transport use tax proposed to QEAN list. 8✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Green energy is now more accessible than you think! 9

January-February 2005

“WHAT ARE WE DOING and working on to bearwitness to our testimony on unity with nature?”Peggy Land of Canadian Yearly Meeting's QuakerEcology Action Network (QEAN) asked ina recent posting to the QEAN list. Sheoffered Canadian Friends “a way tofind out and to help with the wayforward to a more sustainable world.”

She cited the Suzuki Institute ofCanada, which has done research todetermine which would be the top 10 most effectiveactions (right) when implemented by individuals.

Lets follow their example: Just post the list athome where you can refer to it often, as part of yourown New Year's resolutions. Put (✘s) by the thingsyou are already doing. Then, over the coming year,start putting (✔s) by the items you are starting towork on and (❍❍❍❍❍s) around the ones you are consideringdoing. By December 1, 2005, send a copy of your listto us at QEW, and we will compile it with otherreaders' progress reports for the January-February2006 issue of BeFriending Creation.

For helpful information, and to participate in theSuzuki Institute’s Nature Challenge, the website is:www.davidsuzuki.org/WOL/Challenge/10steps.asp.

❑ 1. Reduce home energy use ( heat, water, etc.)by 10 percent.

❑ 2. Choose an energy-efficient home and EnergyStar appliances.

❑ 3. Replace dangerous pesticides with alternatives.

❑ 4. Eat meat-free meals at least one day a week.

❑ 5. Buy (or produce) locally grown and producedfood.

❑ 6. Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle.

❑ 7. Walk, bike, carpool, or take public transit.

❑ 8. Choose a home close to work or school.

❑ 9. Support car-free alternatives.

❑ 10. Learn more about sustainability, strengthenlocal involvement.

How involved are Friends in promoting a more sustainable world?Follow Canadian Friends' example and take the Suzuki Institute’s ‘Nature Challenge’

newsletter of quaker earthcare witness · 2012. 12. 10. · haps we need new visions and...

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