Caring for the environment is not just for tree-huggers and hippies. It is not just for certain congressional committees. It is not just for the
church, synagogue, and mosque-goers. It is an issue we all need to be concerned about. Through the actions we take and the choices we make the greatest resource we have to combat this catastrophe is ourselves.
Here are some suggestions (slightly modified) from An Inconvenient Truth’s website, as well as links to both religious and scientific sites that cover the issue of global warming in great detail.
11 Things You Can Do (Individually and as Communities)
1. Spend some time in nature. Oftentimes we don’t spend time to appreciate the beauty around us. This cultivates our sense of gratitude and sensitizes us to the need to do the things below.
2. Speak up in your communities. Vote for politicians who will effect environmental change. If there aren’t any, run yourself! Write to your elected officials to tell them to support policies that protect the environment.
3. Change a light. Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescence light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
4. Drive less. Walk, bike or take mass transit more often. You’ll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don’t drive.
5. Recycle more. You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste.
6. Check your tires – Keeping your tires inflated properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
7. Use less hot water. It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead 350 pounds of CO2
saves per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year).
8. Avoid products with a lot of packaging. You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.
9. Adjust your thermostat. Move your thermostat down just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
10. Plant a tree. A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
11. Turn off electronic devices. Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Links
Catholic Resources
The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility, Pope John Paul II, 1990
The Environmental Justice Program, U.S. Catholic Bishops
Ecumenical/Interfaith Resources
National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Programs
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Faith
Environmental Protection in Islam
Global Warming
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
