They say even a broken clock is right twice a day, but it’s still worth pointing out when religions get something right, even if it’s not for the reasons I believe in.

Nearly 50 religious groups have signed onto a letter urging the U.S. government to kibosh a major oil sands pipeline proposal.

“As a people of faith, we are in awe of Earth’s goodness and its ability to provide life for all of God’s creation,” reads the letter, posted to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “We urge you not to permit TransCanada the opportunity to build the Keystone XL Pipeline.”

Argue all you want about the specifics of this pipeline, but we clearly need to wean ourselves off of non-renewable fossil fuels. Letters like this strike to remind me how far atheist and humanist groups still have to go to actually walk the walk when we say we don’t need religion to be good.

Occasionally Humanist Perspectives (published by Humanist Canada) and other magazines will feature pleas to environmental and social justice causes, yet It is rare to hear of the major organizations doing much more than marching in Pride Parades (an important activity). Some student groups do deserve credit for outreach, including the groups that organized clean-ups in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Of course, I’m willing to be proven wrong: what examples can you cite of atheist groups stepping up to make this world a better place (i.e. not just by removing the influence of religion)?