“The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, Environmental Outreach

Environmental Outreach Committee

towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.” — Pope Benedict, Encyclical Caritas in Veritate
ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON
Lenten Carbon Fast 2010 adapted from Tearfund and
As Catholic Christians we have a responsibility to be wise stewards of God’s Creation
and each of us must decide how we can improve our stewardship to safeguard God’s Creation other sources with help from
now and for future generations. The Archdiocese Environmental Outreach Committee suggests Greater Washington
the following list of 40 carbon fasting actions everyone can consider as a part of your Lenten Interfaith Power & Light
preparation for the Easter season. Each of these actions will reduce our production of climate
change pollution and help to preserve God’s great gift of Creation. www.GreenMyChurch.com

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Make one of your
“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you ... so that your alms may be 17 Turn down your 18 Go meat-free 19 journeys more 20
done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” —Matthew 6:2-4 thermostat by at today. Christians environmentally
least one degree. Aim have been eating less friendly today. Could
Ash Wednesday reminds us to be faithful in action even when no one is paying attention. for 68 degrees during meat during Lent for you combine two
If we are all living in harmony with the rest of God’s Creation, especially when no one is looking, the day and 60 degrees generations. Choosing trips? Carpool rather
our households, our churches, and our society will also be transformed. at night. Program your meat-free meals is one than driving solo? (3bl.
Remove one light bulb from your home and live without its light for the next 40 days. thermostat if you can. of the most powerful me/8aczrn) Bike or walk,
This will decrease your energy use, and act as a reminder of your Lenten Carbon Fast. Always turn the heat off things you can do to or take bus or Metro,
when you leave home. reduce your carbon instead of driving?
footprint. (VegDC.com) (waba.org, wmata.com)
Remember your
baptism today, 21 Check windows
and doors for 22 If you’re going to 23 Be aware of your 24 Let your 25 Look to purchase 26 Plan ahead to 27
and the power of water. drafts with a ribbon be away from an hot water use dishwasher locally-grown food bring reusable
Try to conserve: Leave or feather. If it flutters, appliance for over an today. Turn off the breathe. Run the today. Plan to walk to bags with you to get
a bucket in the shower make or buy a draft hour, turn it off as you water while scrubbing dishwasher only with a farmers’ market this groceries today. If you
or kitchen sink, and dodger, or seal leave the room. Even dishes. Take a shower a full load, and skip the weekend, or consider already use reusable
collect “grey water” to leaks with caulk and on an “energy-saver” instead of a bath, and try energy-intensive drying joining a community- grocery bags, purchase a
water the plants. Have weatherstripping. setting, a computer, to take a shower that cycle by choosing the supported agriculture set of reusable produce
a lawn? Consider a rain (3bl.me/tgpdn6) game console, or TV lasts half as “air-dry” option; (CSA) group that bags for fruits and
barrel so you can water For professional wastes more energy long as usual. or just open the delivers local produce veggies. (ecobags.com)
the lawn with rain. weatherization, contact when it’s on than if you door overnight. (localharvest.org).
(3bl.me/kkqzrp) WeatherizeDC.org. really turn it off.
Run your washing Turn off lights Making travel plans?
machine only 28 Speak out! 1 you’re not using. 2 Be aware of how 3 Consider 4 Pick up at least one 5 Consider getting 6
with full loads. Ask our leaders to Shut off lights as you much food you composting your piece of litter on the there without flying.
Turn the knob on take action on climate leave a room. You can discard this week. food waste. Put the ground when you are If you have to fly, balance
your washing machine change today. put reminders on Look for opportunities nutrients from food out walking today, and out the carbon impact
to “cold/cold”, and leave (daysix.org, 1sky.org, your switchplates to avoid wasting food waste back into the soil, dispose of it properly. by buying offsets. Fund
it there. Washing your chesapeakeclimate.org) (gwIPL.org), or install by planning well, and not into a landfill. a project that prevents
clothes in cold water motion sensors (about eating leftovers. Learn more about one ton of greenhouse
gets them just as clean $20 each) that turn composter options for gases for each ton that
as washing in hot water, lights off automatically indoors and outdoors. your trip will cause.
but uses half the energy. (ShopIPL.org). (3bl.me/fmf29e) (3bl.me/std348)
 SUNDAY
Give the dryer a rest.
Hang your clothes 7 Many electronics
to dry on a rack
or clothesline
(3bl.me/wmq35y). Many
households spend more
than $100 a year on the
energy used
by their
dryer, while the air can
dry your clothes for free.
The world’s
poor will be hit 14
hardest by climate
change. Join Catholics
taking action and raising
our voice on behalf of
Creation and the poor.
Sign the St. Francis Pledge:
(CatholicClimate
Covenant.org)
21
Have an “embrace
the silence” Sunday.
Turn off everything,
and unplug it if you can.
No TV, no radio, no ring
tones. Stay home after
church. It’ll be good for
the soul.
Think today about
the role of our 28
church in its local
environment. Could
our community better
care for Creation? Get
involved with our green
work, and get inspired
by other “green souls”
through Interfaith Power
& Light (gwIPL.org).
4 Easter “At a time of world food shortage, of financial turmoil, of old and new forms of poverty, of disturbing
