EarthBeat Weekly: This Lent, pray and fast to avoid climate catastrophe

This Lent, pray and fast to avoid climate catastrophe Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change February 16, 2024   (Unsplash/Diyar Al Maamouri) Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, the 40-day liturgical season that traditionally includes practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to prepare for Easter.  We tend to associate fasting with food, but Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese in a new column for Religion News Service says "there is no better way for a contemporary Christian to celebrate Lent than by fasting from carbon to save the world from global warming." Suggestions from Reese for how exactly one might reduce their individual carbon footprint include things like eating less meat, taking public transportation, using less heat and air conditioning and reducing use of household appliances, especially those that run on gas. Reese continues, saying that "prayer and fasting to stop climate change … is an act of penance for what we in the rich world have done, and it is a prayer for help in avoiding catastrophe." Read more: Fasting from carbon for Lent For more Lent reading, revisit these stories from EarthBeat: Q&A: Shaun Larcom on the effect of a return to meatless Fridays for UK Catholics About 28% of U.K. Catholics abstain from meat on all Fridays, reducing greenhouse gas emissions .012%. A similar level of compliance in the U.S. would have a 20 times greater impact. Fast or feast: Meatless meals can provide what you — and the world — need As a vegan Catholic during Lent, Elizabeth Varga takes an approach to plant-based cooking that is simple and modest. But vegan recipes can also be incredibly indulgent and celebratory — when Lent is over, and the church is feasting.     What else is new on EarthBeat:   Cautious preaching misses opportunities for climate action by Michael Wright Church leadership's avoidance of hot-button topics not only withholds the moral guidance many seek (and that pastors are responsible for offering), but also denies opportunities for collective intercessory prayer.  We can answer Pope Francis' call to curb climate pollution by protecting old trees by Annapatrice Johnson Forests are at the heart of U.S. climate resilience and are among our most effective climate solutions. The proposed forest plan amendment could better protect these forests if the final amendment stops commercial logging of old growth. A year after cyclone, church in Malawi rallies residents to tackle climate change by planting trees by Tonny Onyulo, OSV News The Catholic Church in southeastern African Malawi is rallying residents to plant more trees to tackle climate change and end the hunger crisis that has put millions of people at risk for months. One parent ponders a future without snow by John Dougherty This winter, my 3-year-old son played in the snow for the first time. If climate change continues unabated, my fear isn't just that my kids won't have snow days, but what we'll all lose if the cycle of the seasons is broken. Hands, heads and hearts of mercy at the Merciful Heart of Jesus Farm by Lisa Renze A new Wisconsin order, the Franciscan Congregation of Divine Mercy, has established a mission that gently encourages visitors to connect to the Gospel by connecting them to God's creatures.   What's happening in other climate news: The plastics industry would like a word with your kids —Evan Halper for The Washington Post This study has seen the future of Louisiana's coast. It's a sobering glimpse of what's ahead. —Mike Smith for NOLA.com Redfin now includes air quality risk in home listings —Susan Carpenter for Spectrum News Report: Plastics, Oil Industry Deceived Public on Recycling Use for More Than 50 Years —Adam M. Lowenstein for DeSmog Democratic bill would tie Texas to the national grid —Rebekah Alvey for E&E News     Final Beat: All NCR staff in Kansas City, where our main offices are located, are accounted for and okay following Wednesday's mass shooting during the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory celebration. Our prayers are with the victims of this terrible tragedy, their families and the entire Kansas City area. NCR environment correspondent Brian Roewe spoke to Catholics in Kansas City about their experiences of the day's celebrations — not just the Super Bowl win, but also Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day — turning into unimaginable loss. Read his report for NCR. Thanks for reading EarthBeat! Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr     Featured Advertisers   Intelligent, faithful, up-close Scripture interpretation in video format from a teacher and author with nearly four decades of experience.   Advertisement