A new program, Cool Harvest, run by Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) hopes to build on successful faith & food programs to address climate change. Working in 38 states with around 10,000 congregations, IPL is attempting to rally the nation’s faithful to address global warming as a moral issue.
Historically, faith communities have worked to feed the less fortunate through food pantries, soup kitchens, and other programs to combat hunger. Recently, that work has broadened to include planting community gardens, distributing culled produce, and hosting local farm stands and farmers’ markets.
Worldwide, about one-fifth of global warming pollution comes from the food industry. That’s more than from all transportation combined. The Cool Harvest program supports congregations across the country interested in educating communities about this issue by facilitating dialog and action. “When we think about global warming, we think about transportation, we think about how we heat our houses, but in fact, how we eat has just as big an impact on climate change,” said author Michael Pollan, in the film Nourish.
