“This year, 2012, we are entering into a spirit of reflection regarding Ethics of Energy. This is the theme of our Earth Day Sunday resource and a series of six webinars we will host throughout the year,” reports the National Council of Churches (NCC) Eco-Justice program.
The Eco-Justice program is designating 2012 as a year to consider the ethics of energy use. “As people of faith, how do we use energy wisely, sustainably, and in keeping with our biblical teachings?” said a release. “It’s a challenging question with no easy answer.”
The free Earth Day Sunday resource provides both worship and Christian education resources. It features stories of congregations and communities undertaking creative responses to energy use and in turn helping others gain understanding of the hard questions about energy use.
The series of six webinars exploring different energy challenges and opportunities began with a first webinar on Feb. 12 titled “Smart Grid: Using Emerging Technologies for Energy Stewardship.” A recording of the webinar is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiaray7Ppfc .
The second webinar is scheduled for April 12 at 1 p.m. (eastern) on the issue of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” a process used to extract natural gas from underground rock formations. Gas companies are fracking in 28 states from Colorado to Pennsylvania. To register or learn more about the webinar go to http://nccecojustice.org/energy/FrackingWebinar2012_signup.php .
Go to http://nccecojustice.org/energy/EthicsofEnergy2012.php to download the “Earth Day Sunday 2012: Ethics of Energy” resource and find out more about the Eco-Justice theme for the year as well as upcoming webinars.
The NCC program also is requesting stories from churches that take part in this year’s theme emphasis. E-mail tedgar@nccecojustice.org to share your Earth Day and “Ethics of Energy” stories.