Ncumisa

Kuzipa Nalwamba, Zambia “I began to think about how the animals we eat are treated in the slaughterhouses. I became vegan ten years ago as a result. I have increasingly become aware that eating less meat makes an important contribution towards saving the planet, even though I attained my environmental credentials inadvertently.” Eat less meat. Our tradition includes a weekly day without meat. Renew that tradition to protect the Earth from the massive greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation that commercial livestock cause. BLOG Lent has long been marked by abstinence from meat dishes, and both Anglican teaching and Catholic teaching encourage a weekly fast from meat. This spiritual practice, which helps us step away from earthly indulgence and commemorate the passion of Christ Jesus, has practical benefits for creation as well. It surprises many people to learn that livestock production makes a significant contribution to climate change. The UN estimates the contribution at approximately 14% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. There are several reasons why. One is that livestock raised on industrial farming operations must be fed, and it takes a lot of fossil fuels to grow and process all that grain and other feed. Another reason is that ruminants, such as cows, produce large amounts of methane gas as they digest. Many cultural traditions include delicious vegetarian meals. Cooking one of these recipes every Friday in Lent and at least once per week throughout the year is a good way to preserve our faith heritage and protect creation.

Rhadhika Sri Paravastu, India “What strikes me most is that most farmers in my state are moving away from farming to pursue daily wage jobs as they do not have sufficient customers to grow crops for the local community.” Eat local and native. Foods that are grown close to home will be produced in-season, keeping with the rhythms of creation. Native foods will preserve the web of life in a local area. These foods will also support smaller-scale farmers. BLOG Eating local and native foods encourages the economy in your community to work with the rhythms of creation. In addition, it encourages connections between people, as consumers seek and meet farmers among their neighbors. The connections to nature and neighbors reinforce each other. As Pope Francis said in Laudato Si’, his encyclical letter on climate change and creation, “Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. . . We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.” (139) Adding local and native foods to your diet is one step toward solving these crises. Local foods are grown in season, without the intensive intervention needed to grow summer-season foods over the winter or vice versa. Native foods fill important niches in the web of life present in your region. Meeting local producers develops relationships and builds an economy that sustains creation.

Lasarus Ngube, Namibia “The Earth finds her beauty in trees, plants, and animals. Growing and planting them is clothing her in beauty. Growing plants, planting vegetables, and caring for animals is preserving life, beauty, and the completeness of creation. Let’s be pro-life.” Try organic. Buy organically grown produce, which is produced without the most harmful pesticides and fertilizers. BLOG Organic foods are produced without use of the most harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Organic standards are regulated by country, and the organic labelis seen as a reliable indicator that the food has been produced to standard. Buying organic meat, dairy, and produce does more than just reduce poisonous chemicals in our lands and waters. It also sends an important signal to markets that a sizable group of consumers favors regulation and creation care. Buying organic food is a vote in favor of human systems that preserve and protect creation.