“Breath of Life” Helps Austin Congregations Cut Air Pollution“Breath of Life” Helps Austin Congregations Cut Air PollutionSeptember 19, 2005
Austin Mayor Will Wynn read a proclamation encouraging Austin congregations to participate in “Breath of Life” and said faith communities can help achieve the emissions reductions called for in Central Texas’ Early Action Compact, an agreement between Central Texas communities and the federal government to reduce air pollution in Central Texas before it exceeds federal air quality standards.
Wynn said voluntary emissions reductions by groups like religious congregations will prove critical to the success of the Early Action Compact. “We’ve seen the challenges noncompliance has presented other metro areas of Texas, and we hope Central Texas citizens will take the individual and collective actions necessary to spare Austin those challenges,” Wynn said.
Texas Impact executive director Bee Moorhead said steps congregations take to reduce air pollution can count toward Texas’ overall goals for meeting federal clean air targets. Moorhead said congregations that participate in Breath of Life are eligible to receive special recognition from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as well as from national religious and environmental organizations.
Reverend Timothy Tutt, president of AAIM and a member of Texas Impact’s board of directors, said Breath of Life is a new kind of faith-based initiative. “The electricity we use affects our health and our communities—and churches, temples, mosques, family life centers, religious schools and outreach ministry facilities use electricity just like any other building. Lowering electricity use and switching to ‘green power’ are ways faith communities can use their resources to alleviate human suffering and protect the Creation,” Tutt said.
Rabbi Steve Folberg of Austin’s Congregation Beth Israel said it’s not hard to ground religious concern for air quality in scripture.
“Psalm 150 ends, kol hanneshâmâh tehallêl yâh halelu-yâh, which is conventionally translated as ‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.’ But another way of translating it would be, ‘Let me praise God with every breath I take,’ or even nicer, ‘Every time I breathe, that is praise to God.’ Thinking about the psalm that way focuses us on the miracle of our ability to breathe,” Folberg said.
Tutt said for Christians, clean, healthy air is “as basic as the sacrament of baptism.”
“When we baptize an infant, we make a covenant as a congregation that we will raise that child in an environment steadfast in love. Being loved includes the ability to breathe, to grow strong and be healthy,” Tutt said.
Texas Impact Environmental Fellow Nida Khan said air quality is an ever-increasing concern for the growing Central Texas area because of increasing energy use. “We’ve had a 300% increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled from 1983, when we had around 3,615 daily miles traveled, to 2003 with around 9,200 daily miles traveled. In terms of stationary pollution sources, Austin Energy customers are now using about 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year.”
Two-thirds of all Texans live in urban areas where the air is unsafe to breathe so often that the federal government says Texas must reduce its air pollution by 2010 or risk federal sanctions. While specific clean-up targets vary by region, Texas has an overall goal of reducing emissions by 30 percent to ensure our air is safe to breathe.
Each major metropolitan area in Texas is required to come up with a plan that reduces pollution—and demonstrate that the plan is working. Legislative action has focused on mandates on big industries. But for Texas to meet federal mandates and avoid losing federal highway funding and other sanctions, groups like congregations will have to take voluntary action to reduce their emissions.
“Reducing air pollution isn’t all about expensive technologies or self-deprivation,” Kapner said. “A $2 tube of caulk and a screwdriver can help you seal up cracks enough to noticeably reduce energy use. Each of us can prevent air pollution with every watt of electricity saved, and save money, too."
For Austin congregations, the availability of Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program provides a potent strategy for reducing air pollution. "Congregations can use their purchasing power and help build a foundation for a clean energy future by buying renewable energy. Investing in green power not only helps clean our air today. It is also a great way to invest in a clean energy economy," said Kapner, adding that a few Austin congregations have already signed up for GreenChoice.
AAIM executive director Reverend Emilee Whitehurst said Breath of Life is a great program for congregations that want to be involved in environmental stewardship but aren’t sure where to start
“Breath of Life is an ideal way for a congregation to make a substantial environmental impact, with the full confidence that what they are doing fits into a bigger picture of how our whole state is working together to solve our air pollution crisis. Knowing we are working in concert with others all over Texas gives us that sense of optimism that is so critical to success,” Whitehurst said.
Breath of Life has a number of resources available for congregations, including a 10-minute video about the program. Speakers are available for Sunday school classes or other groups. To find out more about Breath of Life, download or order materials, and register for the upcoming statewide Breath of Life conference, visit www.breathoflifetx.org or call Texas Impact at 512.472.3903.
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