Two of the Church of England's most senior Bishops are today urging people to cut their carbon rather than give up chocolate this Lent.
The Bishop of Liverpool and Vice President of Tearfund, the Rt Rev James Jones, and the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, are joining with development agency Tearfund in calling for a cut in personal carbon use for each of the 40 days of Lent, which begins tomorrow.
At the same time a Tearfund survey reveals that three out of five adults in the UK are willing to take an energy saving action this Lent.
Tearfund and the bishops have launched the fast because of the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, and to protect poor communities around the world who are already suffering from the ravages of climate change.
Bishop Jones said: "Traditionally people have given up things for Lent. This year we are inviting people to join us in a Carbon Fast. It is the poor who are already suffering the effects of climate change. To carry on regardless of their plight is to fly in the face of Christian teaching.
"The tragedy is that those with the power to do something about it are least affected, whilst those who are most affected are powerless to bring about change. There's a moral imperative on those of us who emit more than our fair share of carbon to rein in our consumption."
The Carbon Fast is a forty-day journey through Lent, towards a lighter carbon footprint, with a simple energy saving action per day. Actions include snubbing plastic bags, giving the dishwasher a day off, insulating the hot water tank, and checking the house for drafts with a ribbon and buying draught excluders
Participants are asked to begin the Carbon Fast by removing one light bulb from a prominent place in the home and live without it for 40 days as a constant visual reminder during Lent of the need to cut energy. On the final day of the Fast, people are encouraged to replace the missing bulb with an energy-saving bulb. Over its lifetime that one bulb will save 60kg of carbon dioxide per year and up to £60.
