Northfield mayor, students, Greater Minn. and Metro area faith leaders to gather in support of nonpartisan plan: ‘50% Clean Energy in Minn. by 2030 is ‘doable, economical and moral’
One hundred faith leaders, college students, and community members gathered at First United Church of Christ in Northfield to launch a political path toward a more sustainable Minnesota by having 50% Clean Energy in Minnesota by 2030.
“Climate change as we know it is bipartisan and crosses all the artificial boundaries that we’ve created,” said Bruce Morlan, chair of the Conservative Caucus and Citizens Climate Lobby and also chair of Rice County Republicans. “It is a global issue and as such it is something that requires global effort. We can start the global effort in our own backyard.”
Faith communities, universities, the mayor of Northfield and Greater Minnesota and metro community members were represented by speakers in favor of immediate, urgent and sustainable action to combat the growing issue of climate change and instability. These leaders from the newly launched, Claiming Our Voices initiative announced their political priorities for climate justice, noting the direct connection to their moral call for racial and economic equity.
Mayor Rhonda Pownell shared how Northfield is leading to protect creation now and for future generations. “We have a strong history of supporting sustainability,” Pownell said. “Our comprehensive plan states that the natural environment will be protected, enhanced and better integrated into the community.”
Katie Grosh, a senior geology major at Carleton College, spoke about the children she babysits and their love of watching the wind turbines on campus. “These children grow up knowing that renewable energy is possible in their backyards,” says Grosh. “What Minnesota needs is to have a paradigm shift. To create a new standard so that when 2030 rolls around, 50% clean energy seems like the most natural thing. Like we can’t imagine our world any other way.”
Minnesota must do all it can on a state level to ensure morality is infused in its polices and standards, especially when so much is volatile on a federal level. The new federal infrastructure proposal that’s soon to be released is in direct violation of the moral and value based clean energy and climate justice platform. It breaches the natural duty of right stewardship of land, water and air, as it plans to gut the protection of these resources.
Rev. Sarah Campbell, senior pastor of Mayflower United Church of Christ in Minneapolis called on all elected officials and those running for office in 2018 to support 50% Clean Energy in Minnesota by 2030. Giving examples of how her congregation is achieving this end for their church, she says, “Not only is it entirely doable but we are learning the truth – that renewable energy is cheaper. it’s better for the economy. We also know that this energy revolution has inclusive financing, so that low income people can participate. This is a win-win-win situation.”
These leaders are prepared to carry their collective, political priorities throughout the legislative process this year through the Claiming Our Voices initiative. “This Thursday, we will come together in St. Paul to stand as one, as we have one agenda. Black, White, Latino, Greater Minnesota, Twin Cities, Metro – we are a diverse coalition, but we all stand together,” said Senior Pastor of First UCC, Todd Lippert.
The full press conference may be viewed here: https://is.gd/2018ClimateJusticePresser
About Claiming Our Voices:
#ClaimingOurVoices is an initiative between ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota. People of faith across the state are claiming their moral voice in the political arena and are building independent political power that is grounded in their prophetic values. Thousands of people of faith, dedicated to justice and public love, will flood the caucuses this year. They are leading a path throughout 2018 to ensure that the legislative session and the next Governor of Minnesota is accountable to moral clarity through their agenda. ISAIAH is publicly announcing its faith agenda January 14-18 through several events across the state, unifying the multifaceted nature of Minnesotans, geographically, denominationally and racially. There are several planks of this agenda, but it is all ONE AGENDA. Just as people of God are called to act as one body, their concerns for justice cannot be separated from one another.
About ISAIAH
ISAIAH is a statewide, faith-based, nonpartisan organization for Christians, people of faith, and congregations to act and fight faithfully for racial and economic justice in Minnesota.
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