PPT-34 Green Earth Movement An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice Remember - “you and I can decide the future” WANT.

PPT-34

Green Earth Movement

An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace, Harmony and Justice

Remember - “you and I can decide the future”

WANT TOPROTECTPLANET?

A Change in LifestyleFr Lancy Pinto, courtesy: Examiner, Aug. 15, 2015

Fr Lancy Pinto is the Chairperson of the Justice and Peace Commission, Mumbai.

We need to bring about changes in our lifestyle if we want to protect our planet.

This year the historic encyclical of Pope Francis - Laudato si' - has created a deep impact not only in the minds of Catholics, but among people of all faiths. This encyclical has touched the heads of the nations. Some of them have acclaimed it, and as usual, there are some who have subjected it to criticism.

Well, one could reflect deeply on every page of the encyclical, but I would prefer to restrict my thoughts to the whole attitude of consumerism that the Pope speaks about. A change in our mindset could definitely affect the climate.

Is consumerism a bane or a boon? This question will be highly debatable because one could view it from different perspectives. For the economist, it could be considered a boon, precisely because the more you consume, the greater the demand, leading to an enhanced growth in economy and creation of more job opportunities.

However, from an environmentalist's point of view, this would surely be a bane, because a consumerist world creates tremendous pressure on the environment, denuding its natural forests and finite mineral resources.

Consumerism may lead to greed for more and more, resulting in a tremendous waste. Technology has made most things cheaper. Computers, printers, mobiles and other electronic gadgets that were expensive just a few years ago are easily affordable today, and at a much cheaper price. Today's modern technology has turned the tide.

In one way or another, all of us fall prey to consumerism. The feeling of emptiness from within leads us to have a desire. "The emptier a person's heart is, the more he or she needs things to buy, own and consume." (LS 204)

This consumerist culture often entices us to buy/consume more than we need, only because it was cheap or had some other benefi t like: "Buy one, get one free." We tend to buy things that we do not need at all. Why do you buy things you don't use? I once asked my friend who used to frequent malls here on his annual visit to Mumbai. "It is quite simple,“ he answered, "Things are much cheaper here, and I just buy it because I don't feel the pinch.“

We are caught up in this web of consumerism because "The market tends to promote extreme consumerism in an effort to sell its products. People can easily get caught up in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending. Compulsive consumerism is one example of how the techno-economic paradigm affects individuals." (LS 203)

Pessimism will not get us anywhere near a solution. We are people of hope and we need to work against all odds. Things can change if we are ready to do our bit in this society. The Pope believes that though the situation on is grim: "Yet all is not lost. Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new start, despite their mental and social conditioning. We are able to take an honest look at ourselves, to acknowledge our deep dissatisfaction, and to embark on new paths to authentic freedom. No system can completely suppress our openness to what is good, true and beautiful or our God-given ability to respond to His grace at work deep in our hearts. I appeal to everyone throughout the world not to forget this dignity, which is ours. No one has theright to take it from us." (LS 205)

One begins to wonder whether changing one's lifestyle could really bring any change. What changes could we bring in our lifestyle? There are a host of things we could do.Maybe I could mention on a few of them, and I am sure you will find many more:

1. Use public transport: It is much easier to travel by one‘s own car or a two-wheeler. But if we use public transport instead, we will be doing less harm to the environment, and at the same time, you will be able to save some money. Walking to the bazaar or short distances will also add value towards your good health. On Sundays, a walk to the church as a family will help you enjoy the walk and offer quality time with your family. When taking your children to school or going to your workplace, create a car pool with your colleagues or neighbours.

2. One can easily opt to become a 'green consumer'. While purchasing, prefer buying things which are environmentally friendly. Purchase those goods that come in recyclable packs. If purchasing electrical goods, look out for energy savers.

3. If you want to save and invest in banks or companies, choose and promote those who are environmentally conscious and are green consumers.

