Laudato Si

On Thursday June 18, 2015, Pope Francis released his environmental encyclical, Laudato Si’, or “Praised Be” from the words of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Brother Sun.” In his encyclical, the Holy Father stated that: “If the simple fact of being human moves people to care for the environment of which they are a part, Christians in their turn realize that their responsibility within creation, and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith.” Pope Francis urges that “all of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.” This will not be an easy task, however, and will require “honesty, courage and responsibility,” as “humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption.” But asserting that “truly, much can be done,” he reassures us that “local individuals and groups can make a real difference.”

The Action Plan found within the online Laudato Si' Action Plan contains a menu of options that parishes and parishioners can take to start the difficult spiritual work of reversing the threat of global climate change and environmental degradation, and existing more sustainably in harmony with God's creation. Because there is so much variety and diversity between parishes in terms of human and financial resources, the menu of options presented here are ranked easy, moderate, and advanced.

Everyone is encouraged to go as far as they can in implementing Laudato Si'. More importantly, all Catholics are urged by Pope Francis to seek the change of heart that is required to make these actions part of their daily lives. 

This Action Plan also provides links to other resources that pastoral staff and parishioners can access to learn more and carry out the actions they select. The links consist of web pages where Catholics can drill deeper into each topic, such as finding out how to get an energy audit for your parish or home; calculating your family's carbon footprint; learning about native plants for your parish or home garden, or how to generate support for national policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

As Laudato Si' observes, the most critical environmental challenge that we face is the threat of global climate change. However, as Pope Francis observes "avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating refuse, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living beings, using public transport or car-pooling, planting trees, turning off unnecessary lights, or any number of other practices," are also needed to address our "responsibility within creation, and [our] duty towards nature and the Creator."

Some may fear that the Pope's encyclical is an attack on our economic values and way of life. To the contrary, His Holiness asserts that: "business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the areas in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good." What Pope Francis asks of us is a "profound interior conversion" that will come from "major paths of dialogue" and lead us toward a future in which "all people can prosper personally and economically in harmony with the gifts God has given us in nature." 

As Laudato Si’ states, climate scientists around the world have clearly shown that the Earth’s atmosphere has been heating up rapidly since the early 1800s. Carbon is the main building block of life on Earth, and it is constantly being stored in living things or buried in the ground, or released into the atmosphere and oceans. This is called the “carbon cycle” (pictured). Since the Industrial Revolution (around 1750-1850) our burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas in our homes, cars, power plants, and factories has released large amounts of carbon dioxide (or CO2) into the atmosphere. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is already higher than it has been for more than 800,000 years. Left unchecked, the CO2 in the atmosphere will soon be higher than it has been for many millions of years.

A basic physical property of CO2 is that it traps heat in the atmosphere. We know that the Earth’s climate shifts naturally due to things like volcanic eruptions and solar activity, but since CO2 traps heat so effectively it is now the main “driver” of climate change. The build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere has already led to global warming, especially in the Arctic regions of Earth; more severe weather patterns such as heavier storms and longer droughts; and faster melting of Earth’s mountain glaciers and ice caps. Temperatures have been rising almost steadily since the late 1970s, and the six-month period from January to June 2015 has been the warmest in 135 years. Other evidence shows that  this is being caused by the rising concentrations of CO2 in our atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels.

If we don’t act soon to reduce our generation of CO2 in the atmosphere, global temperatures may rise as much as 8 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). Climate change is not something that will happen in the distant future, it is happening right now, and it threatens our prosperity, our society, and our very civilization. It is one of the most urgent and complicated problems humanity has ever faced.

Environmental education "seeks also to restore the various levels of ecological equilibrium, establishing harmony within ourselves, with others, with nature and other living creatures, and with God. Environmental education should facilitate making the leap towards the transcendent which gives ecological ethics its deepest meaning." 

