You can boost your home energy efficiency with 10 simple improvements each costing less than $100. Read all about it in last Thursday’s Washington Post here. The Virginia Elders Climate Action Chapter is hosting a home energy specialist next month to expand on these ideas. Tune in on Zoom Thursday, April 4th, 4:00 p.m. Sign up for the Chapter newsletter and announcements at: www.Eldersclimateaction.org/Virginia.
Important lobbying in Richmond
NOVA members were among representatives of Elders Climate Action's Virginia Chapter who went to Richmond for the annual Virginia Conservation Network Lobby Day. They were advocating for several extremely important issues: clean water, safeguarding our national parks, combating climate change and an additional focus on the proliferation of data centers in Northern Virginia which has the greatest concentration of data centers in the world. Data centers are raising electricity costs for all of us and filling open space near residential areas. NOVA blessed the lobbying team on their way for a successful effort. |
Lent 2024
Observe Meatless Mondays – or one additional plant-based meal weekly.
Read Laudate Deum, Pope Francis’ “apostolic exhortation” on the climate crisis.
Take Catholic Climate Covenant’s Laudate Deum Action Pledge.
Attend the March 17 mini-retreat with Father Ted Keating:
“A Conversion of the Heart: From Chardin to Laudate Deum.”
Observe Meatless Mondays – or one additional plant-based meal weekly.
Read Laudate Deum, Pope Francis’ “apostolic exhortation” on the climate crisis.
Take Catholic Climate Covenant’s Laudate Deum Action Pledge.
Attend the March 17 mini-retreat with Father Ted Keating:
“A Conversion of the Heart: From Chardin to Laudate Deum.”
Partner Organizations
Care for creation team 2024 plan
Summary of Discussion and Recommendations
- The weekly Care for Creation Tips of the Week appear to be an effective way to keep the community informed and focused on environmental issues.
- Broaden the focus of these announcements to include mini-education points; actions to take with links; inspirational thoughts; successes creating real change; links to short videos, webinars, etc.
- Drop “Tips”, Rename and create new logo
- We’ve done a good job in raising consciousness about environmental issues throughout the Community.
- Keep emphasizing how important each of us doing whatever we can is to resolving the enormity of this problem.
- Keep focus on climate problems as a social justice issue
- Emphasize importance of prayer, sending positive energy. Offer prayer for the environment at liturgy frequently
- Do Community blessings for those attending rallies, advocacy days
- Incorporate spirituality of creation in annual retreats since retreat is during Season of Creation
- Education remains an important mission in order to increase awareness of the critical times we are in and support personal and community action
- Invite whole Community to read Laudate Deum (or summary/video) where Pope Francis repeatedly emphasizes the need for changes now before it is too late. Invite Ted Keating to present a lecture/discussion on this follow-up to Laudate Si.
- Regularly invite Community to attend webinars, local meetings or lectures, view movies on the environment
- Educate more about importance of moving toward a plant-based diet, reducing food waste, composting
- Use one of Agape Sundays to offer only healthy, plant-based, whole foods and have discussion on reducing food waste.
- Regularly send out recipes for vegetarian/vegan entrees that are easy and delicious
- Place focus on all ways to save energy and move away from fossil fuels
- Give information on electrifying everything and using alternative sources of power whenever possible and funds available from the Inflation Reduction Act to help with costs
- Advocate for electric vehicles and massive increase in charging stations
- Provide information on how to divest personal funds from companies that produce and heavily utilize fossil fuels
- Utilize Nova Care for Creation Website pages more
- Keep adding info and updating website pages
- Call Community’s attention to the information that’s there more.
- Place emphasis on Getting out the Vote this year
- Get members to participate in the Environmental Voters Project targeting citizens who are environmentally conscious but not voting
- Support all Get Out the Vote efforts.
- Encourage Community members to take advocacy actions at the Federal, State and Local levels
- Publish petitions, email campaigns, phone calling for particular bills or environmental needs. Keep community apprised of Virginia bills during the legislative session.
- Teach Community members how to sign up for and use the Climate Action Now app on their cell phones to send frequent messages to representatives, leaders, corporations, etc. www.climateactionnow.com
- Encourage all community members to join Virginia Chapter of Elders Climate Action – www.eldersclimateaction.org/Virginia; and continue partnering work with Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Interfaith Power and Light, Friends Committee on National Legislation and Catholic Climate Covenant.