Carbon Fast 2015

Mncedisi Masuku, Swaziland “I saw a cow in the street eating a plastic bag. It broke my heart and I decided to organise a clean-up in my town Mbabane.”  Ditch plastic. Tote a small bag in your pocket or purse for impromptu purchases, and always take your cloth bag to the market BLOG In Pope Francis’ 2016 message for the World Day for Care of Creation, which is also celebrated in the Anglican Communion, among the members of the World Council of Churches, and in many other faith traditions, the pope renewed his plea that we “avoid the use of plastic.” Plastics are most often made from fossil fuels, especially crude oil. Its continued use supports the industry that is most responsible for human-caused climate change. As importantly, plastic trash is pervasive and detrimental. Respond to faith leaders’ call to drop plastic by identifying one or two uses that you can eliminate from your daily routine, or set a goal of completely avoiding the use of plastic for a set period of time. If you do use plastic, be sure to recycle it

Sri Vani Yerramilli, San Francisco “Seeing trash in San Francisco is common. There aren’t sufficient trash cans available in certain areas. I have started the habit of taking my trash with me if a trash can isn’t available. I’m helping my city, and if everyone did the same it would make a big difference.” Put waste in its place. When you do have waste, dispose of it properly. If you’re in an area without receptacles, put your waste in a bag or pocket until you arrive at a bin. BLOG Much of the litter humans throw on the ground is washed into waterways, where it eventually reaches the ocean. Plastic represents the largest portion of marine litter, and the amount of plastic in the ocean is increasing. According to the UN’s Convention on Biodiversity, plastic litter most affectsspecies of sea lions, seals, turtles, whales, and birds. When these animals encounter plastic in the waters where they live, they are often tangled in it and become unable to move. They then slowly starve to death. Conversely, some of the animals that are not entangled eat the plastic itself. They are at risk of choking on large, rigid pieces. Any plastic that is swallowed is not digested, but accumulates in the stomach, giving a false sense of satiety and leading again to the animals’ starvation. Eliminate litter by reducing your use of disposable items, recycling whenever possible, and disposing of any remaining waste items properly. If you see waste collecting on the ground in a certain location, petition your local leaders to install a bin and take the rubbish away on a regular schedule. In smaller communities, a group of residents and parishioners can take this up as a community project. With a prayer like this, pray for gratitude and stewardship: Thank you for the wildlife of rivers, lakes and oceans, of desert, bush and rainforest. Show us how to care for their habitat, and teach us to treat all your creatures kindly, for you have made them all. Amen.

Daniel Blackman, USA “Food waste undermines food security. In America, for example, we waste an unimaginable amount of food. 40 percent of all produce in the United States is thrown away while around the world 805 million people go to bed hungry each night I’ve set myself the goal of buying only the food I need and making sure I consume it all. It feels good to know I’m doing the right thing.” Reduce food waste. Buy only the food you need. Eat or give away all the food you buy. BLOG Approximately one-third of the food produced for human consumption gets lost or wasted every year, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Although this loss happens everywhere, it is not evenly distributed. Consumers in wealthy countries waste as much food as the entire net production of sub-Saharan Africa. The reasons for food waste differ by region. In developing countries, most waste occurs before the food reaches the consumer, and is a result of structural challenges like poor refrigeration, unreliable roads, and lack of coordination between producers. In more developed countries, most waste occurs at retail outlets, where a flawless appearance is highly valued, and in the homes of consumers, where much of the purchased food is thrown away. If food waste occurs in your household, consider the following ways to alleviate it. Reduce the amount of food you buy. Do not buy new food until all of the food you have is eaten. Use all parts of the food you buy. Compost any food that you are unable to use. Speak with local retailers about possible ways to reduce waste.

Tess Corkish, Australia “Australia is a country where we have an incredibly high quality of life, so we are so protected from the worst impacts of climate change. We are much more likely to be responsible for climate change than to feel its effects. This is incredibly unjust. We will grow in spirit when we take responsibility for the environmental problems we cause.” Take responsibility. Make a list of the items you throw away today. Identify wasteful items you can eliminate from your daily habits BLOG Studies have shown that making a written plan for changes you want to make increases the likelihood of achieving them. Apply this principle to reduce the amount of waste you generate. Start by keeping a written diary of items you throw away. Identify wasteful items that you habitually use and would like to eliminate. Write a plan for how you’ll change your wasteful habits. Check in with your plan after a week or two to evaluate your progress. As a heading for your log, write this statement to inspire and guide you: “Make a serious commitment to respect and protect creation, to be attentive to every person, to counter the culture of waste.”

Jocina Manuel, Angola “Plastic litter is invading the sea. We see it floating. It is difficult to understand how the sea life survives in this. Even the children suffer from the pollution in our sea and on the land.” Use your own water bottle. Plastic water bottles and other disposable dishware will not decompose for thousands of years. Commit to using your own dishware outside the home. The facts on water bottles are tragic. Around the world, people buy a total of 1 million plastic bottles per minute. 91% of them are not recycled. The average plastic bottle takes 400 years to decompose. Refraining from buying bottled water and taking a reusable bottle with you are good ways to eliminate some of this waste. Taking a reusable water bottle with you is also a daily witness to the practice of stewardship, a discipline that grounds you in our faith. Pray while filling your bottle: Creator God, thank you for the blessing of water. Help me to steward it well and to practice care for your creation in all I do today. Amen.

And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my inheritance an abomination. (Jeremiah 2:7)