Green Teams

Forming "Green Teams"  

There are several ways in which schools and parishes can begin to educate their students, staff, and parishioners on the most important environmental issues. One way is to form a parish "green team," creation care team, or environmental ministry, which would take the lead in not only implementing specific practices, but in developing environmental education materials for Adult Education programs,  

Young Adult groups, Social Action Committees, and other ministries. Boston Catholic Climate Movement has resources available for development of Green Teams. In schools, students could form Green Clubs, St. Francis Clubs, or Laudato Si' Clubs that might serve as role models and leaders for other students. Green Clubs in our Catholic schools can take the lead in creating gardens, composting, recycling, and environmental awareness, working with science, religion, and art teachers to better put Laudato Si' into action. "Good education plants seeds when we are young, and these continue to bear fruit throughout life," says the Holy Father. In Laudato Si', the Holy FAther "challenges us to examine our lifestyle."  He urges us to work together and educate each other on the issues he raises in his encyclical.  

Cars and trucks are important and valuable parts of our American lives, economy and culture.  However, in Massachusetts, transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases, especially CO2.  This comes from the gasoline and diesel fuel we put in our engines.  How much we drive and the type of vehicle we drive has a big impact on our carbon footprint.  Pope Francis could have been describing Massachusetts when he wrote: “many cars, used by one or more people, circulate in cities, causing traffic congestion, raising the level of pollution, and consuming enormous quantities of non-renewable energy.”  Sadly, around Boston and statewide, most of us drive alone.  As Massachusetts population is expected to grow by about 400,000 people in the next 20 years, with even high growth in Boston and other urban centers, traffic will make our commutes and our air pollution even worse than they are now. As the Pope reminds us: “advances have been made in the production of non-polluting energy and in the improvement of public transportation.  These achievements do not solve global problems, but they do show that men and women are still capable of intervening positively.” 

Parish and Schools

Parishes and schools based in large cities will have a very different set of Transportation needs and opportunities for impacting the carbon emission compared to their rural counterparts.  In building the best plan for your organization engage with your community to get their ideas and concerns.

Encourage Carpooling

One way that Catholics can continue to respond positively to Laudato Si is by sharing rides to Sunday Mass, school, and parish events.  Some parishes attract parishioners from as many different towns.  Others, especially suburban parishes, have more tightly clustered parishioners. There are many opportunities in each parish for folks to carpool to church or school, and thus reduce their consumption of fossil.  Carpooling to church can also serve as an extra way for parishioners to get to know each other and ease parking issues. 

For commuters, MassDOT offers tips and guidance on carpooling through massRIDES.com to help improve commuters set up car pools, save money, and improve the quality of our air.  Additionally, parishes and parish organizations can develop carpool lists and databases to link parishioners interested in carpooling. 

EV Car Charging Stations

Parishes and schools can encourage parishioners, teachers, and students to drive electric cars to work and church by installing a few charging stations.  As these tend to be near buildings that can accommodate them, they can also have the best parking spaces! You can contact your electric utility for help in buying EV charging stations, including rebates and special billing rates for electric car users.

Parking for Hybrid Cars

Aside from parking spaces necessarily set aside for the handicapped and the elderly, who doesn’t want to park as close to the church or school as possible?  Depending on available parking space, parishes could set aside a row of spaces reserved for parishioners, students, and teachers who drive hybrid, electric, or alternative-fueled vehicles. Rewarding parishioners who are committed to the spirit of Laudato Si is one small gesture that can change hearts and minds.

Family Actions for Transportation

Our lives depend on getting to our work, school, church, vacation and anywhere efficiently and safely.  A family's decision about their mode of transportation and their personal vehicle(s) are very personal decisions.  But we need to understand that this decision also impacts our community and the entire planet.  The carbon footprint and other emissions can vary by a factor of 10-20 times which can harm others.  But the cost, availability and time to destination can also vary dramatically which affects our family's time and budget.  

