Five Catholic Things You Can Do This April to Save the Earth (That Are Completely Free)

I’m breaking up with plastic.
 
I recently read Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical calling for the human race to take better care of the planet on which we live. I hung onto every word of the audiobook version. Right there and then, it was clear that the Lord was calling me to reduce my family’s consumption of plastic and disposable items. Why? Because it never goes away. All of the plastic that’s ever been made is still on this Earth somewhere, and will be for at least 2,000 years.[1]
 
To be fair, I ferment my own kombucha, compost my food scraps, and even had a hippie-themed birthday party as a kid, where we tie-dyed our own t-shirts. I’m not a particularly hard sell for a change like this.
 
What about everyone else? The Church is universal and massive ­­– she encompasses people like me, as well as people who are turned off by the idea of composting (that is, keeping rotten food to decompose in their yard). In honor of the 48th celebration of Earth Day on April 22, I’ve compiled a list of five things Catholics can do to save the Earth in April. Did I mention that every single one of these things cost zero dollars?
 
These are attainable, practical points of entry for someone whose heart is in the right place but  simply does not know where to start.
 
 

Cancel junk mail online.

According to the EPA, more than 4 million tons of junk mail are produced each year. More than half of that ends up in a landfill.[2]  The City of Pittsburgh has organized a resource page of multiple websites to cancel phone books and other unsolicited mail. Plus, you didn’t really want that junk mail, anyways.
 

Use a reusable water bottle or to-go coffee cup.

This one is so simple. Reusable coffee cups and water bottles are everywhere: in coffee shops, in grocery stores, as free gifts at events. I’ve received more free reusable cups as gifts than I will ever need. Think of how many single-use drink cups will be saved in a year if just one person substituted them with reusable cups.
 

Don’t use a straw.

We’re all familiar with the Three R’s: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse. But what if I told you there are actually Five R’s? Add to the list: Rot (as in, compost your organic waste) and Refuse. About 500 million straws are used each day in the US.[3] The next time you go to a restaurant, simply say, “No straw, please,” when ordering your drink. If you absolutely need a straw, I’ll bet one came with one of your reusable water bottles that you can carry around in your bag.
 

Say Grace.

“But I already say grace! Does that mean I’m helping the environment without even knowing it?” Maybe. The next time you say grace, think deeply about the meal you are about to partake in and where it originated. Visualize the people who planted the seeds, harvested the vegetables or grains, and delivered them to your grocery store or restaurant. Did it have to cross oceans? Were some things on your plate living at one time? Think of the people who took care of those animals and butchered them. Who cooked your meal? Do you know them? It’s so humbling to realize that every meal you consume can be traced to maybe dozens of people – all who are sons and daughters of God. When we understand how our meal got to our plate, we are less likely to waste the basic resources we might take for granted.
 

Read Laudato Si’.

How wonderful is it that we can access encyclicals online for free? You can find Laudato Si’ here, but I recommend poking around to peruse other writings by our Popes. I find that reading encyclicals online is such an accessible way to more intimately know Christ and His Church. 
Caring for Earth and adopting practices that keep our ecosystem thriving is a multi-faceted, complex issue. Understanding the gravity of our situation and how we, as Catholics, can be good stewards of our Earthly home, cannot be fully covered in one simple reflection. We can, however, use these five simple steps as a starting point to dive deep into education, prayer, and ultimately, action.
 
This excerpt is from A prayer for our Earth, found at the end of Laudato Si’:
 
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
 
Sources
[1] https://plasticpollutioncoalition.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/222813127
[2] https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2009/02/put-an-end-to-junk-mail/
[3] https://blog.epa.gov/blog/tag/disposable-coffee-cup/