The Laudato Si’ Action Platform, is an online platform through which the Vatican’s Dicastery Promoting Integral Human Development is promoting a 7-year action plan with clear goals and concrete actions, in favour of integral ecology. Families, educational institutions, economic entities, healthcare organisations, parishes, dioceses, organisations/groups and religious institutions can implement this plan. Certainly, both the Catholic Church and other non-religious entities can adopt it.

Pope Francis, in 2015, wrote a letter to all people of goodwill entitled Laudato Si’ – On Care For Our Common Home, is a letter. This letter encourages us to be “stewards of creation”. Pope Francis writes that urgent action needs to be taken to re-examine and restore our relationships. He mentions our relationship with our Divine Creator and our relationship with our fellow human beings especially the poor. Finally, our relationship with Mother Earth. He believes that these three are connected – “everything is connected.” (Par 91)

Laudato Si’ goals and concrete action

The Laudato Si’ Action Platform is based on the goals outlined in Laudato Si’. Most noteworthy, these goals emphasise redefining and rebuilding our relationships with each other and with our common home. These seven holistic goals call for a spiritual and cultural revolution to achieve integral ecology. They are found in a document within the Laudato Si’ Action Platform website entitled Overview of Goals and Action. In addition to each goal, a set of actions is being proposed in the coming months. These can be implemented by various entities around the world.

Some of the proposed actions include:

– “Improving sustainability in diets by reducing food waste before and after market, composting, buying food from local producers when possible, transitioning from meat-based to plant-based meals.”

– “Protecting waterways and land by ensuring sensible fertilizer use, instituting drop irrigation and other conservative irrigation models, planting waterway buffers, avoiding the installation of impermeable surfaces around buildings.”

– “Promoting and protecting Indigenous leadership by ensuring Indigenous communities have the rights to their land and by elevating Indigenous leadership.”

– “Sharing resources and wisdom by learning from elders, sharing social resources, sharing monetary resources, and holding community-wide action days.”

– “Ensuring financial investments are ethical and sustainable by divesting from fossil fuels, investing in socially responsible enterprises, and choosing ethical banking and insurance companies.”

– “Practicing fair and sustainable purchasing by supporting ethical businesses, taking a “total cost of ownership approach” to purchases, making a sustainability shopping list, and purchasing from local retailers.”

– “Improving sustainability in consumer purchases by eliminating the use of disposable plastic and styrofoam, correctly recycling as much as possible, and reducing purchases of new consumer goods.”

– “Delivering equitable access to education by ensuring under-represented groups are educated, shaping education programs with a wide variety of people, offering culturally appropriate and/or alternative forms of education, and ensuring that education promotes human rights and dignity.”

These actions and many more are listed under the 7 goals which are: adoption of sustainable lifestyles, community engagement and participatory action, ecological economics, ecological education, ecological spirituality, response to the cry of the earth and response to the cry of the poor.

Endorsement in the community

This 7-year action plan is being endorsed by 150 organisations around the world so far. These include CAFOD, Caritas International, EcoJesuit, the Don Bosco Green Alliance, the Focolare Movement, and The Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Franciscan Minors. Moreover, many more organisations are still enrolling.

What is the Laudato Si’ Action Platform?

The Laudato Si’ Action Platform provides an action-oriented 7-year ecological conversion journey in the spirit of integral ecology. All people of goodwill, are guided by the seven crosscutting Laudato Si’ Goals mentioned above, to learn, grow together and respond to Pope Francis’ letter On Care for Our Common Home. Furthermore, the platform offers inspiration, resources and a flexible framework. This helps translate the values and knowledge of Laudato Si’ into communities of action around the world. This platform is still open to new individuals and groups who wish to join this community and pledge their commitment to developing their own Laudato Si’ Plan.

