Part 2 of 6 installments
More people are committing to environmental lifestyle changes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from our fossil fuel use, to help cool global warming. One way is with a “carbon fast.” Whatever your faith or philosophy, we invite you to join with Ascension’s Religious Ed, school children and parish to reduce energy use and consume less (link below).
Many children are especially open and concerned with global warming and want to know ways to ‘be cool.’ Connect with this carbon fast and catch a film at the www.oneearthfilmfest.org to get more info for inspired actions.
Each of the six weeks of this Lenten Carbon Fast has a theme. This week’s theme is food. I had the chance to share local, whole food ideas and recipes for many years in Wednesday Journal and in this community. Now it’s more affordable and convenient to eat foods that help the environment, enrich the soil, conserve water, save energy, avoid the oil/chemical industry’s carbon, toxins and GMOs, increase nutrients and taste, grab more carbon from the air and allow small farmers to make a living. That’s ‘chewsing!’
You have so much power to change the carbon-based big-agricultural system with your food choices and consumer dollars.
Choices can include:
Buy local, seasonal foods (rather than processed products) which substantially reduces carbon. Shop for value at the Sugar Beet Coop, Whole Foods, farmers markets, CSAs and more. Talk with a farmer or two!
Grow your own food. Start planning your own produce or container garden.
Waste less. Some stats say that 50% of food is wasted in the U.S., including food left in the fields. Planning is key. Shop wisely and creatively.
Eat foods grown on soil that is alive, free of carbon-based pesticides/herbicides and naturally fertilized so you get more nutrients. This vital soil can grab carbon from the air. Monsanto’s toxic RoundUp kills soil organisms and prevents the soil from grabbing the carbon from the air. Avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
Eating less meat impacts the atmosphere in a dynamic way. Animal food production uses a lot of carbon-based fossil fuel and produces a lot of methane, another potent greenhouse gas.
The Lenten Carbon Fast Calendar and Mission is posted on the Ascension website http://www.ascensionoakpark.com/parish/2017-lenten-project under the Feb. 22 blog post. This program was created by a team of staff and members of the HOME green team, Honoring Our Mother Earth. Check out the details and suggestions. Make it your own and have some fun with it.
As smart and compassionate communities we can continue to make a difference locally and globally.
