Religious groups lobby for energy in Washington

A delegation of Iowans representing 19 of the state’s religious leaders is in Washington D-C today in hopes of swaying U-S energy policies. Sarai Beck is executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Iowa and she explains the goal of the trip it to urge congressional representatives to increase vehicle fuel efficiency and to close the “S-U-V Loophole.” We want the U-S government and state legislature to invest more money in renewable energy sources like solar, wind and biomass. Beck says they also want to see more funding devoted to energy assistance programs which help low-income people pay their bills. She says these energy issues are also religious issues based on an obligation of stewardship to the planet.She says we’ve been given this environment by God and part of our responsibility is to protect and care for it — and for low-income families who are also part of God’s creation. Beck says members of the Iowa Interfaith Climate Campaign have taken letters signed by 19 top Iowa religious leaders with them to Washington.The group represents Christians (including Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Baptists), and many other faiths, including: Buddhists, Unitarians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Sikhs.