Lessons in Meeting with Your Legislators Mary Blackburn, Creation Care Advocate I had signed up to learn more about effectively reaching out to legislators by registering for a Hoosier Environmental Council webinar. My goodness, I ended up learning more than I expected! As a volunteer at HEC, I have been active in helping with multiple …
by Mary Blackburn 
The Great Okefenokee Swamp is in danger from Titanium mining. In the New York Times, Margaret Renkl shares about the wonders and importance of the Okefenokee to Georgia, Florida and all of us who care about habitat loss and its destruction of God’s ecosystem. “The Okefenokee is one of the great natural wonders of this …
by Mary Blackburn 
IFCL Gave Testimony in favor of HB1138 which passed second reading with a unanimous vote. The Indiana Friends Committee stands in support of HB 1138 because our children are our legacy. As parents and community members, we want all children to reach their full potential and be thriving and healthy Hoosiers. For children, exposure to …
by Mary Blackburn 
Christine Glaser, Faith In Place, and Mary Blackburn, IFCL, combine forces to lobby for Conservation Day. Indiana Conservation Alliance (INCA) hosted Conservation Day at the Statehouse. Tables were set up on the 3rd floor of the Atrium and representatives of the Alliance were available to answer questions and guide volunteers to meet with their legislators. …
by Mary Blackburn 
Happy New Years, Friends! The IGA starts tomorrow and we are waiting for all the bills to be filed to keep you up to date on Creation Care concerns. Two bills to know about: SB 33 concerns “Solar panel decommissioning and disposal” will be closely watched. SB 91 sets standards for annual inspection of confined animal …
by Mary Blackburn 
Photos: Mary Blackburn, IFCL Earth Care lobbyist, attended Organization Day at the Indiana Statehouse to meet with legislators and other environmental lobbyists. Members of the Indiana General Assembly were sworn in, and the two caucuses shared their priorities with the public during the traditional Organization Day, Nov. 22. Additionally, leaders of the committees were …
by Mary Blackburn 
More than 120 high school students and environmental activists met at the Indianapolis Interchurch Center Friday, September 16, 2022, for a conference organized by a team of high school activists led by Rahul Duran (West Lafayette), Ashlyn Walker (Carmel) and Chenyoo Liu (Carmel). Confront The Crisis In the 2022 legislative session, they had worked with …
by Mary Blackburn 
Photo: Several hundred citizens representing both sides of the abortion issue attend the first special session hoping to share their voices as the legislature creates language for new law. As a faith-based organization, IFCL engages in lobbying with a bipartisan approach. Unlike lobbyists who work for special interest groups with money, Quakers work to influence …
by Mary Blackburn 
6.7.22 IFCL Presents Scorecard of 2022 Bills Every session, IFCL volunteers try to follow bills that reflect Quaker values and oppose those that do not. Over the last session, we supported some excellent bills like HB 1313 that promotes voluntary lead testing in all young children, not just those on Medicaid. There were several bills …
by Mary Blackburn 
After participating in the FCNL lobbying update, and being briefed on the issues, I prepared for my meeting by printing the FCNL leave behinds that featured two major asks: restore the child tax credit and support funding to transition to renewable energy and environmental justice. I added some additional materials that I thought useful: a press …
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