Catholic Social Teaching Calls us to take responsibility for our use and care for the earth Calls us to take responsibility for our use and care for the earth We can make a positive difference by heeding the call to be better stewards of creation. We can make a positive difference by heeding the call to be better stewards of creation. We believe our responses to caring for creation should be a sign of our respect for God’s creation. U.S. Bishops, 2001 We believe our responses to caring for creation should be a sign of our respect for God’s creation. U.S. Bishops, 2001

Laudato Si, Care for Our Common Home Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience. (217) Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience. (217) Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility, above all on the part of those countries which are more powerful and pollute the most. (169 Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility, above all on the part of those countries which are more powerful and pollute the most. (169

Our earth speaks to us, and we must Our earth speaks to us, and we must listen if we want to survive. listen if we want to survive. Pope Benedict XVI, July 24, 2007  If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation. The quest for peace by people creation. The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation. If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation, Pope Benedict XVI 2010 if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation. If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation, Pope Benedict XVI 2010  Pope Benedict has made the Vatican carbon neutral.  Pope Benedict instructed the organizers of the Vatican Youth gathering in Rome to use products made through the recycling process.

Creation therefore remains a kind of first revelation which speaks to us clearly of the Creator and which can lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of God’s love for us. Pope John Paul II January, 2002 Creation therefore remains a kind of first revelation which speaks to us clearly of the Creator and which can lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of God’s love for us. Pope John Paul II January, 2002 No peaceful society can afford to neglect either respect for life or the fact that there is an integrity to creation. Pope John Paul II January, 2002 No peaceful society can afford to neglect either respect for life or the fact that there is an integrity to creation. Pope John Paul II January, 2002

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 1. Change your light bulbs Compact florescent light bulbs (CPL) can make a big change. They may cost more but they use 1/4 th the energy.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 2. Conserve Water Be more mindful of unnecessary water use and don’t leave the faucet running. Water is quickly becoming one of Earth’s most precious resources. Do not use bottled water. Go to thinkoutsidethebottle.com for more info.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 3. Use Earth-friendly cleaners Seek “green” cleaning products that are biodegradable and designed with the earth in mind.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 4. Look for the energy star When making purchases of new appliances, check to see that they are carrying the Energy Star symbol. That will insure less power being used.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 5. Use your bike Consider using your bike to get to or from work, or if that is impractical consider increasing bike time use on the weekends.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 6. Plant extra veggies As the gardening season gets underway, consider adding an extra plot of vegetables. Donate the produce to a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 7. Hang a Clothes Line This may sound like a return to the 1950’s, but using a clothes line instead of your dryer can cut back drastically on your energy use.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 8. Consume less, Share more Assess your own buying habits and consumerist tendencies. Cut back where you can, sharing unused items with others. “Have less, be more”

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 9. Plan car trips ahead of time Plan your errands, meetings, pick-ups and routes ahead pick-ups and routes ahead of time.

10 Things You Can do to Care for the Earth 10. Support a local farmer Do your part to reduce dependency on oil and fossil fuels by buying food locally from a farmer’s market.

U.S. Catholic Bishops We believe our response to global climate change/care for creation should be a sign of our respect for God’s creation We believe our response to global climate change/care for creation should be a sign of our respect for God’s creation Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith Action to mitigate global climate change must be built upon a foundation of social and economic justice that does not put the poor at risk Action to mitigate global climate change must be built upon a foundation of social and economic justice that does not put the poor at risk. 2001