IE Network Conference Workshop

Wisconsin Interfaith Community and Climate/Energy Issues

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Location: Science Lab

Session 1 - 4:30-5:00 PM, Session 2 - 5:10-5:40 PM, Session 3 - 5:50-6:20 PM

Title of Session:

Wisconsin Interfaith Community and Climate/Energy Issues

The Wisconsin Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign (WICEC) is a group of people of all faiths working to reduce the emissions that cause global warming. We are concerned about the effects of climate change, especially on the disadvantaged and poor -- it is a social and environmental justice issue. In celebration of the third annual Wisconsin Interfaith Energy Awareness Month (October 2009), WICEC in collaboration with the Islamic Environmental Group of Wisconsin (IEG) and the Wisconsin Council of Churches (WCC) presents an overview of the related interfaith activities taking place at the state-wide level.

The presenters are board members of the Wisconsin Interfaith Climate & Energy Campaign. See http://www.wicec.org/

Huda Alkaff: Founder of the Islamic Environmental Group of Wisconsin. Huda is an environmentalist by training and education, her higher education degrees are in conservation ecology and sustainable development / science and environmental education from the University of Georgia and she has experience teaching environmental science courses at the University of Wisconsin. She is the coordinator of the Wisconsin Annual Interfaith Earth Month in April and the Wisconsin Annual Interfaith Energy Awareness Month in October.

Dr. Peter Bakken: Peter received his PhD in theology from the University of Chicago. His dissertation focused on theological and ecological assumptions of Aldo Leopold and Joseph Sittler. He is Coordinator for Public Policy for the Wisconsin Council of Churches, promoting faith-based advocacy on issues from climate change to hunger and health care reform. For 14 years he was Coordinator of Outreach for the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, a Christian environmental education organization. His publications include Church on Earth: Grounding Your Ministry in a Sense of Place (with Jeff Wild) and a collection of writings by Joseph Sittler, Evocations of Grace: Writings on Ecology, Theology and Ethics (coedited with Steven Bouma-Prediger).

Wayne Stroessner: Wayne is a retired science teacher. He has served on numerous committees for environmental groups including: the Sierra Club, RENEW Wisconsin, Clean Wisconsin, the WDNR's Citizens Advisory Committee on Mercury Regulations, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), Coordinator of Monroe Area Recycling Committee for seven years, presently serves as Random Lake's Water Monitor for the DNR, served as WICEC President for two years. He is a hydrogen economy promoter.