A Carbon Fast for Lent: Day 15

Day 15: Snub plastic bags. Get into the habit of taking your rucksack (or backpack, etc.) to the supermarket or go retro with a cart. Ask your supermarket to remove unnecessary packaging.

Turns out there are all sorts of biodegradable things you can get to help with this. Emily of The Lost Albatross posted some links over at Daily Mitzvah about biodegradable poop bags and shopping/kitchen bags. She also pointed out that there are companies working on "bioplastics" that are not based on fossil fuels. Check them all out.

I myself am not very good with much of this. More reflections later, but for me, the mere acting of doing a daily entry about each of the days of the Carbon Fast have opened my eyes in a lot of different ways. Seems to me the hysteria from the Right about A) the science is wrong or at least exaggerated; or B) it would cost too much to do anyway, is just overblown. I think it's more selfishness: people will use any excuse simply to not change their lifestyle. I guess it's kind of like sitting in poop. Even if you know that after a while it will stink and could even kill you because of infection and all that, they won't change because for the moment it's warm and even comfortable. There. That's my own contribution to exageration and hyperbole on this topic. And the worst of it is, I'm one of those people! I am doing a tererible job of reducing my carbon footprint. And I accept the science (what's not to accept?) and am persuaded by the dangers.

And then I am reminded about what's perhaps equally or even more important as we continue to debate this as a global society:

Grant, O Lord, that as your Son Jesus Christ prayed for his enemies on the cross, so we may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us, that we ourselves may be able to receive your forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

RFSJ