Vermont Interfaith Power And Light Inc

The principal vermont interfaith power and light (vtipl) mission is to help members of all vermont's faith and spiritual communities understand and address the climate crisis. Almost all staff hours and a large proportion of volunteer hours are committed to conducting education and providing a variety of resources for faith communities, while also facilitating communication among vermont's diverse faith communities to take action to address the climate crisis. Vtipl emphasizes the need to act locally to support state, regional, and global action to reduce the pace of climate change and to prepare communities for the unavoidable consequences of a change global climate. Accomplishments: (1) vtipl produces a monthly newsletter to update faith communities on activities in vermont, the u.s. And beyond, and on new program initiatives that support faith and spiritual communities' efforts to address climate change, while also keeping vtipl's community apprised of climate and related environmental events more broadly. Vtipl monitored and shared news of faith community action elsewhere in the nation and around the globe, partnering with the national interfaith power and light organization. (2) vtipl helped congregations speak out on key climate legislation and policy issues, i.e, addressing the importance of divesting fossil fuel support from public investment portfolios, promoting federal farm support policy that addresses climate impacts of farm production, supporting public action to reduce climate emissions from all sources, and supporting passage of vermont legislation to help low and middle-income vermonters switch from fossil fuel heating to heating options that reduce climate pollution. (3) vtipl collaborated with vermont interfaith action to convene faith climate action day at the vermont legislature, which brought about 30 volunteer representatives from vermont congregations to advocate for action by the legislature on key proposals to address the climate crisis. (4) vtipl participated in the vergennes energy fair alongside other energy efficiency organizations to educate the public about ways of lowering their carbon footprint. (5) vtipl started a quarterly, virtual book club as a chance for our wider community to read and discuss books about faith and climate change. (6) vtipl did a presentation for all souls interfaith gathering in shelburne, vt, speaking to congregants about how faith informs environmental values. (7) vtipl partnered with national ipl during election season to support democracy by voting and encouraging people to vote their faith values on environmental issues. (8) vtipl participated in interviews for a story in the vermont community news service about religion and the environment, which also was published by vt digger, an online newsletter.

The climate action grant program for non-christian faith and spirit communities, funded by the ellie cressey webster memorial fund (ecwmf): vtipl administers this program for non-christian congregations. This component offers help to the many different faith and spirit communities in vermont that want to minimize their contributions to climate change. In 2024, vtipl provided a 6,500 matching grant to a vermont jewish congregation to help them replace their fossil fueled powered heating with new cold-weather heat pumps and a heat pump water heater and to install solar-electric generation to serve the electricity needs of their synogogue.