Find out more about Texas Impact and Texas Interfaith Power & Light on our websites: www.texasimpact.org and www.txipl.org. 

"Be a voice of religious social concern to the Texas Legislature"

by Bee Moorhead, Executive Director of Texas Impact

It’s a great time to get involved in Texas Impact and our environmental program Texas Interfaith Power & Light! The Texas Legislature will be back in session in January 2009, and hearings are already underway on a host of issues of concern to Texas faith communities.

Texas Impact was established in 1973 to be a voice of religious social concern to the Texas Legislature, and we continue to be the only statewide, interfaith organization with formal ties to the state’s denominational bodies. We exist through and for Texas faith communities, and we offer an alternative to the divisive, partisan politics that alienate so many Texas citizens from the policy process.

 

On the legislative front, Texas Impact is working hard this year on making health insurance available and affordable for more Texans; refocusing our state’s juvenile justice system on cost-effective, community-centered programs; and building Texas’ renewable energy future to ensure that electricity in Texas is safe, secure and affordable. Through Texas’ unique “sunset review” process, Texans have an opportunity to work with legislators on full-scale reviews of agencies and programs that deal with these and other important issues. Texas Impact is committed to making the sunset process open and accessible to public participation. Check our website often for updates and opportunities to get involved.

 

Texas Interfaith Power & Light is working with local congregations across the state on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including our popular “ShopIPL” energy efficiency web-store and our one-of-a-kind carbon offset program. Through our “Breath of Life” covenant program, congregations can pledge to reduce their air pollution and global warming emissions and help Texas meet its federally mandated clean air targets in the process. In 2007, the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church joined the Breath of Life covenant and became the first denominational body in the U.S. to make a bulk contract for wind power on behalf of 180 of its member churches.

 

More congregations than ever are looking to solar systems to “green” their facilities and protect them from rising energy costs. Texas Interfaith Power & Light is working with folks in the solar and financial industries to develop affordable ways for congregations to undertake solar projects.

 

This year marks Texas Impact’s 35th birthday! Check our website for updates about our birthday party, planned for Fall 2008 in Austin. We’ll also be holding our signature “Advocacy Camp” in locations across the state in advance of the legislative session.

 

Individuals, congregations and groups like women’s units and Sunday school classes all can be members of Texas Impact. Membership in Texas Impact is one of the most effective ways for people of faith to participate in the public policy debate. We provide up-to-date, accurate, accessible information about complex policy issues; a rigorous and balanced theological context for evaluating the options; “nuts and bolts” citizen advocacy training; and timely calls to action like email action alerts.