Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light

A Spiritual Response to Climate Change

Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light
  • Home
  • About TIPL
    • TIPL Faith Group Partners
    • TIPL Steering Committee
    • TIPL News
  • Chapters
  • Creation Care
  • Carbon Tithe
  • Climate Justice
  • Donate & Join
  • Contact us

Who is the “Solar Nun?”

May 6, 2014 by Carol

Sister Paula Gonzalez, SC
Sister Paula Gonzalez, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Sister Paula Gonzalez is a member of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, where she spearheaded the development of two solar buildings on the campus of the College of Mt. St. Joseph. This work has earned her the nickname of the “solar nun.” While in TN, she showcased energy choices our society is making and suggesting some different options, using her own work as examples.

Her first solar project, which was undertaken in the early 1980s, utilized volunteer labor and re-used materials to convert an old and unused chicken barn into a passive solar residence. Sister Paula and Sister Mary share that house, “La Casa del Sol” to this day.

Their home uses a large “solar space” with very well-insulated windows and an airflow system for heat, supplemented by a small wood stove that burns 11-inch logs.

Passive Solar House
La Casa del Sol

Members of the grounds crew at “Mt. St. Joe” often bring her usable wood that they accumulate in their work as they clear downed limbs and remove trees.

La Casa del Sol has a passive design. Passive solar technologies are built into the design of the building, such as placing windows on the south-facing side, and using overhanging eaves and deciduous trees to block incoming sunlight in the summer and yet allow the sunlight to enter the building in winter.

Solar thermal panels on the roof
Solar-thermal panels heat hot water on the roof of “Earth Connection” building.

Later, in the 1990s, she was successful in converting an unused garage into a building now known as “Earth Connection”–a learning center for environmental education on the campus of the College of Mt. St. Joseph. This building uses solar thermal technology on the rooftop to heat hot water, which heats air that is pumped throughout the building. In addition, the building has two photovoltaic (PV) panels that convert sunlight to electricity. So it uses two types of active solar technology, unlike the passive solar design of La Casa del Sol.

In the new millennium, Sister Paula converted a donated golf cart to use solar power. The golf cart (now named “Sunny”) has one PV panel mounted on the front of the vehicle, and also charges by connecting to two roof-top PV units to charge the battery for longer use. She uses this very quiet zero-emission vehicle to get around on campus. She ended her presentation to the youth with an invitation to visit her at “Mt. St. Joe” and take a ride on Sunny.

Sister Paula riding solar-powered golf cart
Sister Paula driving “Sunny” the golf cart that she converted to solar power.

Filed Under: What's New

The Solar Nun’s Visit to Johnson City

May 6, 2014 by Carol

Sister Paula riding solar-powered golf cart
Sister Paula driving “Sunny”
the golf cart that she converted to solar power.

Sister Paula Gonzalez, the “solar nun,” visited Johnson City from Apr 27-30, 2014, as a guest of Green Interfaith Network, Inc. (GINI) and TN Interfaith Power & Light (TIPL). During that time, this energetic woman, who is 81-years-young, presented to four audiences and was interviewed for Religion for Life, a radio show hosted by Pastor John Shuck (First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton) and produced at WETS on the campus of Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU). In total, she met with over 150 people in four days.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Announcements, What's New

Window Dressing in the TriCities!

January 4, 2014 by Carol

Do you remember carrying storm windows outside, and hoping that the wind didn’t catch you and carry you across the lawn!?

The idea behind storm windows, of course, is to provide a mostly-trapped layer of air as an insulator between the panes of glass. These days, homes often have double-paned windows, with argon or other inert gases trapped between the panes.

But some people live in houses or apartments that still have windows made of single-pane glass. They may sleep in rooms on the second floor (or higher), making it really hard to get that storm window in place. Or they may not own the property, reducing their incentive to improve the situation.

Thankfully, products are made where you tape plastic on the inside walls and use a hair dryer to shrink it to fit. But that can be expensive too, since you have to reapply it every year or lose the ability to open those windows in the milder weather. However, even reapplying it may not be as expensive as paying for the heat loss through the glass.

Maine IPL creating a window insert
Students create a re-usable window insert.

Some enterprising folks in Maine took on the challenge for older churches and homes, and designed and built light-weight and effective window inserts that can be placed inside the room–and also re-used for several years. This has been done rather inexpensively, with volunteer help.

Check it out in this newscast about Maine IPL’s “Window Dressers” project!

Green Interfaith Network, Inc., the TIPL affiliate in the TriCities area, is exploring the possibilities of making this project work for people in Upper East TN too. One of the volunteers with the Maine project is from the Columbia TN area, and she is stopping by Johnson City on Monday, Jan. 10th, to answer our questions and provide details about the project in Maine.