climate change ... of growing fears over the future, it is urgent to rediscover grounds for hope. Let no one
draw back from this peaceful battle that has been launched by Christ’s Resurrection ... Christ is looking for
men and women who will help him to affirm his victory using ... justice and truth, mercy, forgiveness and love.”
MONDAY TUESDAY
draw power even
8 End junk mail that
wastes resources.
9 Check the tire
when off. Today, unplug Stop unwanted catalogs
your appliances that are (CatalogChoice.org),
off; place computers, ra- credit card offers
dios, and TVs on a power (1-888-5-OPTOUT),
and turn
strip, it off be-
other junk
and mail your tire
tween Also, unplug
uses.
(DMAchoice.org). Or and fill as needed).
your phone charger when hire a service to cancel it
it’s not charging. for you (41pounds.org).
Are you recycling
Many caring people 15 everything you can? 16
are working to Refresh your memory
protect Creation. Find today on what items your
a green organization city or county allows
today, and sign up for for curbside recycling.
their e-newsletter. Place an item that can
(ChesapeakeClimate.org, be recycled, but that you
GreenAmericaToday.org, usually don’t recycle, into
SierraClub.org) your bin.
Purchase more 22 Own stock? Find
out if shareholder 23
mindfully today. resolutions have been
Print, cut out, and tape filed to “green” the
together a “Wallet company’s practices.
Buddy” where your credit (ProxyDemocracy.org)
card can remind you of Stay informed and vote
questions to ask yourself your proxy on behalf
before buying: of greener business
(NewDream.org/ practices. (ICCR.org,
walletbuddy2.pdf) 3bl.me/rk4fw5)
Show reverence 29 Place an insulating
cover over your 30
for life and for the hot water heater. You can
Earth today by obeying find a “blanket” at most
the speed limit hardware stores. (If you
when driving. have an electric water
Every 10 mph in speed heater, it’s an easy job to
reduces fuel economy by do yourself. If you have
4 mpg, and increases the an oil or gas-powered
risk of getting into heater, you may need a
an accident. plumbing professional.)
— Pope Benedict XVI, Urbi et Orbi, Easter 2009
WEDNESDAY
pressure of your
10
car today, or take it to
a gas station or any My
Organic Market (where
a trained “Pit Crew” can
check pressure,
Cars Come From
with low tire pressure get
lower mileage.
Support clean 17
energy by purchasing
“Renewable Energy
Credits”. It may be an
option through your
utility, by switching
energy suppliers, or by
purchasing RECs online.
(green-e.org)
Help people on
the“front lines” of 24
climate change. Carbon
Covenant links US
churches with carbon-
reducing projects in
developing countries:
(CO2covenant.org).
Others bring clean
energy to villages:
(SELF.org, EnergyCures.org)
Replace the
incandescent light 31 Maundy
Replace the light bulb 1
bulbs in your house, even
if they haven’t burned out
yet, with CFLs. Replacing
one incandescent light
bulb with a CFL saves
150 lbs of carbon dioxide
a year. Don’t forget to
save one CFL for Maundy
Thursday. (ShopIPL.org)
THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
Compiled from Lenten resources by:Tearfund, Nat’l Council of Churches’ Eco-Justice Program, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Saint Mark Presbyterian
Save paper today:
print double-sided,
11 Minimize
disposables
12 Begin spring
gardening by going
13
or wrap your next today. Bring a mug to organic. Grow your lawn
present in color comics, get coffee. Use cloth and garden without toxic
or a reusable gift bag. To napkins at a meal. Wipe chemicals, and order a
Church, Rock Spring Congregational UCC, IA IPL, NC IPL, and from Green America, and The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change.
reduce paper towel use in up with a rag instead of “Pesticide-Free” lawn
restrooms,
public order paper towels. Stick
a fork
sign! (PesticideFreeLawns.
“These in your purse or briefcase have a yard to
org) Don’t
Trees” stickers: for the next time you eat garden? Borrow one:
(3bl.me/ef2zhd) out during the workday. (3bl.me/t2dbt3)
18 It’s hard to open 19 20
ourselves up to the Celebrate Spring!
When heating water realities of the climate Plant a native tree
on the stove, use a crisis. Today, learn (CaseyTrees.org), or
pot with a lid to something new support tree-planting in
conserve energy. about climate change. other countries
(AmericasClimate (Greenbeltmovement.org,
Choices.org, CO2covenant.org)
ClimateCrisis.net)
Subscribe 25 Learn about
mountain-top 26 Help your kitchen
fridge function 27
to any magazines? removal mining: efficiently by placing jugs
If so, write an email Appalachian mountains of water inside (water
to the publishers today, are blown apart, retains cold better than
asking them to switch poisoning streams. air), and by pulling the
to environmentally (3bl.me/dzs4ve) How fridge out to scrub
responsible paper much of this coal is down the coils.
and printing practices for your electricity? Second fridge or freezer
(BetterPaper.org). (iLoveMountains.org/ in the basement? Try to
myconnection) make do with one.
Thursday
2 Holy Saturday 3
you removed on Ash Good Friday It can be difficult to
Wednesday with an contemplate our own
energy-saving CFL “The brutal end. Think today about
lightbulb. consumption greening your “final
Learn more about how of Creation begins arrangements,” when the
your electricity is where God is not … .” time comes. One option
generated with the —Pope Benedict XVI is to help protect natural
online PowerProfiler. lands: (3bl.me/w5a9vw)
(3bl.me/5wx8cs)
Take some time today to reflect on all of the activities
that you have performed during Lent, and how they
have brought you into greater harmony with the Earth
and all life. Conclude your Carbon Fast by making a
personal pledge to serve God and serve others by
pursuing a more sustainable way of life.