September 1 - Oct 4. One action for each day of the season.
The Season of Creation is an annual celebration devoted to prayer and action for the protection of our common home. It begins on September 1 and runs through October 4. Under the theme of "Let Justice and Peace Flow," Pope Francis calls on all of us to reflect on our vocation as custodians of creation. To that end we have chosen a simple task for each day of the season. Each day, look and see if you can complete the task.
Week of Sept 1 – 9 Fri, Sept 1 Set your AC two degrees higher for the remainder of the season. Sat, Sept 2 Are these hot summers taking a toll on your outdoor plants? Consider native plants. Go to plantnative.org/ to learn more. Sun, Sept 3 Try to eat a more plant-based diet. Cut back on meat or dairy by two times this week. Mon, Sept 4 Listen to a podcast about climate change or climate injustice to communities. Look at Volts (https://www.volts.wtf/podcast), a newsletter & podcast about the technology, politics, and policy of decarbonization by David Roberts. Tues, Sept 5 Have you switched to energy saving light bulbs? It’s time. How many can you replace before the season ends (Oct. 4)? Wed, Sept 6 Instead of using your clothes dryer, put up a clothesline in your backyard and let the breeze and sunshine dry your clothes naturally. Thurs, Sept 7 Be a Zero Hero plastic recycler. Recycle many types of plastic bags at your local Fred Meyer store. Go to https://www.kroger.com/blog/food/be-a-zero-hero. Fri, Sept 8 Don’t let your water run while brushing teeth, shaving, or rubbing soapy hands. According to the EPA you are sending up to 4 gallons of clean water down your drain, not to mention your water bill. Week of Sept 10 - 16 Sun, Sept 10 If you have home delivery of the Oregonian, reuse those plastic sleeves as “poop” bags for your dog. Don’t have a dog? Give them to a friend who does! Mon, Sept 11 Choose a day this week to not drive. Walk, bike, or take public transport. Add a couple non-driving days next week. See how many non-driving days you can accomplish before the season ends (Oct 4). Tues, Sept 12 Are you interested in an electric car? Check out Edmunds.com/electric-car/. Wed, Sept 13 When ordering take-out to eat at home, specify no need for plastic cutlery. Thurs, Sept 14 Pray for nature, and for leaders to support environmentally sustainable policies and laws. Fri, Sept 15 Avoid things with glitter which is made from micro-plastics and hurts wildlife if ingested. Sat, Sept 16 Avoid using plastic, especially one-time-use containers. |
Week of Sept 17 – 23
Sun, Sept 17 Check light fixtures with more than one lightbulb, unscrew one at a time to see how many are really needed. Mon, Sept 18 Make a one-time investment in a tea infuser and use loose tea instead of bags. Tues, Sept 19 Talk to neighbors who have Ridwell boxes on the porch and ask about sharing the service and cost. Learn about how to sustainably reuse and recycle your stuff at www.ridwell.com/. Wed, Sept 20 Make your own toxic free laundry detergent. Recipe: 2 cups baking soda, 2 cups washing soda, 1 bar Fels Naptha laundry soap. Fine grate the bar (or place in ziplock bag and beat to crumbs). Mix all ingredients. Use 2 Tablespoons per load. Thurs, Sept 21 Instead of paper napkins and paper towels, use cloth napkins for meals and old hand towels to wipe up messes. Fri, Sept 22 Wear your clothing outfits more than once between laundering. Sat, Sept 23 Cook at least two meals from scratch in the next week using locally sourced ingredients. Reduces shipping and packaging. Week of Sept 24 – 30 Sun, Sept 24 Instead of the automated car wash, clean it yourself while the weather still holds. Mon, Sept 25 Use re-useable coffee filters instead of paper. Tues, Sept 26 This week, instead of stopping at the drive-thru, bring to work your own coffee in your own cup. Wed, Sept 27 Recycling programs that take items not picked up by curbside recycling, including #1, #2, #4, and #5 plastics: James recycling (https://jshrecycling.com/) and Ridwell recycling (www.ridwell.com/). Both do home pickup. Thurs, Sept 28 Visit a wooded area this week. See the beauty of God’s creation. Fri, Sept 29 Reuse and repurpose items you might normally throw away. Find innovative ways to use things you already own or use them to swap/barter with someone else. Your “junk” may just be what they need, and vice versa. Sat, Sept 30 Choose tap water over bottled water. It takes 1.5 gallons of water to manufacture a bottle, most of which are made from new plastic. Week of Oct 1 – 4 Sun, Oct 1 Take a shorter shower today. Or better yet, put your shower off until you really need it. Mon, Oct 2 Have you ever used beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap? All natural. Give it a try. Read this review: https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-beeswax-wrap-4843690. Tues, Oct 3 Buy food in glass instead of plastic, and reuse glass food jars to organize and store all sorts of things. Wed, Oct 4 Shop thrift stores and consignments shops to continue the lifecycle of clothing and all sorts of goods. Bonus! Turn your heat down by two degrees this winter. |
This calendar resource was developed by the St. Charles Care 4 Creation Team. Learn more about our work.