Hoosier interfaith group cares for earth

On Saturday, 12 Christian faith sects and Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Unitarians officially launched Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light.

Hoosier IPL is a movement dedicated to reducing congregations’ carbon footprints and caring for the earth.

“It’s just not the field of ecology and environmental justice at stake here, it’s the whole field of religion,” IPL Secretary Rev. Ron Degges said. “There can be no healthy religion without environmental justice.”

According to its website, Hoosier IPL’s mission is “bringing Hoosiers of faith together as stewards of creation in order to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy and related sustainable practices.”

Hoosier IPL is an affiliate of nationwide Interfaith Power and Light.
 
Degges started Hoosier IPL when he moved to the Indianapolis area from California for his job and discovered Indiana didn’t have an IPL chapter.

An organizing group came together at a retreat one year ago and launched Hoosier IPL.

The group is in the process of applying for 501(c) nonprofit status.

Degges said uniting different religions creates a more united and far-reaching movement.

“Often, religion becomes very narrow in its focus,” Degges said. “The whole point of this movement is to create sisterhood and brotherhood with other people that are concerned about the world.”

Degges said Hoosier IPL represents many denominations.

“We found that relationship not only within the Christian community but also by broadening to Judaism and other people of good will that want to combine together to make the earth a safer more beautiful place,” Degges said.

The Saturday launch provided networking opportunities, environmental education and
conservation ideas.

“The challenge is making these energy efficient facilities for large numbers of people,” Degges said. “If they’re not energy efficient, it’s just a waste of economic stewardship as well as stewardship of the earth.”