There is hope

In spite of the social and environmental crisis we are facing, Pope Francis believes that there is still hope. He calls us to develop a “loving awareness” of the common home we share. Furthermore, he encourages us to act on the values we hold dear. He also calls us to urgently embark on new ways of living with “creativity and enthusiasm”, to promote integral ecology. (Par 220 and 221)

For more information and FAQs on the Laudato Sì Action Platform, please visit:
https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/more-information/

Read more:
– Astronomy and Faith
– Ecological Conversion Definition

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By the end of the film I was sure of two things:

i) I wanted to verify whether all this was real.

ii) If it were real, I did not want to be part of it.

As I finished watching the film,  I immediately opened my laptop and visited the Facebook page of the Ocean Ambassador for Malta, Prof. Alan Deidun. He had watched the film too! In a Facebook post, he writes that this film is a “must see”. So I emailed him my questions and did not consume any fish until he replied.

Here is what he told me:

How true is the documentary Seaspiracy?

Prof. Alan Deidun: “The documentary Seaspiracy is factual and credible given that (i) the producer went to great lengths to give the ‘other side’ of the story as well, rather than only peddling his own narrative. (ii) Moreover, the producer consulted with a number of eminent experts in their field, including Dr Sylvia Earle and Prof. Callum Roberts. They are two of the most respected oceanographers and conservation biologists on the global stage.”

Is it true that we do not have models of sustainable fishing at the moment?

Prof. Alan Deidun: “Seaspiracy’s claim that we do not have any examples of sustainable fishing at the moment is true if one looks only at the models of industrial fishing. Such models have a high degree of wastefulness in terms of bycatch which is discarded and thrown into the sea, and over-exploitation of stocks. Within such models, the meaning of the term ‘sustainability’ has been twisted so as to represent only an economically-viable process. This process can be performed year after year for maximum monetary benefits, with little consideration to the environmental impact.”

Can fishing be sustainable?

Prof. Alan Deidun: “Fishing can be sustainable if it is performed at the local level, on an artisanal basis. The documentary Seaspiracy underscores this fact by featuring the difficulties of native western African fishermen.

In Malta, 93% of the Maltese fishermen work on small-scale, artisanal ones, operating from boats which are smaller than 12m in length. This restricts their time out at sea, ensuring that they do not catch much more than they can realistically sell in a few days. That should be the real meaning of sustainability – taking just what is necessary today, rather than hoarding fish so that my competitor does not gain access to it.”

Is it true that dolphin friendly/safe labels are unreliable?

Prof. Alan Deidun: “Regarding the credibility of the dolphin friendly/safe labels: We obviously do not have the investigative means to substantiate such a claim. The onus is now on the certification entity, issuing such a label, to refute the claims made in the documentary. However, what we know as a fact from the scientific literature available, is that at least hundreds of thousands of dolphins of different species fall victim to industrial fisheries each year. Unfortunately, this statistic does not show any sign of levelling off.”

Is the environmental impact of fishing as huge as described in Seaspiracy – bigger than the plastic problem?

Prof. Alan Deidun: “Although I have and still am a vociferous advocate for a ban on single-use plastics, I believe that the ecological impacts being exacted by the over-fishing of our ocean are in fact being downplayed. I think that they are not receiving the immediate attention they deserve. Once again, I stress that I am referring mainly to industrial fishing. It generates exorbitant levels of bycatch. Moreover, the ecological impacts of trawling, which are releasing carbon and pollutants stored in seabed sediments, are contributing to climate change. These changes are also visible from space.

Despite its vastness, there are very few spots within the global ocean which have never taken the toll of bottom trawling. Most of these pristine sites are located close to the poles. The single statistic featured within the documentary which most impressed me concerning fishing subsidies. An estimated 350 billion dollars are being thrown into the fishing industry each year, in the form of subsidies, presumably to keep fish prices low.  This figure outstrips the total needed to fight global hunger (300 billion dollars) as estimated by the United Nations. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14 calls for an end to such harmful fishing subsidies.”

What are the solutions? Should one stop eating fish?

