“It’s the poorest people in developing countries, who have done the least to cause climate change, being hit hardest by its devastating consequences,” said the Most Rev Chartres. “It is all of our responsibility to help reverse this injustice. The Carbon Fast’s simple daily actions are not only fun, but an opportunity to demonstrate the love of God in a practical way while reducing your carbon emissions, and everyone can take part.”
Tearfund’s Carbon Fast is a 40-day journey towards a lighter carbon footprint, with simple energy saving actions each day. Actions include trying a day with no iPod, computer or mobile phone, being a part-time vegetarian, and turning out the lights and enjoying the ambience of a candlelit dinner.
Churchgoer Chris Thompson, who undertook the Carbon Fast last year, says, “The climate change debate is really confusing – especially when the experts can’t agree. In the face of such a huge issue I felt helpless, but the 2009 Carbon Fast was enormously empowering and enabled me to discover new ways in which I could reduce my impact on the environment. Following the daily actions helped me not just during Lent but in making long-term lifestyle changes. I can’t wait to do it again this year.”
Participants begin the fast by finding out their individual, household or church emissions so they know where to concentrate their reductions.
Joel Edwards, International Director of Micah Challenge, says, “We have never had such an unprecedented level of attention to climate change and we have never been called upon to act with such urgency. Climate change is everybody’s problem and everybody’s solution. For millions of the poorest people in the world climate change is not a matter of debate: it’s a matter of livelihood, life and death.”
Leading climate scientists and senior church leaders have added their support to the Carbon Fast, including The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd James Jones, who first had the idea for the fast; Sir John Houghton, former Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office; The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd John Pritchard; and the General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, Steve Clifford.