Get Involved

The AZIPL mission is to mobilize people of faith and conscience in Arizona to reduce the causes of the climate crisis through (1) Spiritual Reflection, (2) Education, (3) Advocacy and (4) Action.  Below you can find some ways you can join us in this mission:

Spiritual Reflection

Write a Love Letter to the Earth

For AZIPL, the primary motivation for our work is love (rather than fear or anger).  We invite you to create a “ Love Letter to the Earth”  of no more than 150-200 words.   We find it best to choose one specific subject —a particular bird, a certain sunset, a favorite tree.—rather than writing a Love Letter about a catalogue of general or abstract subjects—birds, sunsets, trees. Send your written Love Letters to the Earth to info@azipl.org.

Here are some examples of Love Letters created for the “Spirit Circle” at the 2021 Environmental Day at the Legislature: link. 

Pray for the Earth
  • Sustainability Prayers (Jesuit): link.
  • Pope Francis’ Prayer for the Earth (Laudato si’): link.
  • 11 Interfaith Nature Prayers for Earth Day: link.
  • Native American Prayers for the Earth: link.
  • Ecological Examine: link.
  • Jewish prayers, poems and readings: link.  
  • Muslim Prayers: link.
  • Unitarian Prayer for the Earth: link.
  • Hindu Healing Prayers for the Earth: link.
  • Buddhist Prayers for the Earth: link.

Education

  • Sacred Texts with Creation Care Themes  – link.
  • Book and Film Club – link.
  • 12 best books about climate change, shared by climate activists – link.

Advocacy

Be a Faithful Advocacy Captain  

Faithful Advocacy Captains are IPL supporters who sign up to be the lead for their congregation or faith community around advancing federal climate policy. They serve as a liaison between IPL and their congregation or faith community on federal policy, bringing opportunities to their community to advocate for climate action. Get more information about this opportunity here: Faithful Advocacy Captain Sign-up.

Oak Flat

AZIPL stands with indigenous peoples in protecting sacred lands.  The beautiful lands of Oak Flat are sacred to Western Apache and other Indigenous people and home to species like ocelots and endangered Arizona hedgehog cacti.  Sadly, this place of beauty, healing and prayer is in danger. Multinational mining conglomerate Rio Tinto — with a long, proven record of ecological and cultural destruction in other parts of the world — intends to replace its rolling hills with a massive copper mine. 

For more information on Oak Flat:

  • Center for Biological Diversity: link
  • Arizona Mining Reform Coalition – The Fight for Oak Flat Part 3 – Pipeline, Profits, & Public Lands – Video link
  • Apache Stronghold:  Defending Holy Sites, Protecting Chi’chil Bilagotell (Oak Flat) – link
Arizona Corporation Commission

AZIPL has been active at the Arizona Corporation Commission advocating for clean energy rules.  The Arizona Corporation Commission is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Arizona  established by Article 15 of the Arizona Constitution.   Arizona is one of only fourteen states with elected commissioners.  Some of its major duties include regulating public utility companies, regulating the incorporation of businesses and organizations, securities regulation, and railroad/pipeline safety.

Action

Faith Climate Action Week – (April 15-24, 2022)

Join IPL congregations across the nation focusing on how we can all take action to protect our climate. Website

Residencial Solar 

Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is a nonprofit helping people go solar, join together, and fight for their energy rights. Join the movement to make rooftop solar the cornerstone of a modern, clean energy system. Website

Laudato si’ (Blessed Be) Actions

The Vatican announced a new platform/website that will be fully launched in October 2021 that can guide churches and organization to implementing the goals in Laudato Si. It promises to offer resources and plans for tackling the following goals.

  • Adopting renewable energy;
  • Achieving carbon neutrality;
  • Defending all life;
  • Solidarity with Indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups;
  • Adopting simpler lifestyles;
  • Fostering ecological education and spirituality;
  • Advocating for sustainable development;
  • Following ethical investment guidelines, including divestment from fossil fuels and other industries that harm the planet.

The platform includes goals for families, parishes and dioceses, schools and universities, businesses and farms, religious congregations, and hospitals and other health care facilities. Website