Carpool to work, church, school

Did you know the average American spends 42 hours a year in traffic? And, did you know studies have shown that using HOV lanes can save 10 to 15 minutes in your morning commute? There are so many benefits to carpooling or ride-sharing. It saves money, gives you more time to read, listen to music, chat, or pray. It also cuts down on traffic, which is what makes our commutes so miserable. You may be rewarded by NuRide for making the decision to greening the environment by carpooling, biking, or using public transportation. NuRide also helps commuters find travel companions who have similar traveling routes and working hours.  Carpooling with friends and co-workers also strengthens personal bonds in our increasingly tuned-out world.

MassCommute has a list of Transportation Management Associations (TMA) that help  commuters to improve their commute, save money, and improve the quality of our air around Massachusetts.

Alternatives to Driving

There are many benefits to driving less and many alternatives. Both active and public transportation can greatly reduce harmful CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and promote energy conservation. Pope Francis frequently used public transport when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires and rode on a public tram on his way to deliver his address on World Youth Day

• If possible, use public transportation such as buses or subways. It is one of the most effective actions you can take. A single person, driving 20 miles round trip, who switches to public transportation, can reduce his or her annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 pounds per year. According to the American Public Transportation Association, that is equal to a 10% reduction in greenhouse gases emissions produced by a household with two cars and two adults!
• Simply walk or bike. When the weather permits, you can walk or bike to your destination if it is not too far from your starting point. Not only are there significant health benefits but you are also contributing to cleaner air and improving the environment by reducing vehicle exhaust emissions. If you do not own a bike, there are non-profit earn-a-bike programs in Boston and Worcester, committed to recycling bike parts and social change.
• Join a bike sharing program. There are over 160 bike sharing stations across Boston neighborhoods. These network of stations are run by Hubway, a program launched on Earth Day and owned by the cities of Boston. Bikes can be unlocked at one station and dropped off at any other stations, making the bike sharing system an essential and eco-friendly mode of transportation for Bostonians.
• Try ride sharing or car sharing services. When traveling as a group, there are ride sharing
• services you can utilize to reduce the growth in vehicle miles of travel per person. There are also car sharing services that allow you to rent-by-the-hour. Less cars on the road means less air pollution and more green spaces.
• Both Boston and Worcester also have human-powered transportation. Several organizations in Boston will bring you from one point to another on a rickshaw. 

Vacation Carbon Footprint

Americans need to take more vacations!  However, be careful of your carbon footprint when traveling.  Air travel is the most CO2- intensive way to travel, so unless you are going overseas, consider taking a train.  Try a local vacation to one of the many beautiful New England coastal area.   If you need to travel by plane, try and offset your flight's carbon footprint at your destination. When you arrive at your destination use public transportation as much as possible.

Drive fuel-efficient car

When buying a car or truck, always consider its gas  mileage, carbon footprint, and environmental footprint. Buy consistent with your true needs. EPA has put together a “Green Vehicle Guide” to assist with learning about less polluting and more efficient vehicles. Along with that, you can compare different vehicle models and find the most environmentally friendly that suits your needs using the Fuel Economy and Environment Label. Driving a fuel-efficient car that minimizes our impact on the environment identifies us as someone who cares about the future, and who identifies with the spirit of Laudato Si’. Fuel-efficient cars also save lots of money on gas. There are also a growing number of charging stations in Massachusetts. Additionally, Massachusetts has a program called MOR-EV offering rebates to electric car owners in efforts to prevent air pollution. Learn as much as you can about fuel efficiency standards, and which cars and trucks rate the highest, so that when you shop for a new car or truck, you can find the one that says you are a snazzy driver and someone who cares about creation.

Remember Simple Things

You don’t need to warm your car in the morning unless it’s a very old model.  Don’t idle while waiting to pick someone up, or waiting outside a store.  Avoid using the drive thru.  Don’t drive around the parking lot looking for a space; pick the first one and get a little exercise!  When approaching a red light, start coasting so that when it turns green, you are already moving.  Combine shopping trips into one.  Keep your tires fully inflated and your engine tuned up (if you have one). 

Water is a caress of God [84] which you can experience floating down a Massachusetts river, splashing in the waves on a Cape Cod beach, or gulping a cool drink on a hot summer day. In most years, Massachusetts is blessed with abundant water supplies. However, although droughts are a natural part of the climate in the northeast, they vary significantly yearly and by location. 

