Care for Creation Lenten Season

LAUDATO SI’ ACTION FOR LENT
If you are looking for Lenten inspiration, why not read and reflect on Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ On Care for Our Common Home.  It is available on line:  https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si_en.pdf  There is also a study guide available on line. https://catholicclimatemovement.global/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Laudato-Si-Study-Guide.EN1_.pdf

WAYS TO GARDEN WITH THE ST JOSEPH FOOD PANTRY GARDENERS

• New this year: We’re renting space at the Village Gardens at The Chapel. Save your gallon bottles. We need your help planning the garden. If you would like to help, contact Mary Causey at 847-990-1213  [email protected] or Louise Przywara at 847-340-5033  [email protected]
• Plan now to start some seedlings in April for distribution to fellow gardeners in May.  Order/purchase your starter kits from your local nursery or hardware store or order online.  They do sell out as nicer weather approaches.
• Plan to grow veggies for the food pantry in your own backyard as we did last year.

               

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FASTING FOR LENT



This Lent consider fasting for creation care, sacrificing some comfort, giving up a wasteful practice, or modifying your actions to reduce harm to the environment. Some ideas:
Week 1: A fast from Indifference. Pope Francis said, “The more-common opposite of the love of God – of God’s compassion – is indifference” When you see an opportunity to help, to serve, don’t turn away. Better yet—seek out opportunities to advocate for the environment and the underserved.
Week 2: A Meat Fast. How about adding a meatless Monday to meatless Friday? Or eating chicken or sustainable fish instead of beef, pork, or lamb?
Week 3: An Energy Fast. Consider turning the thermostat down a degree or two and putting on an additional sweater. Or turning the water heater down to 120. Or washing clothes in cold water.
Week 4: A Plastic Fast. Try reducing single use plastics. Choose recyclable alternatives such as glass or metal cans. Carry re-useable bottles and utensils with you.  Use re-usable shopping bags.
Week 5: A Water Fast. Try reducing your shower to 3 minutes. Or turning off the water between brushing and shaving. Run the dishwasher when fully loaded.
Week 6: A Gasoline Fast. Slow down to use less gas. Plan errands to minimize mileage. Carpool, walk or bike when possible. Make sure tires are properly inflated.




FASTING FOR LENT – expanded information
This Lent consider fasting for creation care, sacrificing some comfort, giving up a wasteful practice, or modifying your actions to reduce harm to the environment. Some ideas:

Week 1: A fast from Indifference. Pope Francis said, “The more-common opposite of the love of God – of God’s compassion – is indifference” When you see an opportunity to help, to serve, don’t turn away. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-marta/2019-01/pope-francis-mass-indifference-opposed-to-love.html

Week 2: A Meat Fast. How about adding a meatless Monday to meatless Friday? Or eating chicken or sustainable fish instead of beef, pork, or lamb?

Experts say with confidence that Meat has a much larger greenhouse gas impact than plant-based foods. And beef has the biggest impact of all, with a climate footprint about five times as large as chicken or pork. Raising animals takes more land –for the animals and for the crops to feed them.

If a farmer clears a patch of rain forest to raise cattle, that’s much worse for global warming than a farmer raising cattle on existing pasture. So the precise estimates of the impact can vary widely. But the studies show that the impact of beef is greater than chickens and much greater than beans. Cutting back goes a long way toward helping the environment and can improve our health.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/climate/meat-environment-climate-change.html

Week 3: An Energy Fast. Consider turning the thermostat down a degree or two and putting on an additional sweater. Or turning the water heater down to 120. Or washing clothes in cold water. A whopping 75-90% of the energy used to wash clothes goes into heating the water https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-save-on-heating-costs-1388212

Week 4: A Plastic Fast. Try reducing single use plastics. Choose recyclable alternatives such as glass or metal cans. Carry re-useable bottles and utensils with you.  Use re-usable shopping bags. The average American uses 156 single-use plastic water bottles/year.  Limited demand means only a small portion of the plastics your recycling bin gets are actually recycled.  Plastic takes centuries to degrade, breaks down into smaller pieces that harm wildlife when animals mistake it for food.  During Lent, let’s sacrifice convenience in favor of protecting God’s wonderful gift to us of Creation.
http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/nationalgreenweeksub/waste-reduction-tips/tips-to-use-less-plastic.html

Week 5: A Water Fast. Water is a precious life-giving resource requiring enormous energy for treatment and distribution.  Three-quarters of the Earth's surface is covered in water, yet the global supply of clean, fresh water is steadily decreasing due to growing demand, pollution and sanitation issues as well as climate change.  The Great Lakes hold 90% of North America's fresh surface water, but this water supply is not unlimited. For Lent let’s be conscious of our water use.  Fully load washing machines and dishwashers to use water more efficiently. Avoid letting water run unnecessarily.  Consider purchasing low flow shower heads, washers, dishwashers, and toilets to reduce water waste.  
 https://www.activesustainability.com/water/save-water-at-home/?_adin=02021864894

Week 6: A Gasoline Fast. The gasoline we burn in our cars impacts air quality and contributes to global warming. This week try some simple ways to reduce gasoline use by driving more efficiently.  Slow down: for every 10 mph over 50 mph, there’s a 13% reduction in fuel economy.  Rapid acceleration and rapid breaking also reduce fuel economy.  We can also reduce gasoline waste by planning driving trips to minimize mileage. And of course, using public transportation reduces gas waste even further.  https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint