On June 5th, Rabbi Neil appeared on Hope FM to launch the website of IDEA: Interfaith Dorset Education and Action. He was interviewed by Blair Crawford for nearly two hours on climate change, on pollution, on extinction of species, and on how faith communities and members of those communities can take positive steps to reduce their negative impact on the world. 

 

The website has three main sections - Faith Perspectives on the Environmental, Scientific Perspectives on the Environment, and Practical Action, although there are other smaller sections.

 

In the first month alone, the site has been visited from across the UK, the US, Australia and Israel.

 

On June 7th, Ruth Oliver wrote in the Daily Echo:

 

"On Thursday, to coincide with World Environemtn Day, Interfaith Dorset Education and Action (IDEA) launched its website. IDEA is an interfaith group primarily focussed on the environment.

Rabbi Neil Amswych, from Bournemouth Reform Synagogue, brought together a group of over 80 faith representatives to discuss the role of faith communities in relation to the enviroinment in 2007.

Rabbi Neil said, "Almost everyone at that conference expressed an interest in IDEA, which has two simple goals - to educate people about the challenges facing the environment, as well as to educate them in the responses by the different faith traditions, and to act on that learning by making positive changes in our lives."

 

 

You can access the site at   www.eco-faith.org