The Pope has a green message for the world.
AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito
Ok, so he didn't quite label it his Christmas wish. But Pope Benedict did say in no uncertain terms that much of the world is outright neglecting to exercise a responsible stewardship of the environment. Humanity "needs to rediscover those values which can serve as the solid basis for building a brighter future," he said, and industrialized countries must start "reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency."
It's a particularly timely message, not only because of the recent (not totally successful) talks in Copenhagen, but because we're already entrenched in a season of holidays so closely associated with gift-giving and consumption, consumption, consumption. But the best gift—to ourselves, to our friends, and especially to our children—is a healthy planet and to get there, we need to reduce our burden on it.
The Pope used his speech for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace to convey a crucial environmental message and issue a worldwide call to action: people all over the planet "are experiencing increased hardship because of the negligence or refusal of many others to exercise responsible stewardship over the environment."
Less is more
What better time than the holiday season to realize that less is more? Truly. More meaningful if you're giving gifts that you spend time designing for a loved one rather than shopping for just the latest thing, more respectful of the earth by lightening your impact on it—and of course, more affordable.
It's high time that people in positions like the Pope's start calling for this green shift in society, and it's even higher time that we as a society wake up, listen, and act. And since the inspiration didn't come from Copenhagen, we'll have to take the message where we can get it. It's time to make some lifestyle changes without being regulated into doing so.
So here are just a few ways to lighten your load:
1. Stop buying stuff you don't need. It may sound obvious, and... it is. It's also crucial. The less we accumulate, the less waste we produce and the less energy and other (scarce) resources we consume.
2. Stop buying stuff for others that they don't need. Of course you mean well when you bring a friend balloons as a thoughtful get-well message, or a cute tchotchke as a pick-me-up gift (or a gag gift), and when you bundle your holiday presents in festive wrapping paper, but all of that disappears more quickly from friends' hearts and minds than any sentiment of a homemade card or cookies you made yourself ever will.
3. Cut down on packaging. Whenever. Possible.
4. Cut back on your consumption of meat. And dairy. And eggs. You don't have to become a full-time vegetarian to appreciate vegetables for a few more meals during the week (though even better if you do!).
5. Think about—and change—how you get around: can you walk, drive or bike to your next errand? And for your next vacation, how about a staycation?
6. Think more, period. We are all making decisions constantly that have an impact on the earth, whether it's positive or negative: what products you buy—or don't buy, perhaps because of the packaging?—how much water you can make an effort to save, whether you buy vegetables from a farmer's market or supermarket, how to increase your energy efficiency... and so on. This list is just a sampler of the simplest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. But if you get creative, you can come up with your own, and then share them with everyone you know.
