UUCP’s first ever 40-Day Lent Challenge for the Earth

Wed. March 5th – Thu. April 17th

This new and growing UU Princeton tradition invites you to focus your mind and actions on taking better care of our planet during the 40 days of Lent. To participate, simply choose one of our environmental challenges listed below (or create your own), and try your best to follow through for 40 days (3/5-4/17).

Come sign your name in our Earth Ministry Lent Challenge book in the lobby after services available each Sunday starting February 23rd and pick up a participation string to tie onto your wrist, your bag or anywhere that might serve as a reminder of the challenge for the duration of Lent.

40-Day Environmental Challenges:

ANIMAL PRODUCT FAST

Reduce meat consumption by trying a vegetarian diet, cutting out red meat or committing to meatless meals (breakfasts, lunches, dinners) or meatless weekdays or weekends. Meat production accounts for 57% of greenhouse gas emissions of the entire food production industry. It also results in widespread deforestation and loss of biodiversity, significantly contributing to climate change.

PLASTIC FAST

Cut plastic waste by abstaining from one or more of the following things: beverages in plastic bottles, polyester clothing, food packaged in plastic clamshells (including eggs), or in numbers 4, 5 & 6 plastic . Each day in the US more than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away. Most end up in landfills or incinerators, and millions appear as litter. Only 9% of all plastic waste is recycled (15% is collected for recycling but 40% of that is disposed of). Recent studies have found that around 13% of successfully recycled plastic escapes the recycling process as micro plastics, showing up in the air and waste water surrounding recycling facilities.

ONLINE SHOPPING FAST

Reduce packaging waste and shipping pollution by pausing your online shopping. Unrestrained consumerism is a huge driver of pollution. Exercise delayed gratification and practice being resourceful by finding alternative ways to meet your needs and quench your desires.

TAKE-OUT FOOD FAST

Reduce landfill waste and litter, and keep your body healthy by cooking at home rather than ordering takeout. Single use packaging like takeaway containers creates landfill waste and litter. PFOAs and PFCs (chemicals used to make coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease) are commonly used in food and takeaway packaging. These “forever chemicals” have been found to be harmful to health and have unknown environmental consequences.