US Drought MapPope Francis writes that access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights.” Water, as a precious part of the material universe “…speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us.” Climate change has already altered our precipitation patterns, so now our rain comes in heavier downpours and more often. Most climate predictions suggest that we may face even more frequent droughts in the future. Thus, part of our duty as stewards of God’s creation is to use our water wisely.

Pope Francis reminds us that “water supplies used to be relatively constant, but now in many places demand exceeds the sustainable supply, with dramatic consequences in the short and long term.”   

Water supplies in Massachusetts vary significantly by region.  The MWRA supplies Boston and much of Eastern Mass from the Quabbin Reservoir, the Wachusett Reservoir and the Ware River.  While most of the rest of the state is supplied primarily through ground water.  As demand for water continues to grow, we will strain our water supplies in many years, in spite of its abundance on earth.

Parish and School Actions for Water Conservation

Parishes and Schools have many different uses of water including bathrooms, kitchens, laundries and locker rooms.  Rectories are essentially large homes with all of the functions of any home and therefore the ideas in the Family actions section are highly applicable.   

The landscape footprint of schools and churches are much large than a typical home and as such is a great opportunity for improvement.  Changes is these areas can also be an opportunity to lead by example for the entire community. 

Reduce indoor water use

An effective way to conserve water in high-traffic areas is to make conservation “automatic” so that the plumbing does the work. This can be done by “retrofitting” high-use plumbing fixtures such as toilets and faucets with low-flow fixtures. For church and school lavatories, install faucets with infrared sensors that turn off automatically after a few seconds. Additionally, low-flow toilets, dual flush toilets, and waterless urinals are effective ways to reduce water use and are easily installed. Some communities in Massachusetts offer rebates for low-flow toilet retrofits. 

In the rectory, as with most homes, most water use occurs in the bathroom. In fact, the toilet and shower are the biggest water users. Water sensing toilets and plumbing fixtures can help reduce water use significantly. Also, a leaking or running toilet can waste a tremendous amount of water. Make sure to have the toilet and other fixtures checked periodically for leaks. You can actually do this yourself by adding food coloring to the tank. If color appears in the bowl after 30 minutes, your toilet is leaking. A leaking toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. Lastly, water-saving shower heads and short showers go a long way to keeping water use low!

In the rectory kitchen, use the dishwasher only when it is full. Don’t pre-wash the dishes unless you have an older dishwasher (newer ones don’t require pre-washing). For the school or church kitchen consider purchasing an energy and water efficient commercial dishwasher.

Water-wise landscaping

Using less water on outdoor landscaping can make an enormous difference. In the Worcester region, water use increases by 25% in the summer as homes and businesses turn on the sprinklers, mostly for watering lawns. Lawns are typically the biggest water user in any landscape. However, by practicing “xeriscaping,” i.e. planting low-water use plants, your parish outdoor water use can be greatly reduced. For more information on water-wise landscaping, see the theme on Landscaping.

Use rain barrels

Rooftops are great ways to collect water into rain barrels. In a typical Massachusetts spring and summer, 5 inches of rain on an average-sized, 1,000 square -foot roof would yield more than 3,000 gallons of rainwater, and church roofs are usually much bigger than that. Rain barrels are one way to conserve water and reduce pollutants from running off to local streams, rivers, and ponds. Collected water can be used for outdoor tasks such as watering gardens or lawns, washing cars, and doing other household chores. In Massachusetts, there are many local rain barrel resources and distributors, including some local governments who help homeowners. MassDEP has compiled a bulk of information on obtaining or making your own rain barrels.   

DID YOU KNOW?

In Boston, the average daily water use per person is 40 gallons per person per day. In Phoenix, Arizona, it is about 115 gallons per person per day. The differences are mostly related to outdoor water use! A recent report from the U.S Government Accountability Office revealed that water managers in all but 10 states expect water shortages within the next decade. Fundamentally, we are all in this together and as a society, we can prevent global droughts by committing to water conservation, in both home and industry. 

