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Catholic climate conference spotlights 'Laudato Si' Champions' of US church
… stewardship" and its commitment to sustainability. Sixty-two parishes have installed solar power and the diocese has formulated an action plan for Catholic schools, churches and … general council, said, "This award reassures us that we are on the right path." An 880-panel solar installation generates half the energy needed at the motherhouse, and its St. Agnes Convent campus is fully powered by a separate 538-panel offsite community solar project with Alliant Energy. In January 2022, the sisters preserved 237 acres through a …
Aug 1, 2023
Billions of federal dollars available for churches and nonprofits to go green
… SCEP, if any nonprofit, including houses of worship, invests $600,000 in tax-credit-eligible solar, battery storage and EV chargers, it may qualify for a $200,000 cash payment from the IRS. …
Jul 26, 2023
'Game changer': Energy secretary touts tax incentives to power faith communities with renewables
… of worship, did not qualify for tax credits tied to clean energy projects, such as installing solar panels or electric vehicle charging stations. With the majority of dollars for clean energy … incentives — including a minimum 30% credit for eligible clean energy investments, such as solar arrays, with additional credits available for projects in low-income communities or that … churches, synagogues, mosques and other prayer sites across the country that have installed solar panels. "It's clear to me, as I know that it is to all of you, that faith organizations are …
Jul 25, 2023
To advance climate action, enter political fray and center working-class people
… old units, such as lead and rayon, as well as subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades, such as solar panels and insulation. As a Catholic organization, we were proud to advocate for state … 2023 Berkeley Labs report found that houses of worship host a disproportionately high rate of solar panels when compared to other nonresidential buildings. But even this study's findings … capture the limitations of a personal or institutional morality model: Houses of worship with solar arrays were disproportionately located in relatively wealthy, white and educated census …
Jul 17, 2023
Despite pope's pleas, survey finds US Catholics support fossil fuel expansion more than rest of country
… adults surveyed said they support prioritizing development of alternative energy sources, like solar, wind and hydrogen, over continuing to increase production of coal, oil and gas. While a … overall. Large majorities of both U.S. adults (82%) and U.S. Catholics (79%) favor expanding solar energy and wind power (75%, 74%), with nearly six in 10 of each agreeable to more nuclear … tax incentives to spur wider adoption of electric vehicles and home energy upgrades like solar panels, heat pumps and efficiency improvements, the Pew survey found Americans are not yet …
Jun 28, 2023
Can churches spread the gospel of solar in coal country?
… … In 2014, Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church in West Virginia installed an array of 60 solar panels with a scrappy financial model, hoping to lead by example and inspire other communities in Appalachia to transition to solar energy as well. Five years later, across the West Virginia border, the congregation at St. …
Jun 20, 2023
Can money-making microgrids empower Black churches to close the clean energy gap?
… Nature Sustainability found that Black communities are significantly absent from the rush to solar, even when factors like homeownership and income are accounted for. The racial disparity … is a money-making microgrid. This June, Glad Tidings is expected to break ground on a solar-powered microgrid estimated to generate millions in the years to come. The revenue will … do its part to fight climate change. Glad Tidings will become a clean energy hub by installing solar panels on its buildings and solar carports at its parking structures. The solar array will …
Jun 2, 2023
Laudato Trees planting program enlists Catholic properties to help increase DC's canopy
… enough trees, large lawns, huge parking lots used once a week, stormwater runoff issues, no solar panels." He wondered, "Is there anything we can do here that would essentially motivate … can open conversations about other ways their properties can be used — whether through solar power, energy efficiency or permeable parking lots — to benefit the environment. "It's a …
May 24, 2023
Disabled people face worse outcomes after natural disasters. Inclusive plans may help.
… forming Community Lighthouse , a network of churches and other community centers equipped with solar panels and backup batteries that can serve as disaster relief centers. In the pilot phase, … including a Catholic church, and 8 other sites in Louisiana. Currently three sites have solar panels, and Together New Orleans hopes to have the pilot phase built before hurricane …
Apr 25, 2023
Glimpses of a changing Earth, as seen from above
… earth for deposits of gold. In California, surfers straddle waves in the ocean. In New Jersey, solar panels float in ponds, and in India, fishing nets sink into the lakes. Residents of …
Apr 24, 2023
Sacramento parish goes solar, helps spark diocesewide movement to care for creation
… project to put Catholic teaching about the environment into action. They decided to install solar panels on the roof of the parish's Memorial Center, and by May 2022, the full 82-kilowatt, … ready to power up, producing enough energy to cover the parish's electricity needs. But the solar project also served as a first step toward flipping the switch on a wider effort to …
Apr 22, 2023