Sunshine State Interfaith Power & Light, Inc.

01/13/2024

Dear Friends,
We are planning to install solar panels on my house. I am looking for a company to install panels, and am wondering which companies my neighbors have purchased from, and your experiences. If you live in the Tampa Bay area, can you please give me your recommendations?

SO, my questions are:
1) if you have purchased solar panels for your home in the Tampa Bay area, which company installed them?
2) What was your experience with the company you chose? Are you satisfied? Would you recommend the company?

I joined the non-profit "Solar United Neighbors" which gives people advice and information on solar energy, but they can't recommend specific companies. Sadly, I just missed joining a Solar coop in the Tampa Bay area, and put my name on the wait list to join others. I don't want to go with anyone who knocks on my door or solicits by phone, I don't trust those people. The non-profit I joined has a website: www.solarunitedneighbors.org if you are interested. If I could get another 20 homeowners interested to join me, we could start our own coop and get better prices; however, at this point I am just resigned to pay upfront for full cost. But price is not the first consideration. I am looking for good service on a good product.

06/04/2018

For the love of the children, all children of all living beings, it is past time to make sweeping, positive changes. These powerful, positive changes may feel darned inconvenient but that is because we have become tragically dependent on lifestyles that require the constant burning of vast quantities of carbon based fuels, globally. If we don't take the threats Mayer Hillman describes seriously, it is tantamount to looking into our children and grandchildren's faces and saying, "I don't care about your future." I for one care deeply. We can and must mitigate and adapt quickly. -Rev. Andy Bell, SSIPL

The 86-year-old social scientist says accepting the impending end of most life on Earth might be the very thing needed to help us prolong it

10/10/2017

The Secretary of E.P.A., Scott Pruitt, just announced that the President's administration is repealing the Clean Power Plan. The plan is a rule developed and adopted by the EPA to reduce carbon emissions to comply with the Clean Air Act during the Obama Administration. Please write to Pruitt to protest the repeal of the Clean Power Plan at his email address: Administrator Scott Pruitt, EPA
Email:[email protected].
The staff of Interfaith Power and Light suggest the following wording:

Dear Administrator Pruitt,

As a person of faith, I am very concerned about the impact of global warming on God’s Creation.

The EPA was created to protect Americans’ health and lives. But carbon pollution from power plants is costing lives. And the effects of climate change such as extreme weather events like Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria have devastated communities.

The Clean Power Plan is a forward-thinking way of reducing carbon pollution. It builds on current industry trends and would reduce pollution from power plants through cost effective measures. Repealing or weakening the Clean Power Plan would endanger Americans’ health, undermine America’s rapidly growing clean energy economy and continue our dependence on fossil fuels.

The Supreme Court has ruled on three separate occasions that EPA has a responsibility under the Clean Air Act to protect our families and communities from harmful carbon pollution from power plants and other sources.

Please don’t repeal the Clean Power Plan. We have a moral obligation to be stewards of Creation, and to care for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters on the planet, who are suffering and dying right now from climate change and carbon pollution.

09/01/2017

This is an excellent interview with the nation's top climate scientist. Follow up with part 2 of the interview: James Hansen Hails Landmark Youth Climate Lawsuit: We Can't Rely on Our Politicians to Do Anything

https://www.democracynow.org/2017/8/30/ex_nasa_scientist_james_hansen_there

Dr. James Hansen has been called the "father of climate change awareness." In 1988, Hansen first warned about the dangers of global warming when he testified before Congress. At the time, he was the top climate scientist at NASA, where he headed the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. We speak with...

06/20/2017

Lakewood United Methodist Church in Saint Petersburg, Florida energized their 50 panel Solar Array today. They are now producing clean, sustainable, renewable electricity from the sun. Achieving this goal has been an act of faith and dedication for this community. They truly believe in the scriptures and traditions that teach humans are to be benevolent caretakers of God’s blessed Earth. Thanks to the technician who swapped out the meter, Rev. Bob Pearcy energizing the system for the first time throwing the electrical breaker, and Rev. Andy Bell switching on the outside disconnect.

