Lent is a Christian season that begins this week, on Ash Wednesday, and ends on Easter Sunday. Sweets, cursing, booze, and other vices are popular items from which Lenten observers tend to abstain. But instead of thinking about “giving up” something, what about “doing” something that has a positive impact on the environment and your community instead?
There’s some really fascinating environmentally-minded programs for Lent for a variety of denominations.
- The Catholic Climate Covenant put together a Carbon Fast calendar for Lent a few years ago. Daily items range from reducing ones food waste, electricity consumption to getting involved in the climate discussion. All activities are designed to reduce your carbon footprint. While the dates aren’t current for 2013, the advice is still good and relevant. Check it out here.
- Tearfund developed a carbon fast for Lent where observers acts of love and sacrifice can minimize contributions to climate change, and those most impacted by it. Read about this carbon fast here.
- Similar to the Carbon Fast, the Energy Fast contains 40 days of Lenten activities from the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The Energy Fast borrows some wisdom from St. Francis of Assisi, considered by many to be the patron saint of ecology. Check it out here.
- Lent 4.5, a program based on the fact that each person can only fairly use 4.5 acres to support himself/herself even though residents in the developed world use many more, breaks the season into weekly themes including Food, Consumption, Water, Energy and Transportation. This program includes a dose of data and information, scripture and real-world activities to implement “creation care.” Check it out here.
- Interfaith Power and Light, a non-profit organization that SACE partners with to promote clean energy, has posted a blog on different activities regarding a “low-carbon Lent.” Check it out here.
- The Evangelical Environmental Network had a blog series last year covering the seven weeks of Lent. Check it out here.
So, what will you be doing over the next 40 days?