Giving Up Carbon For Lent
Okay, I am still burping up the pancakes that we ate in our church hall last night. Nothing like greasy, smoky air, excited buzz in a hall packed with people, and kids hyped up on waayy too much maple syrup to kick off forty days of denial. While there I noticed a sign up on the bulletin board asking:
R U UP 2 IT?
CARBON FAST THIS LENT
Well that got my attention.
Our youth group (through a request from the eastern synod of our church) is asking that people consider an alternative to giving up the traditional sweets, smokes, chocolate or alcohol for Lent.
I’ve decided to take their suggestion and run with it.
For our carbon fast, Lent will be broken up into four weeks before Easter. Each week will consist of making at least two (hopefully more) choices in each of the following categories:
Week 1: Transportation
Week2: Shelter and Utilities
Week 3: Retail and Entertainment
Week 4: Food and Cooking
This week we’ll address Transportation. Below are some options to reduce your carbon usage. Pick at least two to take on for the rest of the month. Remember, we are all at different places in our green journeys. What carbon fasting is for you personally will be very different for someone else.
Search your soul. Stretch yourself.
1. Drive less.
2. Walk, cycle or take the bus around town
3. Avoid flying. Telecommute or Skype instead.
4. If you are planning to purchase a new car, consider the many green options that are now available.
6. Reconsider your commute - can you possibly work from home?
7. Have one day per week where you don’t use your car.
8. Take the Saving Gas Quiz.
9. Combine trips for shopping etc into one outing.
10. Try to drive at the speed that is optimal for fuel efficiency (around 90 to 100 km per hour).
11. Maintain correct tire pressure and regular oil changes. Low tire pressure means high fuel consumption
12. Carpool whenever possible
13. Drive more leisurely, allowing for a slower journey.
14. If you are in an urban area, consider car sharing instead of a second car (or instead of your only car!).
15. As the temperature gets warmer, resist using your car’s air conditioning (okay this one is slightly laughable as I look out my window at the piles of snow!).
Next week I will post the next set of carbon-reducing choices.
R U UP 4 IT?
How do you plan to give up carbon this week?
12 Responses to “Giving Up Carbon For Lent”
Leave a Reply
Can’t believe I am about to signmyself up, but here goes nothing. I am in!
Atta girl!
Good luck with your Carbon Fast!!
Love this post. Great advice for all year not just for Lent!
Thanks!
ficklefaerie - Thank you!
Wendy- I’m hoping that after 40 days, a family’s reduction in carbon will hopefully seem like less of a ’sacrifice’ and will have become a habit. Thanks for your comment!
[...] am joining Jenni in an attempt to flex my no muscle in favor of the environment. Each week she will post a list of [...]
[...] Week 1: Transportation - Our family is still continuing to walk when we can, combine errands to reduce our driving, keeping our tires properly inflated as well as keeping our cars clear of clutter. [...]
[...] Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Filed under Carbon Fast, Taking it to the Streets | [...]
[...] How have you been doing?? Are you driving less and walking more? How warm (or cold) is your house right now? Have you been shopping [...]
[...] Week 1: Transportation - Our family is still continuing to walk when we can, combine errands to reduce our driving, keeping our tires properly inflated as well as keeping our cars clear of clutter. [...]
[...] just wrote a post about Giving up Carbon for Lent. It will be a four week series and this week is focused on Transportation. Lighter Footstep’s [...]
[...] I wanted to bring to your attention. The link that I originally had for the Saving Gas Quiz in my Giving Up Carbon for Lent post was incorrect. Here is the correct [...]