Prof. Alan Deidun:  “Giving up the consumption of fish is, in my humble opinion, not a viable option given that (i) eating fish is generally healthy (despite it being occasionally laced with contaminants, as claimed in the documentary) and that (ii) a considerable fraction of the world’s population depends on fish as its primary source of protein. You do not simply change the mindset or behaviour of billions of people overnight.

What we can feasibly aspire to achieve, however, is to have consumers opt to go for local catch. One can find fish markets and hawkers almost everywhere, including in cities away from the sea. In Malta, given the small-scale nature of Maltese fisheries, this is possible by taking the pain to verify the origins of the fish one is buying. One ironclad way of verifying this is by buying your fish directly at a fish market or from a local fish hawker, and in season (e.g. purchasing lampuki (dorado fish) during the summer and autumn seasons), rather than from a supermarket.  Even the UN’s SDG 14 advocates the need to support small-scale fisheries on a global scale.”

Now I felt clearer about what I could do as a consumer.

Fishing in On Care for Our Common Home

Until I received the Professor’s replies I had googled again On Care for Our Common Home. There are seven mentions of fishing in this letter. Two notable statements Pope Francis makes are in:

Par 48 when Pope Francis outlines the dwindling amounts of fish in our seas: “the depletion of fishing reserves especially hurts small fishing communities without the means to replace those resources.”

Par 40 when Pope Francis brings up the issues of uncontrolled fishing and bycatch: “What is more, marine life in rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, which feeds a great part of the world’s population, is affected by uncontrolled fishing, leading to a drastic depletion of certain species. Selective forms of fishing which discard much of what they collect continue unabated. Particularly threatened are marine organisms which we tend to overlook, like some forms of plankton; they represent a significant element in the ocean food chain, and species used for our food ultimately depend on them.”

Seaspiracy: A great eye opener

Seaspiracy was a great eye opener for me, both on the issues of uncontrolled fishing, bycatch, death of sea animals due to plastics and abandoned fishing gear, and sea floor destruction. It also alerted me to the other heart-breaking issue of slave labour engaged to catch shrimps in some Asian countries. I appreciate the fact that the director Ali Tahrizi and his team went to great lengths to produce the exceptional footage seen in this film, possibly risking his life at times.

Today, I feel more empowered as a consumer because I do not want to be part of this destruction.  For me, this means no more canned tuna in my Maltese ftira (a flat bread), no more salmon, and shrimps. Opting for local catch (not farmed or caught through industrial fishing) can be more sea-friendly. I’m also trying flaxseed oil to replace the omega 3s etc and look forward to exploring eating sea plants when the opportunity arises.

Read more:
– 4 Maltese Professional Read Laudato Si
– My Covid-19 Experience Poem

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Ecological Conversion Definition 

The word ‘ecological’ comes from the noun ‘ecology’ which means the branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment. Whilst the word ‘conversion’ comes from the Anglo-French word, ‘conversio’ which means a complete change.

Thus, ‘Ecological Conversion’ implies a change in how we look at, interact and behave, to care for our common home. It means changes in the choices that we make in our daily life, that have an effect on the environment as a whole;  on other living organisms, including people. It is a change for the betterment or improvement of all creation and its creatures. A person who has ecologically converted acts like a human being in the image of God where s/he seeks to live in harmony with nature (including people); a steward rather than someone who dominates.

Ecological conversion in the Catholic perspective usually includes:

1. A sense of gratitude and gratuitousness (cf. Care for Our Common Home 220)

Through the Catholic faith one becomes open to a sense of thankfulness and wonder as one recognises “that the world is God’s loving gift, and that we are called quietly to imitate his generosity in self-sacrifice and good works,” even when no one is looking.
What are you thankful for? What do you wish to give in return?

2. Awareness that I am also part of the book of Creation (cf. Care for Our Common Home 220)

“It also entails a loving awareness that we are not disconnected from the rest of creatures, but joined in a splendid universal communion. As believers, we do not look at the world from without but from within, conscious of the bonds with which the Father has linked us to all beings. By developing our individual, God-given capacities, an ecological conversion can inspire us to greater creativity and enthusiasm in resolving the world’s problems and in offering ourselves to God “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable” (Rom 12:1).” So creation is like a word of love from God to you and you are a word of love from God to the rest of Creation.
What does God’s trust in you inspire within you? 