4. Make best use of leftovers from the kitchen. Food could be recycled creatively.

5. If you go to a restaurant, request for your excess food to be parceled so that wastage is eliminated.6. Cook only what can reasonably be consumed. (LS 211)

7. Make best use of natural sunlight.

8. Save every drop of water. Recycle water and whenever possible, promote water harvesting in housing societies.

9. Plant trees where possible. Stop deforestation. Every tree helps to maintain and restore the balance in the ecosystem.

10. Say 'no to plastics.

11. Share resources in terms of knowledge, skills and your methods of intervention on in dealing with consumerism.

12. Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested energy saving practices like switching off streetlights on full-moon nights and using bicycles at least once a week. This could go a long way in saving energy and our planet from heating.

13. Form environmental groups in the vicinity and find creative means of re-using or recycling various things. “A change in lifestyle could bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power. This is what consumer movements accomplish by boycotting certain products. They prove successful in changing the way businesses operate, forcing them to consider their environmental footprint and their patterns of production.When social pressure affects their earnings, businesses clearly have to find ways to produce differently. This shows us the great need for a sense of social responsibility on thepart of consumers. (LS 206)

Longing and waiting for things to change will only be a futile dream, but persevering efforts in making things change will make the dream a reality! Let's do it together! Praise bethe Lord!

See questions for group sharing on the last slide.This educational PowerPoint Presentation (editable) is

prepared by GEM Team (courtesy: internet). For other similar GEM PowerPoint Presentations on various

environmental issues see next slide. These PPTs may be downloaded from our website

www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in

The GEM PPTs can be creatively used for various groups like school/college students, NGOs, government officials, Church groups,

SCC groups, housing society members and so on.

1. Twenty Simple Tips 2. Solar Energy3. Junk Food 4. Plastic – a boon or bane? 5. Green Passion6. Zero Garbage 7. Soft drink – A Health Hazard8. Waste to energy9. Rain Water Harvesting 10. Eco-friendly Religions11. Happy Green Diwali12. Climate Change13. The future of Biodiversity14. Genetically Modified Foods15. Waste Water Treatment16. Body, Organ, Tissue Donation17. Organic Farming

18. Waste to cooking gas19. Reduce, Reuse. Recycle20. Protect Mangroves21. Say NO to Bottled water22. Save Lakes and Ponds 23. Forests are green lungs24. Coal Mining and Ecology25. Sin of Food Waste26. Climate change and Poverty27. Stop Water Pollution28. Carbon Footprints29. Parks and Open Spaces30. Rising Sea Levels31. Water disaster32. Laudato Si – Pope’s Encyclical33. Air Pollution34. Life Style Changes

ALO VISIT

www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.infor the following Resource Materials:

1] BIBLE QUEST(BQ) – A simple objective type bible quiz with 50 questions each, covering most books of the Bible. Participants have to read only 10 chapters of a particular book of the Bible. There are 43 sets of BQs, along with their answers, to be conducted preferably once a month.

The organisers have to just download the quiz question sets, and see to the organizing part of the quiz. This BQ may b conducted in many other creative ways.

For further details, go to the BIBLE QUEST section of the above website.

2] GENERAL QUIZ SECTION: There are plenty of religion related and general quizzes with their respective answers. These quizzes includes GK, IQ, Church, Faith, Eucharist, Liturgy and so on

3] Know ur environment contest, environment rally ideas, appeal letter on zero garbage, Green Housing society Trophy and so on

4] Jokes, puzzles etc for children and youth.

For Free Weekly GEM E-Newsletters visit – www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – every

Friday. Go to GEM section, click GEM E-NEWSLETTERS

Questions for sharing

1] As a priest, leader of the community how can you be a role model by your simple life style without compromising on the comforts you need for your ministry?

2] In this all pervading consumerist culture how will you convince your parishioners to change their life style? Share your strategies.

3] As a concrete follow up on today's session and to act on Pope’s encyclical on environment, can we have a 10 minutes slot in each deanery meeting to share on various projects taken up in your parishes and institutions?