Stay tuned as we figure out the best way to use this strategy to help TN residents stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer, all the while saving energy (and money) at the same time. Win-WIn-Win!

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: energy conservation, energy savings, Green Interfaith Network, Johnson City, window inserts

TIPL – Changing the Dream

September 19, 2013 by Carol

GALINFRAThe spiritual path leads one to a transformation from a focus on me and mine to an ongoing compassionate response to the suffering of the world. Here and now, we as a species are challenged to collectively experience a spiritual transformation from a focus on selfishness and the separation between us and others and Earth to an ongoing compassionate response to the suffering of the world now and in generations to come.

The mission of the TN Interfaith Power and Light is to respond to climate change through upholding the sacredness of all life, protection of vulnerable communities, and caring for the Earth. We witness our spiritual values by reducing our carbon emissions within our daily lives, releasing the spiritual power of our faith communities, and by advocating effective climate protection policies.

Through climate vigils, TIPL creates opportunities for people of faith to stand up for life. Together we are a moral force that will move our world toward the good – toward kindness, toward learning how to live on Earth so that others may simply live.

There is no other. There is no enemy. We here today are all part of the problem and part of the solution. We can model the changes we want to see in the world by how we relate to those who do not understand, by how we encourage those so bound to greed and yesterday to share our awe for life and Earth.

Hatred never ceases hatred, but by love alone is healed. That is the ancient and eternal way.

This climate protection transformation will be unlike any other social change movement because it will be the first time that as a species we have had to work together to solve a problem of our making.

Let us bring into life the wisdom of the ages. Let us turn the wheel of change with great care and kindness. Let us search deep into the garden of our hearts and remove the weeds of fear, ignorance, greed, and aversion. Let us cultivate the good within us so that it may blossom and transform what we experience.

If you want to change the world, we must change how we dream of how we experience the world.

Filed Under: What's New

Climate Vigils are Underway!

January 17, 2013 by Carol

Approximately 35 people gathered to raise our voices together in song at the first climate vigil in northeast TN on Nov. 14th near ETSU in Johnson City. The event was co-sponsored by the Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO) at ETSU, TN-IPL, the Green Interfaith Network, Inc. (GINI), and the Environmental Studies minor at ETSU.

The group stood near the new benches at the corner of State of Franklin Road and University Parkway on the edge of campus as the sun set, listening intently to prayers that were offered and joining in song and solidarity with others who understand the significance of human action (and inaction) as it affects the climate. Prayers were offered by Rev. Dr. Tim Ross, pastor of Hopwood Memorial Christian Church and by Dr. Mohamed Alzoubi, President of the Muslim Community of North East Tennessee (MCNET).

Several people brought instruments to accompany the group in a series of well-known songs that were selected for the first Earth Choir songbook. Emily Bidgood and Steve Church played their guitars and led the vocals. Following the final song, a minute of silence was offered, with candles held high, for personal reflection on our individual and collective impacts on the environment, our society, and the Earth.

The “Earth Choir” is the brainchild of Louise Gorenflo, a dedicated member of the TN-IPL Steering Committee from Crossville, TN. A similar program was presented in Knoxville on Nov. 18th, where Louise and others offered prayers and reflections to open the hearts and minds of those in attendance to the reality of climate change.

In response to that reality, TN-IPL is pressing TVA to adopt a 1% energy efficiency standard, which will reduce the need for additional power plants and enable TVA to close the oldest and dirtiest of the plants in its fleet.

More climate vigils are being planned for the greater Knoxville area and the TriCities region. Watch for further announcements in the new year!

Filed Under: Bottom Feature, What's New

TIPL

P.O. Box 26313
Knoxville, TN 37912
tninterfaithpl@gmail.com

 

Mission Statement

 

The mission of the Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light is to spiritually respond to the challenges of the climate crisis through upholding the sacredness of all life, protecting vulnerable communities, and caring for the Earth. We demonstrate our spiritual values by reducing our carbon footprint within our daily lives, releasing the spiritual power of our faith communities, and advocating for transformative climate protection and justice policies.

Tennessee IPL

P.O. Box 26313
Knoxville, TN 37912
tninterfaithpl@gmail.com

Previous Posts

Climate Vigil in Knoxville 3:30 PM September 25

Cool Congregations: Energy Savings and Climate Resilience

Summer Solstice Webinar

Donate to TIPL

TIPL Donate

RSS Inside Climate News RSS

  • At the UN Water Conference, Running to Keep Up with an Ambitious 2030 Goal for Universal Water Rights
  • America’s Forests Are ‘Present and Vanishing at the Same Time’
  • Republicans Propose Nationwide Offshore Wind Ban, Citing Unsubstantiated Links to Whale Deaths

Copyright © 2023 · Outreach Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in