The following information was taken from an e-mail sent out by the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change.

The Covenant Web site recommends the EPA's Energy Star assessment tools as one way individuals, families, schools, parishes and others can track their carbon footprint. EPA just announced that now parishes could be awarded the "Energy Star" label.

Think of it: If the estimated 370,000 houses of worship improve their energy efficiency by just 10 percent:

• 2 billion kilowatt-hours or energy could be saved each year
• More than 1 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions could be eliminated from the atmosphere
• And $315 million could be saved annually.

See the press release here.

Can your parish do more to help fight climate change and save energy and money through increased energy efficiency? Learn more about Energy Star for congregations.

Green Bay Students Advocate for Climate Change Legislation

Fulfilling the advocacy requirement of the St. Francis Pledge, Diocese of Green Bay staff joined students and faculty from the De Pere High School Ecology Club to urge U.S. Senator Feingold's staff of the need for assistance to low income energy users and increased funds for international adaptation. They also highlighted that the Diocese of Green Bay has committed to the Catholic Climate Covenant: St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. To see more about these efforts, click here.

More on Pope Benedict's Extraordinary August 26 Statement

Last week we shared some highlights from Pope Benedict's most recent statement on climate change. Here are a few more:

Reflecting on how we all enjoy the handy-work of the Creator during summer holidays, he also said that it reminds us of an "urgent need to respect nature as we should, recovering and appreciating a correct relationship with the environment in every day life." He continues:

"The Earth is indeed a precious gift of the Creator who, in designing its intrinsic order, has given us bearings that guide us as stewards of his creation. Precisely from within this framework, the Church considers matters concerning the environment and its protection intimately linked to the theme of integral human development."

Reiterating themes from his recent Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, he notes a "pressing need for a renewed solidarity" with Creation "not only between countries but also between individuals, since the natural environment is given by God to everyone, and our use of it entails a personal responsibility towards humanity as a whole, and in particular towards the poor and towards future generations."

Please re-read this rich new statement here.

Please promote the Catholic Climate Covenant-- do one of the following:

• Link to the Web site and share this Web site among your social networks, colleagues, and friends.
• The Catholic Climate Covenant is also on Facebook. Post it on your Facebook page.
• Forward this email to your friends and ask them to sign up here or go to our tell-a-friend page now.
• Take the St. Francis Pledge today! Invite others to do likewise.

What are the moral implications of climate change? Who is most impacted? What should the Catholic community do? The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change was launched in 2006 to help the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Catholic community address these issues.

Learn about Catholic Principles and Teachings applied to the issue of global climate change:

• Prudence—thoughtful, deliberate, and reasoned action
• Poverty—concern for those least able to bear the burden
• The Common Good—promotion of solidarity over self-interest