Thank you to the Climate Stewards for the information below and their Lenten challenges for 2023. Sign up to receive emails from them through Lent: https://www.climatestewards.org/resources/carbon-fast/

This week’s challenge and prayer is quoted from their email below:

Week 7 Challenge: Fast from screens

We’ve made it to the last week of Lent – we hope you are still enjoying and learning new habits from the carbon fast. 

All technology has a carbon footprint from its manufacture, use, disposal and data storage. With our increasingly technologically-dependent lives, we often focus on our screens and don’t take time to appreciate other people and the natural world around us. 

The Challenge: Fast from using screens including laptops, tablets, TV, and social media. Outside work, try to keep screen use to a minimum. Instead of turning to screens for entertainment, why not play a game, read, spend time with friends or practise a skill. If possible, go outside and enjoy being in creation – go for a walk, plant some seeds, feed the birds…

Why? While the internet, social media and TV bring many benefits, all our gadgets use finite resources (including precious metals) in their construction, and energy in their manufacture, transport and use. Data storage and transmission adds to the carbon footprint of the gadgets themselves.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for modern technology which brings so much good in so many ways. Help us to use it responsibly, and to maintain and repair tech items before replacing them. This Easter week, as we pause from our constant use of screens, help us to slow down, to notice and appreciate the natural world and people around us, and to share your love with them in words and deeds.
Amen.

The Carbon Fast for Lent was created and is run by Climate Stewards.