3. Awareness that every creature reflects something of who God is: goodness, knowledge, beauty, love, gentleness (etc.) (cf. Care for Our Common Home 221)

The Catholic perspective of ecological conversion is recognising “that each creature reflects something of God and has a message to convey to us, and the security that Christ has taken unto himself this material world and now, risen, is intimately present to each being, surrounding it with his affection and penetrating it with his light.”
Choose a creature, an insect, a flower, a fruit, a person… and contemplate on it. What does this creature tell me about God?

4. Acknowledging harmony and order in creation (cf. Care for Our Common Home 221)

Ecological conversion for the Catholic is also knowing “that God created the world, writing into it an order and a dynamism that human beings have no right to ignore. We read in the Gospel that Jesus says of the birds of the air that “not one of them is forgotten before God” (Lk 12:6). How then can we possibly mistreat them or cause them harm?”
Observe the rhythms, colours, cycles and seasons in nature. What is God’s invitation to you today?

Ecological Conversion is a particular way of looking at creation prompting a change of heart

Therefore, “Ecological Conversion” in the Catholic sense is this new way of looking at creation; a new way of living our life in deeper harmony with the people around us, with the creatures we live with and with God. It can mean choosing to have less in life but living more of life to ensure that all, including future generations, benefit equally from the Earth’s resources.

Pope Francis presents the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi as a model for this conversion: “to realise that a healthy relationship with creation is one dimension of overall personal conversion, which entails the recognition of our errors, sins, faults and failures, and leads to heartfelt repentance and desire to change. To achieve such reconciliation, we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions and our failure to act. We need to experience a conversion, or change of heart”. (cf. Care for Our Common Home 218)

Ecological conversion definition

Read more:
– Why Care for our Common Home? – Fr Rob Galea
– Top Pope Francis’ Sustainability Quotes

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The heart of a Pope who loves the heart of a loving God

“When I first read this letter, I thought ‘oh my goodness! this is another letter about the environment, what we need to do, why don’t we focus on the Church, on things that matter.

But as I read this letter and reflected on it I just understood the heart of a Pope who loves the heart of a loving God! You see, God has given us this planet, not because of anything else but just the fact he loves us. He wants us to be people who are happy and full of life. But we have taken this mansion, this planet, and we have abused it, we have destroyed it. In that we have also destroyed the beauty of it that is a reflection of who God is.

The Church has a history of advocating for beauty

The Church has a history of looking after beauty, the Sistine Chapel, all these beautiful works of art and ornaments we have in the Church. She is the biggest advocate for beauty and we love to promote beauty. So it makes sense for me that the Church is the loud voice here advocating for this beauty which is our planet. It’s not only the beauty of this planet, but it is also who it is affecting, that is more important than the rest of creation, that is affecting you and me, but ultimately it is also affecting the poorest of the poor.

So even though we might destroy things and think it doesn’t affect us, actually it does. Everything you do affects me, just as much as anything done in Brazil affects me here, in Australia, and affect you in Malta.  The thing is, we impact one another, that is the nature of humanity, the nature of living on a shared planet. But we can do something about it, we can restore this beauty if we put our heads together to make something beautiful, even out of something so desperate.

“On Care For Our Common home” and Covid-19

We are in a place of a pandemic, a place of isolation, and the planet has had a chance to breathe. Let’s take this opportunity now, a time where we have isolated ourselves and used less fossil fuels, used less resources, travelled less. Let’s try to continue this streak to look after this planet.

We don’t do it because we love the planet only, but because we love God, who has given us this planet. We love God who is Beauty and in this planet we see the beauty of God. So let us make a difference, get our heads together, and look after what God has given us just to give glory to God. In doing so, we’re worshipping and honouring the God of Beauty, the God who loves us and the God who wants to give us life and beauty to the full.”

