About this Parachute
Story
I am very excited that I found your organization. I am a youth minister in Sandy Springs, GA. I would like to request a parachute from your organization to go along with the environmental service day I am planning. I love the idea of creating a parachute though that we can use when we do future environmental projects and talk about our responsibility as Catholic’s to take care of the environment. We plan to have a speaker from our Archdiocese Laudato Si Initiative speak to us, make a St. Francis Pledge, and start a Creation Care Team at our Parish. This is the information we will be covering in our session:
Sustainable Actions in this Community
St. Francis/Laudato Si’ Climate Action Pledges Need a little more inspiration to get started on your St. Francis/Laudato Si’ Pledge? Here are some articles and websites with climate actions and creation care tips to help on your Laudato Si’ journey for our common home. Want to report your pledge so that we can tally Catholic climate action? Please fill-out this form with your pledge. • Calculate my carbon footprint and find ways to reduce it by at least 10% in the next year • Be a part of a Catholic Youth and Young Adult climate action program • Stop using disposable plastic bottles, bags, straws, cutlery and cups! Say NO to single-use plastic. See: Reducing Plastic Waste and Moving Beyond a Throwaway Culture How Can Parishes Reduce Plastic Waste?, NCR EarthBeat NCR Podcast: Reducing Plastic Waste Plastic and the State of Our Souls, Sojourners • Walk, cycle, carpool, or use public transport • Plant pollinator-friendly flowers and spread wildflower seeds. See: St. Kateri Habitat Program Minnesota Will Pay Homeowners to Replace Lawns with Bee-Friendly Wildflowers, Clover and Native Grasses • Switch to renewable energy See: Catholic Energies What Are Some Ways Parishes Can Acquire Solar Panels?, NCR Laudato Si' urges us to transition to renewable energy • Go meatless on Monday and/or Fridays (at least) See: How Our Food Choices Can Save the World Mercy Meatless Mondays • Reuse, recycle, reduce my consumption of resources • Use less water See: Running Out of Drinking Water video • Speak to my elected officials about climate change • Fly less and offset travel when possible • Plant at least two trees this year See: 2019 Feast of St. Francis Program and Grow Clean Air Tree Planting Service and Prayer from Catholic Health Association • Wash clothes in cold water and hang-dry clothes • Install a programmable thermostat • Replace appliances with Energy Star rated ones • Replace incandescent and compact fluorescent lights with LED lights • Reduce my food waste See: Ignatian Solidarity Network’s Lent Mini Food Waste Challenge and Mercy Earth Challenge, Just Food (Week 4) • Compost leaves and food waste • Start conversations about climate change with family and friends See: Communicating Climate Change to People of Faith, Catholic Climate Covenant webinar • The Most Important Thing You Can Do to Fight Climate Change: Talk About It • A Better Way to Talk About Climate Change • How to Talk to Kids About Climate Change • Courageous Conversations about Climate Change • Start/join a Creation Care Team in my parish or school • Call upon political candidates to take climate change seriously See: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. • Pray for our common home and all Earth protectors • Participate in national, international, local, church, community, family or individual events that lift up care for creation.