What’s in the Woods? ~ Native woodland sedges offer food for ground feeding birds and insects. For years, I used to weed them out of the garden, not knowing that they are part of the native ecosystem. You can tell the difference between grasses and sedges, because “sedges have edges!” The caterpillars of the butterflies Satyrodes Appalachia (Appalachian Brown) and Satyrodes eurydice (Eyed Brown) feed on their foliage. It’s amazing what small changes in ground plants can have on our environment. Have you started thinking about how you can contribute to the backyard national park? https://homegrownnationalpark.org
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/cm_wdsedge.htm
Join Brad Jackson on Saturday February 20 at 9 AM for an hour of bird watching in the Woods.
From our friends at Carmel Green
Catch Up on Climate Related Bills at the Statehouse
Even though it’s a little dated already, this IndyStar article provides a great summary of environmental bills introduced this session. To get the latest updates, check out these upcoming opportunities:
Sustainable Energy Forum Join the Hoosier Environmental Council for an online panel discussion on leading sustainable energy issues, including rooftop solar, utility-scale renewable energy, coal plant retirement planning, and electric vehicles! Thurs. Feb.18, 5:30 p.m.
Mid-Session Legislative Update Join us for a webinar on key environmental, energy and climate bills as they crossover between House and Senate and learn what you can do to make a positive difference in the second half of the session. Thurs. Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.
IU Environmental Resilience Institute
Agriculture & Climate Change Learn about agriculture practices that may mitigate the climate change impacts on crops and reduce its footprint.
Fri. Feb. 19, Noon
Is Carbon Pricing Enough? Hear Severin Borenstein discuss whether a suite of policies can efficiently address climate change while also improving equity.
Fri. Feb. 19, 3:30 p.m.
Science, Economics & Politics at the EPA Hear authors discuss the book “Fifty Years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Progress, Retrenchment, and Opportunities. Wed. Feb. 24, Noon
From our friends at Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light: Upcoming Events
Environmental Peacebuilding Webinar Series
February 18th and 25th
Care for Creation as a Common Denominator: Interfaith Approaches to Environmental Peacebuilding (A Road to Geneva Event)
An interfaith dialogue around the environment will kick-off a three-part series exploring the role of faith communities in environmental peacebuilding. Information about the sessions is available at the links below.
Presented by Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion at the University of Notre Dame, and Environmental Peacebuilding Association
o Webinar 1 - Panel on faith-based approaches to environmental peacebuilding! https://www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org/.../EventItem...
o Webinar 2 - February 18th at 11 am EST: Decolonizing the Land: Christian Grassroots Approaches to Environmental Peacebuilding
o Webinar 3 - February 25th at 11 am EST: Practicing what we Preach: Dialogue and Futurism in Environmental Peacebuilding
Statewide Call - February 17, 2021
5:00 - 6:00 pm EST
Join our next Statewide Call to engage with others about creation care, energy efficiency, advocacy, and other news!
Advocacy Call - February 24, 2021
5:00 - 6:00 pm EST
We will be connecting to discuss our experiences at the Renewable Energy Lobby Day, and upcoming advocacy initiatives. Join us to learn how you can get involved!
Virtual Tour - The 'Greenest Building on Earth'
February 25, 2021
7:30 - 9:00 pm
Our Evansville affiliate Tri-State Creation Care will be hosting a virtual Zoom tour of the Phipps Conservatory's Center for Sustainable Landscapes, the first building to meet five of the highest green certifications. It is free and open to all!
Congregation Energy Conservation Webinar
Join us on March 24th from 5 - 7:30 pm for an informative webinar by our panel of energy experts! Learn all about reducing energy consumption in your buildings, including how to take advantage of an energy audit, find and work with a great HVAC contractor, and more!