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Prof Paul J. Pace – EkoSkola Programme Co-Ordinator

“In his letter, Pope Francis emphasises the need to change today’s economic model. This model generated development which put profit before the wellbeing of people and creation, promising us a secure future. COVID -19 showed us how trifling this promise was. True development is enjoyed by all, especially the vulnerable. It builds communities of solidarity and respects creation. I hope that we learn from this experience and we won’t repeat the same mistakes.”

Architect Joanna Spiteri Staines – Din L-Art Ħelwa Council Member

“The intrisic qualities of the landscape of Malta and Gozo are very precious to many of us. For this reason, the publication of Laudato Si struck a cord for me personally. For the first time in many years, I felt that I was fighting a battle with the Church on my side; indeed “united by the same concern”. For indeed, to destroy the environment is a form of violence against the earth. The encyclical calls for change to stop the global environmental destruction. However, it also calls for change of our common home and such change must start here on these tiny islands. ”

Prof. Ruben Paul Borg – Chairman of Sustainable Built Malta

“Pope Francis refers to the balance which exists in nature, and how this contrasts directly with the throwaway culture affecting our World. We have been ineffective in the adoption of a circular model of production, which reduces the consumption of non-renewable resources, optimizes their efficient use and which promotes reusing and recycling. Industrial systems need to absorb waste at the end of the cycle. As responsible consumers, we need to put in a greater commitment for the preservation of resources, for present and future generations.”

Prof. Alan Deidun – Ocean Ambassador For Malta

“The Church fully accepts the findings by scientific community, and acknowledges that in matters related to the environment, science should have the final say. I’m glad by this major breakthrough. Besides an economical, political and social reality, there is also a spiritual dimension to the environment.  The environment is now deeply entrenched in the Catholic Social Teaching. The poor are the ones who are badly hit by climate change so this is indeed a social justice issue. Laudato Si is a landmark document on how Catholics and non-believers should relate to the environment.”

This article written on the occassion of Laudato Si Week 2020 was worked in collaboration with the Interdiocesan Environmental Commission.

Read more:
– “I Was Raised On The Farm” – 11 Life Lessons From The Field
– Top Pope Francis’ Global And Local Human Solidarity Quotes

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1. Human ecology effects environmental ecology

“When human ecology is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits.”
Pope Benedict 16th, General Audience, 2009.

2. Human ecology is connected to both God and nature

“We are losing our attitude of wonder, of contemplation, of listening to creation and thus we no longer manage to interpret in it what Benedict XVI calls “the rhythm of the love-story between God and man . Why does this happen? Why do we think and live horizontally, we have drifted away from God, we no longer read his signs… However “cultivating and caring do not only entail the relationship between us and the environment, between man and creation. They also concern human relations. The popes have spoken of a human ecology, closely connected with environmental ecology.
Pope Francis, General Audience, June 2013

3. There are vital links between peace and human ecology

“Experience shows that disregard for the environment always harms human coexistence, and vice versa. It becomes more and more evident that there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among men.
Pope Benedict 16th, “The Garden of God , CUA Press, 2014, p.14

4. The world needs a commitment to human ecology

“There is an urgent need, even within the framework of current international difficulties and tensions, for a commitment to a human ecology that can favour the growth of the “tree of peace . For this to happen, we must be guided by a vision of the person untainted by ideological and cultural prejudices or by political and economic interests which can instil hatred and violence.
Pope Francis, General Audience, 2013, 10

5. The world needs to be analysed in its totality of relationships

“The world cannot be analysed by isolating only one of its aspects, since “the book of nature is one and indivisible , and includes the environment, life, sexuality, the family, social relations, and so forth.
Pope Francis, Care of our Common Home, 2015

Read more:
– Top Pope Francis’ Sustainability Quotes

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. Budding Maltese artist Isaac Warrington, addresses the human being, and other themes like spirituality, wellbeing and the environment, through his works of art, with an emphasis on Malta.