Energy costs are often among the biggest a parish has to face. Laudato Si’ discusses the need for “developing renewable and less polluting forms of energy, [and] encouraging a more efficient use of energy.” Pope Francis quotes Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who said: “technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency.”

In Massachusetts, we get most of our electricity from fossil fuels coal and natural gas.  However, over the last decade we have made great strides in reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from electricity through elimination of coal-fired power plants and significant improvements state wide in efficiency in the use of electricity.  As a result, in the electric sector has reduced greenhouse gas emissions more that 42% from 1990 level.  The state also has leading programs for energy efficiency in transportation and building thermal systems.  In fact Massachusetts has been the #1 ranked Energy Efficiency state nationally for 8 years through 2017.

Both institutions and families can leverage these leadership state programs to lower their energy usage which not only reduce GHG emissions and other pollutant but also lowers costs.

Parish and School Actions for Energy Conservation

Pursuing energy efficiency for your parish can be as easy as installing an LED light bulb, as expensive as replacing your HVAC system, or as complicated as changing the way you are billed for electricity. There are many opportunities at all levels for your parish to reduce your energy use. It’s important to first understand how your parish uses energy in its buildings and how human behavior impacts energy use. Saving energy saves money. And the money saved can be redirected towards ministries and programs that benefit the larger community. 

On average, the HVAC system in a church accounts for 32 percent of total energy use. Lighting is the second largest energy user in most buildings, using 20 to 30 percent of total energy. Your parish can save considerable money by turning off lights and installing motion sensors on light switches. Water heating and other energy loads can contribute 26 percent or more to your total energy consumption. If your parish or school has commercial cooking equipment, your “Cooking” category is likely to be greater than average due to the energy used for commercial appliances.  

Make the commitment

Many people besides your parish’s facility manager are responsible for managing energy wisely.  A successful energy management program requires the engagement and commitment of multiple stakeholders in your parish community. The parish Green Team can become a vocal advocate for energy efficiency in your parish. 

Designate a single individual to coordinate the team and follow up and report on your parish’s progress to promote accountability.  Include those who have an impact on energy use or will be affected by energy management decisions, such as an individual whose passion is creation care and environmental sustainability. It will also be very helpful if team members are empowered to make budgeting decisions. This commitment will be most powerful if it is put in writing, agreed to and shared with your entire congregation. 

Determine current energy performance and set a goal

Creating a baseline of your current energy use allows you to measure progress against these numbers. A baseline is a summary of all energy use of each of the buildings that the parish or school is responsible for.  Ideally, this should be collected for several consecutive years which will provide a trend in the usage.  There are also normal year-year variations associated with the enerrgy usage based on the weather.  You can adjust these variations based on the total degree-days reported by the weather services.

• Do‐It‐Yourself Energy Audit for Congregations

This will also allow you to compare your current energy performance with the performance of other parishes. There are several metrics by which experts can benchmark your parish’s energy performance. These metrics are discussed in detail in your Energy Audit Report.

Once your energy management team commits to energy efficiency and determines how your current performance stacks up to your peers, the next step is to set an energy reduction goal. This goal should be realistic yet challenging. It should be specific in terms of desired energy savings.  Deadlines should be established. A clear goal will help rally your parish community and provide a measure against which you can evaluate your progress. An energy reduction goal usually has several parts:

1. A Metric (e.g. total energy use per square ft.)
2. A Baseline (e.g. from a 2017 baseline)
3. A Reduction Amount (e.g. reduce by 15%)

Goal:  Reduce Total Energy per Square Ft by 15% compared to usage in 2017.

Create your Energy Action Plan

An Energy Action Plan specifically spells out how your team will achieve or begin to achieve your energy reduction goal. This is where specific energy conservation measures should be defined. The Action Plan should state who will be responsible for accomplishing each measure and what resources they will have to support them.

