Lenten Carbon Fasting Action List

Pick three or four items from this list for your Lenten carbon fast.

Individual Actions:

  1. Eliminate single-use plastics
    1. Use a reusable shopping bag
  2. Recycle at Rockingham County Landfill:
    1. Plastics (1, 2, 5), Glass, Aluminum, Metal, Paper, Cardboard, Batteries, Computers (desktops, tablets, phones, laptops, etc.)
  3. Reduce food waste
  4. Buy locally grown foods
  5. Reduce or eliminate beef consumption
  6. Switch to a plant-rich diet. 
  7. Plan to plant a garden this spring
    1. Grow your own food
    2. Compost
    3. Reduce/eliminate use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc.

Home Energy Use:

  1. Use a toaster oven
  2. Use a microwave to heat water or reheat food instead of a stove or oven
  3. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs
  4. Turn off lights when you leave a room
  5. Turn off power to computers, TV, etc., when not in use or use a smart power strip 
  6. Reduce the amount of hot water use
    1. Wash clothes with cold water
      1. Use powdered laundry soap or laundry detergent sheets
      2. Dry clothes by hanging them (instead of an electric dryer)
      3. Use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets at lower dryer temperature
    2. Take shorter showers
  7. Only run the dishwasher when full
    1. Run the air-dry option
  8. Adjust your thermostat or use a programmable thermostat
    1. Adjust for less energy use (cooler in winter, warmer in summer)
    2. Reduce heating and cooling when on vacation or at work

Transportation:

  1. When possible, walk
  2. Ride a bike
  3. Use public transportation
  4. Form carpools
  5. Obey the speed limit
  6. Eliminate unnecessary rapid acceleration
  7. Eliminate unnecessary trips (instead of multiple trips, make one trip to the store)

Reading Suggestions:

  1. Reforesting Faith by Matthew Sleeth
  2. Earth Gospel by Sam Hamilton Poore
  3. The Green Bible Devotional: A Book of Daily Readings by Harper Bibles

Connect with an Advocacy Group: