Lenten Resources Try a ‘Carbon Fast’ for Lent Lent is a Christian practice of spiritually preparing oneself for Easter during the six weeks leading up to Easter. Often people decide nurture their spiritual preparation with a physical practice such as fasting by refraining from eating chocolate, or red meat. Why not try a ‘Carbon Fast’?  Care for creation during Lent by reducing the amount of global warming pollution that you create over the course of your daily activities.  This idea is big in the U.K., and it’s catching on here in the U.S.  Two senior Church of England Bishops have called on people to give up carbon rather than chocolate for Lent.   And follow an English reporter’s Carbon Fast.  Cool Congregations participants work to reduce their carbon emissions all year round, but if you are new to the idea, or you’d like to get your congregation started on the concept before you begin your Cool Congregations program, Lent is the perfect opportunity to try out a new carbon reduction practice for six weeks.  By the end of six weeks it will be a new habit, and you’ll be looking for more ways to reduce your carbon. Then you’ll be ready to join or start a Cool Congregations program. Here are two Lenten Carbon Fast programs: Caring for Creation: A Prayer Action Guide A manual that includes information on the impact of global warming on Iowa and what we in Iowa can do about it, Bible readings, faith statements, prayers, and actions we can take. There are sections for Ash Wednesday and for each week in Lent. Caring for Creation - Fast from Carbon Powering Down: A Less is More Proposal This program includes a brochure and a program booklet. It has been borrowed with permission from the Catholic Committee of Appalachia and adapted for New York State. These free materials can be downloaded as .pdf files. Powering Down brochure Powering Down program booklet And follow Molly Taiber from Cedar Falls as she tells us how it is going with her Lenten carbon fast with weekly tales from the front.