A ideal option for starting your energy action plan is to contact MassSave who will conduct no-costs energy audits for your facilities and provide guidance on upgrades.  The MassSave reports will aprise you of all the latests subsidies and rebates provided by the utilities for energy efficiency investments.

For more information about energy conservation actions your parish can take, Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light has generated guides, resources, and cost calculators to assist with developing and maintaining your environmental stewardship ministry. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that Vatican City would aim to become the world's first "carbon neutral state" by switching the Paul VI audience hall to solar power and planting a forest in Europe.  

Implement your Energy Action Plan

Begin taking concrete steps to reduce energy use, based on your energy energy action plan and audit. For example:

• Swap out incandescent light bulbs with LED light bulb. Old fashioned light bulbs waste a lot of energy, and actually give off more heat energy than light.
• Install a programmable thermostat that limits when the heating or air conditioning comes on. For example, when no one is in the church or school, the thermostat can be programmed to 55° Fahrenheit. During times when people are working, studying and worshiping, stay within the 68-78 zone for winter and summer  
• Put inside lights on timers, and both inside and outside lights on motion sensors.
• Replace old appliances with Energy Star appliances.
• Insulate, seal cracks and leaks, and check or replace storm windows.
• Consider replacing single paned windows with double paned windows. The return on investment will take only a few years.​​​​

The implementation process inevitably involves surprises and demands some flexibility. Be sure to keep energy management team members informed of progress and setbacks. Communicate frequently with all congregation stakeholders about your energy management plan so they understand the bigger picture and how it relates to changes they see occurring.

For more aggressive action, consider putting rooftop solar panels on the church, rectory, or school…or all of them! Mass Save can help your parish decide whether solar is best for you. If you'd like to learn about more ways to incorporate sustainability and renewables at your parish, both Mass Energy and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center have options you can explore in the realm of renewable electricity such as wind energy and hydropower. As mentioned in other actions, Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light serves as great resource for your environmental stewardship plans and provides you with technical briefs and very informative documents on energy efficiency. 

Family Action for Energy Conservation

In most Massachusetts, space heating, appliances, and lighting make up the bulk of our homes energy use. Just as there are many ways to conserve energy at church, there are many effective ways to save energy at home. Whether you live in a house or apartment, a mobile home or a renovated loft, conserving energy will benefit our environment and put money in your pocket!

Massachusetts households spend about $2500/yr on energy home heating .  Massachusetts residents have a unique energy consumption profile. Space heating accounts for 59% of home energy use in Massachusetts compared to 42% nationwide.  In contrast,  Massachusetts consumers use 35% less electricity per household than the national average due to low air conditioning and leading state wide energy efficiency programs. 

Bottom line, when you conserve energy, you can lower your energy cost and help improve the environment. 

More information:
Massachusetts website on energy
US Energy Information Assistance Center

Food nourishes our bodies and souls giving us strength to work, play, pray and enjoy our families and friends. A shared meal, like breaking bread at Communion, is a way to emotionally and spiritually connect with one another. It is chance to share our lives, our hopes, dreams and even a few good jokes. Holidays such as Christmas, Easter and of course Thanksgiving revolve around memorable meals often cooked from recipes handed down through generations. Birthdays, weddings, funerals, and the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation usually gather the family around food. Parishes host many events for their flock, from harvest festivals and Knights of Columbus breakfasts to pot-luck dinners and funeral luncheons. What they serve and from where they buy food can have great impact on the earth.

In addition, the United States bishops have said greater attention must be given to “needs of the poor, the weak and the vulnerable… We need to strengthen the conviction that we are one single human family.” Churches often have many programs including food pantries to reach out to those in need. Filling them with nutritious and locally produced food is best for them and the environment.

Parish and School Actions for Buying and Sharing Food

Meatless Fridays, Meatless Mondays

Skipping meat one day a week is good for you, great for our nation’s health, and fantastic for the planet. It takes approximately 1,850 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef, as opposed to just 39 gallons of water to produce a pound of vegetables. Thirty countries and counting have signed on to Meatless Mondays worldwide movement that encourages people to adopt this habit. The website also has many delicious, meatless recipes from mushroom frittata, quinoa chilli fries, to butternut squash and spinach alfredo. 

