I have written about some of the "green" initiatives during the season of Lent which have been encouraged during the past few years. Lent is the Christian season of reflection and spiritual renewal which historically included abstinence in different forms. Fasting was part of Lent for Roman Catholics for centuries and tradition holds that eating hard-boiled eggs on Resurrection Day to break the fast gave us our Easter egg practice.
Green Lent has included giving up meat or plastic or fasting from carbon (drive cars less, etc,), all for the sake of Creation.
It's interesting that Green Ramadan is now being encouraged in many mosques. It seems to me that Muslims are far more committed to fasting from food during Ramadan (sunrise to sunset ) than most Christians are during Lent. They are allowed to drink water during the day, which means that many observant Muslims buy the bottled stuff.
One Scarborough mosque is going green during the month of Ramadan by participating in Waste Free Ramadan, an initiative that bans plastic water bottles from being used or distributed in mosques. At the Islamic Institute of Toronto worshippers are encouraged to bring reusable bottles, which they can refill at various water coolers and dispensers located throughout the building. This is a big deal because up to 25,000 water bottles were discarded during Ramadan at this centre alone. There are now about 30 mosques participating in Waste-Free Ramadan in the GTA.
This is encouraging, and one more reminder that God's people, whatever their faith, share one planet and can take practical steps to honour the Creator and Creation.
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