God Blocked (mixed media, 42 x 59 cms)

Isaac Warrington starts by explaining some of the features in this painting:

The Crane – Addressing several modern-day existential issues, Isaac presents the crane and the oil rig as symbols of power while the human head is portrayed between these two big machines.

The Eye – The eye is the observer, often without a voice. One observes the world being twisted and tearing itself apart. The eye also symbolises paranoia and fear, and is also a window to the soul.

The Materials on The Roof – On the human head one can observe things which are typically found on roofs like aerials, a factory chimney and wires. “Sometimes it feels like man is going through mutation rather than evolution, Isaac says. “The physical environment as we know it now is changing the way man thinks and behaves. The environment as it currently is does not cater for spirituality, for man to experience him/herself as a spiritual being.

The Scaffolding – Then there is the interesting scaffolding in the division of the human head, something is being built. “I wanted to show that man is different than what he was meant to be, he is sort of being moulded in a new way.  Isaac says.

Inspired by Charles Taylor’s book Ethics of Authenticity, this drawing portrays the pure angst and existential dread of the modern age. With reference to the book, this drawing deals with two main factors that contribute to a loss of purpose. “Firstly, the relationship of the human person with something bigger than us. I feel that man is experiencing a disconnection rather than a connection with God, nature, this something bigger than us, he says. “Secondly, the state of the land, our relationship with the environment we inhabit. I am speaking about my homeland, Malta.

Our Relationship With Something Bigger

Isaac feels that losing our values eventually effects man’s wellbeing and sense of purpose. “The rejection of the notion of God and the idea of an afterlife is accompanied by a loss of rituals and a general decline in morality. With the disappearance of utopia, the sense of purpose suffers.” he says.

The State Of The Land

Isaac deeply feels the impact that the environment and the place we call our home has on our mental and physical health. He quotes Winston Churchill when had said that “we shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us. “We have somewhat lost interest in architecture with meaning. We have shifted to one that is cold in appearance and aesthetically lacking. So this drawing calls for a sense of balance. It calls for respect for the land. It calls for a harmonious relationship with our surroundings and a rediscovery of the bigger scheme of things. This work is in fact a call for balance- a struggle that humanity has been trying to achieve for centuries. Isaac concludes.

Photo of Isaac Warrington by Jess Worley

Read more:
– Top Pope Francis’ Sustainability Quotes
– Top Pope Francis’ Solidarity Quotes

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Besides nature and the environment, the Church also speaks in a wider sense about the word “creation”. While nature is usually seen as a system which can be studied, understood and controlled, creation is understood as a gift. “Every creature is thus the object of the Father’s tenderness, who gives it its place in the world. Even the fleeting life of the least of beings is the object of his love, and in its few seconds of existence, God enfolds it with his affection.”

In the same letter On Care For Our Common Home, the Pope states that “the destruction of the human environment is extremely serious”. Thus he addresses “every person living on this planet” to reflect on how society is being controlled and what place does the human being have in the world; “I propose that we focus on the dominant technocratic paradigm and the place of human beings and of human action in the world.” The response would be an integral ecology which “includes taking time to recover a serene harmony with creation, reflecting on our lifestyle and our ideals, and contemplating the Creator who lives among us and surrounds us”.

Read more:
– On Care For Our Common Home
– Global Catholic Climate Movement
– Theology Against Land Grabbing
– ZERI Zero Emmissions Research and Initiatives 
– Introduction to Permaculture, Mollison Bill, 1991.
– The One-Straw Revolution, Fukuolka Masanobu, 1978.
– Top Pope Francis’ Leadership Quotes

Watch:

The post The Catholic Social Teaching – Environment appeared first on Universe of Faith.

Alfred E. Baldacchino, makes a point on the importance of indigenous and endemic plants and the concerns associated with introducing alien species in a country. This article refers particularly to the biodiversity of Malta.