Fast during Lent

On Lenten fast days, feature a parish meal consisting of a bowl of rice, the staple in many developing countries. Then donate the cost of a full meal to the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl. Seventy-five percent of the money supports CRS’ programs around the world and 25 percent supports hunger and poverty programs in local communities. Additionally, consider fasting one day per month on the holy day of your choice. Fasting is an ancient and integral part of our faith tradition, and studies have shown that periodic fasting is healthy for you. 

Join the local food movement

Hop on board the local food bandwagon by joining one of the many organizations that can connect you to farmers, markets and local food establishments in Massachusetts. Buy Local groups in Massachusetts are agricultural organizations that support the movement and has many resources for everyone from farmers to eaters to chefs. You may visit the page and click on a “Buy Local” group near you on the map for more information.

Support the local food pantry or food bank

Many communities and churches manage food pantries to help low-income families, children, immigrants, seniors, and others who lack the resources to afford enough food to sustain a healthy life. Many do this in partnership with food banks. Each Massachuesetts region have their own food banks, visiting the Mass Department of Health and Human Services website will give you a list of these food banks. Currently, 1 in 10 households in Massachusetts are food insecure. To give you a glimpse of our impact, here are several statistics from our food banks:

• The Greater Boston Food Bank. Together, hunger-relief agencies and organizations provided food to 140,000 Eastern Mass residents across 190 communities on a monthly basis.
• Worcester County Food Bank. 10.3% of the population in Worcester live at or below the poverty line. As a response, the Worcester County Food Bank and its food pantries have worked together to tackle this statistic by providing assistance to 12% of the population.

To find food pantries near you to support, refer to more information on this page.  Additionally, consider exploring Project Bread, an anti-hunger organization based in Massachusetts, to learn about what local organizations and communities are doing to provide access to healthy food for all. Project Bread features a Walk for Hunger and several volunteer opportunities available in the Greater Boston area. 

For more information:

•     http://www.foodpantriesnear.me/ 
•     https://foodbank.org 
•     https://www.gbfb.org/who-we-are/

Family Actions for Buying and Sharing Food

Buy locally grown food

When possible, purchase vegetables, fruits, meats and cheeses grown in Massachusetts and in the Northeast to reduce greenhouse gases emitted during transportation. According to World Watch, on average our food travel 1,500 to 2,500 miles from farms to your table. Furthermore, CUESA says that for each calorie of food produced, we are putting almost 10 calories of fossil fuel energy into our food system. This means buying local food makes a lighter carbon footprint and minimizes our negative impact to the environment. When we are buying locally grown food, we are also supporting local farmers and our community’s economy. There are “Buy Local” organizations throughout the state advocating this cause if you would like to learn more about locally grown products. In addition, MassGrown has many resources to get you started, i.e a map of farmer’s markets and farms in your area. They have also generated a poster of “10 reasons to eat locally grown”

DID YOU KNOW?  

Massachusetts was ranked 7th out of 50 states, Puerto Rico and D.C in the Strolling of the Heifers 2017 Locavore Index in terms of their commitment to local foods. Some of the components of this index included: consumer-supported agriculture, farmer markets, direct-to-the-public sales at farms, food programs, and a recently added component: number of hospitals that have pledged to source locally food whenever possible.

Buy organic and naturally grown food if possible

According to the USDA census, Massachusetts has 198 organic farms. Organic agricultural practices avoid synthetic chemicals when producing vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and dairy. Most synthetic agricultural chemicals are manufactured from fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gases. Check a product’s label to see if it is organic or naturally grown. Mass Grown contains a map of farms, markets, and agricultural activities that feature Massachusetts-grown food.

DID YOU KNOW? 

From our farms to grocery stores to dinner tables, 30% of the food we grow is never eaten. At 2.8 trillion pounds, that’s enough food to feed three billion people, the people that go to bed hungry every night (National Geographic Magazine).

