Earth Care Actions Nov/Dec

Each month, your Earth Care team will be encouraging you to take a couple of quick actions that will benefit our planet and future generations!

TWO ACTIONS FOR THIS MONTH:

1. Sign Interfaith Letter in Support of Stronger Climate Laws. 

People of faith across the globe continue to speak loud and clear for a healthy planet. Faith leaders across traditions have sounded the alarm. Many of us have been particularly encouraged by Pope Francis’ latest exhortation, Laudate Deum. 
 
We need President Biden to act if the U.S. is to be a leader. We are asking the Biden administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow-through on their proposed rules for power plants, oil and gas operations, and transportation.

2. Ask your Representative to support the Energy Innovation Act!

Polluters pay. People get a carbon cashback. The Act (H.R.5744) charges corporate polluters a fee for the carbon pollution they put into our air, then gives that money to Americans. It will:

  • push us toward our goal of net zero emissions by 2050

  • drive energy innovation, giving every American community access to affordable clean energy ️

  • help low and middle income Americans afford this transition with a carbon cashback

  • keep Americans healthier and living longer by reducing air pollution ️

 

REPORTING DAYENU CLIMATE ACTION SUCCESS!!

Dayenu Interfaith Climate Action Update:
During this year’s California legislative session, our Dayenu Circle was busy lobbying our elected representatives to take actions to address climate change. We met with our state legislators, Senator John Laird and Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, to urge them to support bills covering a range of subjects:

  • Renewable energy projects along highway corridors

  • Requiring major corporations to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions

  • Requiring major financial institutions to evaluate and disclose their climate-related financial risks

  • Referendum reform

  • Electric vehicle (EV) battery reuse and recycling

  • Bidirectional EV charging

  • Fossil fuel divestment by California public pension funds

 Bills addressing the first four topics were signed into law in October and the last three will carry forward into the 2024 legislative session. At the local level, we wrote a draft resolution calling for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to divest from fossil fuels and instead invest in renewable energy projects. We met with Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Kelley, presented him with the resolution, and urged him to bring it before the City Council. It was adopted unanimously by the City Council at its meeting on October 24!

SCZC Admin