“In the 1970s the government of Malta introduced Acacias trees which are detrimental to some people suffering from asthma, allergies, sinusitis etc. This alien species was introduced in Malta after a donation to the government of the time. Today, landscapers are doing the same mistakes by introducing alien species in roundabouts, streets and other urban areas. One such example is the fountain grass, Penisetum, which following its planting in major roads, has now escaped and is growing uncontrolled along streets, in fields and also in valleys, competing with indigenous flora.  Alfred Baldacchino explained that while there are also indigenous plants which can cause allergies these grow in small quantities and not invasively like the alien species.

Alfred believes that landscaping streets needs to be combined with respect for the local wildlife and ecosystem. He mentions examples from other countries:  “Australia and New Zealand spray each plane that lands to control the introduction of alien insects from being accidentally introduced in their country. They have learned their lesson hard after Europeans introduced foreign species which brought havoc to their indigenous biodiversity. England is spending billions to control the negative impacts of invasive species. What can we learn from them?

Alfred insists that our approach needs to change and that things can be done in a different and more professionally. “We can use many of our indigenous flora, which are so easy to propagate. We have so many beautiful wildflowers. For example Israel uses indigenous trees, such as the carob, to landscape its streets. We can do the same. Indigenous flora should be propagated locally and not imported for commercial reasons. This would help economically, ecologically and socially. We have to put our priorities right. Environmental landscaping needs to move hand in hand socially and ecologically.

Alfred also warns about the dangers of importing olive trees which are suffering from a deadly disease causing great economical and ecological damages. “Do we have to go through such negative ecological and economical experience to make us aware of the actions that needed to be taken? he asks.

Alfred calls for the appreciation of our indigenous plants, those which have been adorning our country before the arrival of man, as well as implementing clear policies concerning alien invasive species which are destroying our ecosystems.

Pope Francis, in his letter On Care for Our Common Home also echoes this thinking when he said that some profits cause “terrible injustices, much greater than the economic benefit to be obtained, . He also dedicates thirteen paragraphs (24, 32-42, 169, 190) of this letter on the value and protection of biodiversity.

Read more:
Ideas to Help Save the Environment

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Are your ways of travelling creating too much pollution? (20)

Boycotting proves to be successful in changing ways business is done. (206)

Creating community spaces wisely with green areas available for the pleasure of all is essential. (44,45)

Decrease pesticides. (34)

Eat local food.

Find time to pray.(233-237)

Get real in your relationships and go beyond the virtual. (47)

Hear the opinions and needs of indigenous people. (145)

Inspire others by consuming less. (203, 222)

Juggling too many things can become tiring. Slow down and rediscover your lost values. (114)

Keep the common good in the first place. (54)

Let’s create biological corridors when building highways, dams etc so that species can emigrate. (35)

Movements in favour of life, the environment and social justice are all related together. (91)

Nature is God’s caress. Enjoy it to recover your true self. (84)

Overconsumption not overpopulation is the real problem. (50)

Purchase fair-trade.

Quick and easy profits can cause terrible injustices,  much greater than the economic benefits to be obtained.(36)

Rest and refresh yourself on Sundays, also through mass. (237, 68, 71)

Supporting small producers is a right and duty of civil authorities. (129)

Turn-off unnecessary light.

Upcycle your clothes.

Value and protect biodiversity, especially those found in wild forests and coastal zones. (24, 32-42, 169, 190)

Water should be at a price that the poor can afford. (27-31)

Xtra airline miles? Consider donating your unused reward points to an environmental charity

You  can do your part in caring for creation because we all do some small ecological damage. (8)

Zooming through many data and screens can create mental pollution. (47)

Becoming a green Catholic is a process which involves lifestyle changes to respect the environment and fellow human beings. Pope Francis thinks that we are at kindergarten level when it comes to holistic ecology. He believes that people are looking for believers when it comes to how to look after God’s creation. Let’s change ourselves and do what we can for creation!

Read more:
– Pope Francis’ Letter – On Care For Our Common Home
– Comparing Myself To Others – How To Stop
Watch:

‘We can all do something small …’

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