Shop carefully and use cloth bags

When stocking up on groceries, choose items with less packaging. Try to buy in bulk and freeze or package food in small portions to reduce cardboard and plastic wrapping. And since plastic grocery bags are a major source of litter, get in the habit of using cloth or recycled fiber bags to pack your groceries.

Eat lower on the food chain

There are health benefits as well as environmental benefits when we are eating lower on the food chain. To name a few of these health benefits, they include reducing heart disease, limiting cancer risks, and improving your diet. In terms of environmental benefits, producing fruits and vegetables requires less energy and water than most meat. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the meat industry generates a fifth of man-made greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. We can help slow this trend if reduce our meat consumption. At the same time, we are also reducing our water usage because livestock requires a greater amount of water than vegetables or grains. According to PETA, it takes 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef whereas 1 pound of tofu only takes 244 gallons of water. If we eat less meat and more vegetables on a weekly basis, we are conserving water and preserving the environment for future generations. 

New U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines recommend that half of our meal should consist of fruits and vegetables. At parish pot-luck meals, we can strive to bring mostly vegetables and fruits to promote this environmentally-friendly and healthy lifestyle. 

PLEASE, don’t waste food

Food waste comprises more than 20% of garbage in landfills and is a significant source of methane gas – a greenhouse gas - as it rots, according the Environmental Protection Agency. Nationally, we waste almost 40% of all food produced. We can avoid wasting food by not over buying, properly storing it, and eating leftovers before they become scientific experiments. Avoid scraping edible food into the trash. If you have some vegetables and fruits that are past their prime, toss them in a blender with a little local honey and presto – a nutritious smoothie! When those parish meals are finished, take home leftovers or donate them to food pantries, food banks, or food rescue programs.

Compost food scraps

Rather than toss corn cobs, banana and potato peels, apple cores, and those moldy leftovers into the garbage destined for the landfill, compost them. The section on landscaping provides resources on how to get started. Homemade compost can be used to fertilize plants, save money on potting soil, and reduce trips to the retail gardening center.

Did you know? Winners of the 2017 Food Recovery Challenge in New England included many colleges in Massachusetts such as Clark University and College of Holy Cross. Holy Cross highlights their zero-waste program to eliminate all waste from their dining halls. Any waste that cannot be recycled or composted was burned for energy. When there is extra food, dining services work with local organizations to provide food and support the college's mission of "men and women for and with others."  

Check out PBS’ infographic on How-To-Compost or How to Build a Simple Compost Pile  

Grow food in your backyard, school yard and church yard

The ultimate fast food can be grown just steps from your back door. For help on how to plant, when to plant and what to plant, visit the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension.  Extension agents, Massachusetts’ Master Gardeners, and publications can assist both novice and advanced gardeners in growing fruits, vegetables and even chickens. Planting Something is an organization run by Mass’ environmental horticulturists and their website has many gardening tips presented in a user-friendly and informal manner. You may also see Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) which is a non-profit organization made for all gardeners, consumers, organizations and individuals who are passionate about healthy foods and a healthy environment. For more information, see the pages on Community Gardens in Sustainable Landscaping.

Avoid drinking bottled water

Instead of supplying bottled water at events, bring your own cup or supply cups made of recyclable material and pitchers of tap water to parish events. Producing bottled water actually uses a great deal of water. In fact, it takes three times more water to make each plastic bottle as it does to fill it. Bottled water is also far more expensive than tap water (more than 300 times more expensive!) and it is no healthier than tap water.  The production of bottled water also uses an enormous amount of energy – the equivalent of what it takes to fuel 1.5 million cars annually. In addition, transporting bottled water across thousands of miles spews carbon dioxide into the air, complicating our efforts to combat global climate change.

Give thanks

The Holy Father reminds us to say grace before meals. “I ask all believers to return to this beautiful and meaningful custom. The moment of blessing, however brief, reminds us of our dependence on God for Life: it strengthens our feeling of gratitude for the gifts of creation: it acknowledges those who by their labors provide us with these goods.”