Carbon Fast for Lent

 

 

The TPUMC Living Green Task Force is urging everyone to cut down on carbon, rather than chocolate, for Lent.

 

A carbon fast addresses the fact that those of us with the power to help those suffering from climate change have a moral imperative to do so. Those who are “poor” experience the greatest impact of climate change. The United Methodist Committee on Relief documents the terrible effects on the world’s poor. They emit almost no carbon footprint themselves.   Our carbon footprint is 300,000 times the carbon footprint of an Ethiopian and probably 200,000 times or more that of San Antonio’s homeless. It is time to begin serious changes in our live style.  

 

 

The following information was adapted from Jessica Aldred - the guardian.co.uk

 

Day 1: (Ash Wednesday) Remove one light bulb and live without it for the next 40 days.

 

Day 2: Check your house for drafts with a ribbon or feather. If it flutters, weatherize.

 

Day 3: Tread lightly – by foot, by bike, by bus or on the gas as you drive. Find a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions when you travel today.

 

Day 4: Are you recycling everything possible? Really – everything? Look into it today.

 

Sunday, Feb. 26 Talk about your carbon fast and encourage others to join you. Join others and register your green actions on the display in the church foyer.

 

Day 5:  Talk about your Carbon Fast with your family and figure out how everyone can participate. Kids can monitor even if they can’t do all the actions.

 

Day 6: Turn your central heating/AC off or down/up by one degree.

 

Day 7: Say goodbye to standby. Check that all electrical equipment is switched off when not in use. The TV alone will save 20 kg of carbon dioxide per year.

 

Day 8: Unplug your all electronic chargers: they use electricity even when not charging.

 

Day 9: Climate change isn’t a distant threat – it is affecting poor communities now. Check out options to help at the UMCOR website.

 

Day 10: (Saturday) Use local shops or farmer’s markets instead of the local supermarket.

 

Sunday, March 4: Claim your green “identity” and register your green acts to be counted for the Earth Day’s A Billion Acts of Green at the display in the hall.

 

Day 11: Give your dishwasher a day off or promote it to an Energy Star efficient appliance.

 

Day 12: Google one of your government representatives and determine their stance on climate change.

 

Day 13: Tell politicians to take action on climate change today. Contact your representative and praise or ask for changes in their stance as is appropriate.

 

Day 14: Take a shower instead of a bath: you’ll heat less water.

 

Day 15: Snub plastic bags. Take your own bags shopping and to the grocery. Ask supermarket baggers to avoid unnecessary bags.

 

Day 16: Switch off lights as you leave the room.

 

Sunday, March 11: Talk together with family about how they personally have carried out green actions this week.

 

Day 17: Use only a pencil thin stream of water when water is run for washing.

 

Day 18: Cut air miles. Don’t consume any food that you know has been imported by plane.

 

Day 19:  Eliminate plastic storage use. Buy food in glass when possible and use the jars for storage.

 

Day 20: Compost. Put food waste back into the soil and/or use the green waste bin if you have one. Request one if you do not. Lots of requests may equal a change in policy.

 

Day 21: Only run your washing machine when you have a full load and use at off peak hours.

 

Day 22: Find one way to save paper today: re-use an old envelope or print double sided.

 

Sunday, March 18: “Love does no harm to the neighbor.” Rom. 13:10 While our life style consumes more and more energy, our poorer neighbors are suffering. Reflect on ways to love our neighbors in our increasingly connected world.

 

Day 23: Turn the taps off securely. In one day a hot, dripping tap could fill a bath tub.

 

Day 24: Contact CPS energy and do a free on-line audit or sign-up for a more in depth $25 energy audit.

 

Day 25: Who works hardest in the home? Mom? Dad? No, the fridge. Be sure it is running efficiently, tightly sealed, with door use monitored.

 

Day 26: Have a meatless meal today.

 

Day 27: Check the air pressure in your tires. Low tire pressure means high fuel consumption.

 

Day 28: Remember John Wesley’s admonition: “Do no harm, do good, love God”.

 

Sunday, March 25: Discuss how your carbon savings can help others and yourselves, even financially.

 

Day 29: Run your washing machine with cold water during off peak hours.

 

Day 30: Adjust heat/cooling to use less energy.

 

Day 31: Find out a new fact about the impact of climate change today. Share your information with a friend and the Living Green Committee. mkandeler@satx.rr.com

 

Day 32: Replace and recycle old electrical appliances to more energy-efficient models. They can save a third of the energy.

 

Day 33: Save carbon: eat no lamb, beef, or cheese today (the worst carbon polluting foods).

 

Day 34: Save trees and paper: put a stop to all your junk mail and unwanted catalogues. www.e-how.com/howtostopjunkmail or DMA (direct mailing association)

 

Palm Sunday, April 1:  Join our “embrace the silence” Sunday. Turn off everything: TV, radio, ringtones, etc. It will be good for the soul. This is not an April Fool’s request.

 

Day 35: Put an insulation jacket on your hot water heater. 

 

Day 36: Re-use an item you would have thrown away – such as a jam jar, envelope, or ice cream carton.

 

Day 37: Put a lid on it: that is, pans when cooking and use a kettle to boil water.

 

Day 38: Control window coverings to aid in temperature control.

 

Day 39: Could your church be greener? Talk to Living Green members about new initiatives and how you could help with sorting, recycling and other green improvements.

 

Day 40: Replace your missing bulb with an energy saving light bulb. You will save 60 kg of carbon a year and up to $50.