05/11/2017

For all my friends still plagued by "range anxiety," new technology will soon be your xanax and relieve any remaining excuses to not drive an all electric car. There are very few bladders that can withhold 600+ miles in the car.
Wait, no actually don't wait, the new Chevy Bolt gets 230+ miles per charge. How far is that daily commute? No more excuses.

http://www.livescience.com/59052-new-battery-could-supersize-electric-cars-range.html

A redesigned battery could enable electric cars to travel 620 miles on a single charge.

05/10/2017

Today is a day to celebrate. Congress voted in favor of Mother Earth. Kudos to those who voted against party lines and in favor a reducing Green House Gas emissions. That takes heart and courage.

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/332721-senate-rejects-repeal-of-obama-drilling-rule

Three Republicans joined Senate Democrats on Wednesday to reject an effort to overturn an Obama administration rule limiting methane emissions from oil and natural gas drilling.

05/04/2017

Lakewood UMC, Saint Petersburg. I know I keep saying it but we "Really, really" are almost there completing the solar installation. There were a few minor problems with the final inspection but the electricians were back today and the city inspector should be back tomorrow. So close!

04/30/2017

Dozens of faith based and interfaith groups waiting for the Peoples Climate March to begin this morning on the mall on D.C. Rev Andy Bell and Elan Brown representing Sunshine State Interfaith Power & Light and the FL contingent of the United Methodist Caregivers of God's Creation Climate Justice Conference.

04/26/2017

The Reverend Canon Sally Bingham (center,) President and Founder Interfaith Power & Light, Elan Brown and Rev. Andy Bell, Sunshine State IPL board members at the national IPL annual conference in Marriottsville, MD. Working forward for God's Earth.

04/25/2017

We are now less than a week away from The People’s Climate March on the Mall in Washington D.C. Saturday, April 29th, as well as hundreds of additional marches across the country. Sunshine State IPL will be part of the “Keepers of Faith” group in the Washington D.C. march and in the Saint Petersburg march. If you are in either city this coming Saturday, PLEASE MARCH WITH US.
If not, check out the PCM website (below) for all the other marches in other cities in Florida. At last count there are 20 different marches in cities across Florida. Feel free to create your own Sunshine State Interfaith Power & Light poster or banner and help show support and carry the message of Caring for God’s blessed Earth. We must let our neighbors and our state and national leaders know that we, people of all faith traditions KNOW climate change is real, human behavior is the primary driver of climate change, and we humans must make the necessary changes to undo the harm we have done and leave a healthy, sustainable Earth for future generations.
This coming Saturday, Stand UP, Speak Out, and March, for all living beings on Earth as our Spiritual and Faith Traditions demand of us.
Where to find us at the beginning of the March in D.C:
The SSIPL Banner will be proudly displayed in the designated area #5 “Keepers of Faith: Religious and Interfaith Groups” on 3rd St NW between Madison Dr NW and Jefferson Dr NW. See the link below for a visual map to give you more landmarks.
https://peoplesclimate.org/lineup/?source=email-10-days-to-go-heres-everything-you-need-to-know
Where to find us at the beginning of the March in Saint Petersburg :
Shep Massar will be holding the SSIPL banner high. He should be relatively easy to find.
https://actionnetwork.org/events/st-petersburg-for-climate-action?source=email-10-days-to-go-heres-everything-you-need-to-know
For more marches around Florida:
https://peoplesclimate.org/sister-marches/?source=email-10-days-to-go-heres-everything-you-need-to-know

https://peoplesclimate.org/?source=email-10-days-to-go-heres-everything-you-need-to-know

Donald Trump is a threat to the future of our planet, the safety of our communities, and the health of our families. Join the People’s Climate March on April 29th.