Our Lady of Hope Maine

Small Steps to Care for Our Common Home

Mar 9, 2022 | Environment, Social Justice & Peace, Universal Apostolic Preferences

Maine Coast at mid tide

Lent, the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, is a traditional time for fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. Our Lady of Hope’s Social Justice and Peace Commission and the Jesuit Community invite you to consider taking environmentally friendly actions that show care for “Our Common Home.” By prayerfully engaging in one or more of the following suggested actions, we can collectively steward our resources (a traditional reason for fasting).

We also invite you to share your commitment to undertake one or more of these actions with others in the parish by placing a green dot on the posters at St. Pius X and St. Joseph. By making this witness, we hope that our communal practice can build the sense of community and shared purpose in the parish.

Some of these steps are ones you already have incorporated into your routine, some may be new. And, there are undoubtedly ones that aren’t in this list that could be. Go ahead. Take bigger steps! In a couple of months, we’ll revisit this topic. We’ll learn from each other about the ways that these steps have influenced our thinking, daily actions – and prayer life!

Places to start:

  • Turn off lights when you leave a room.
  • Switch light bulbs to eco-friendly LED light bulbs.
  • Unplug devices and appliances when not in use.
  • Reduce your use of single-use plastics.
  • Replace disposable plastic water bottle and straws with stainless.
  • Replace plastic wrap with reusable silicone covers.
  • Store food in reusable containers.
  • Drive your car less often.
  • Carpool, use public transportation, ride your bike, or walk, when possible.
  • Combine as many errands as you can in one car trip.
  • Pick up litter.
  • Take a walk in your neighborhood and pick up 10 pieces of litter.
  • Spend an hour clearing up a local park, beach, lake, or river.
  • Clean out your wardrobe. Donate items you haven’t worn in a long time.
  • Recycle electronics (including chords and cables).
  • Add a meatless Monday (or other day) to meatless Fridays.
  • Buy local. Buy produce at a winter farmers market

Improve Your Eco-Knowledge Watch a documentary, read a book or an article. Have a discussion with family and friends – and Go Green for Lent! It may just change your perspective beyond this season.

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