For Newton County residents who want to do more to affect climate change than simply changing their own lifestyles have several places where they can go to find like-minded individuals.
Newton County Climate Action Coalition
The group formed for last year's April 2007 "Step It Up" rally and were so hooked, they continued to meet.
"We didn't think we were forming an organization," said NCCAC member Mark Hodges. "A bunch of us got excited about having a rally in town and a demonstration of methods of conserving energy. We got a good response and had a lot of enthusiasm to keep going."
The group of about eight main members meet about once a month and work on various projects. Besides last year's rally, the Coalition has given presentations on global warming, which required special training, and has encouraged Covington's mayor to join the national "Cool Cities" initiative.
Their current project for this spring is to provide a home being built by Habitat for Humanity with compact fluorescent light bulbs and recyclable bags. They'll also show the residents of the house with other ways to save energy and money, said Hodges.
For more information on how to participate, contact Mark Hodges at Mark.hodges@gtri.gatech.edu.
Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL)
When Executive Director Katy Hinman first started talking faith and environmental stewardship, people didn't necessarily understand the connection.
"These are themes and values that have been there from the beginning," she said. "But it is sometimes new to the people sitting there because they haven't heard it from the pulpit."
Hinman points out the weakest members of society - the poor, the elderly, the young - are the most vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation.
"People are beginning to see there is a moral responsibility connected to environmental stewardship that the faith community can speak to in a powerful way,"
GIPL, which was started in 2003 and is currently made up of more than 25 member congregations around Georgia including the Episcopal Church of the good Shepherd in Covington, focuses on energy conservation.
"It has really become more and more part of the conversation in faith communities, even in the last two years. It's gone from me having to explain myself over and over again to really becoming part of the national conversation," said Hinman.
For more information about GIPL in Newton County, visit www.gipl.org or contact Mark Hodges at Mark.hodges@gtri.gatech.edu.
Conserving Oxford's Resources and Energy (CORE)
At Oxford College, students can time their showers with hourglass timers supplied in every stall to conserve water thanks to a student group called CORE.
Made up of approximately 20 students, the group has worked on a number of projects from shutting off the lights to welcome the Dalai Lama's visit to Emory to participating in garbage pickups to giving tips on how to reduce and recycle materials.
CORE began around 2000 as a student, faculty and staff group but quickly turned into a student group, run by the enthusiasm of students, said advisor Theodosia Wade.
Freshman Amy Yie, a CORE member and future co-chair, said many students come to her asking how to join instead of the club having to recruit members.
"I think being green is pretty popular on campus," said Yie. "A lot of students came to us to ask if we could do glass recycling, which we're working on right now."
The club is one of a number of groups participating in the Earth Day carnival being held on Oxford's campus Saturday.
For more information on CORE, contact Amy Yie at jyie@emory.edu or visit http://oxford.emory.edu/life/community_service/sustainability.dot.
