World Environment Day 2018
Ministerial PJPs, like all Church stewards, were called by Pope Francis in Laudato si’ to raise awareness of ecological issues (#214); promote ecological conversion (#216-221) and adopt a new way of living (#203-208).
Many of the ministries of Ministerial PJPs have a long history of reducing energy and water use, reducing waste, divesting from fossil fuels and engaging their staff and others in environmental projects.
The Global Catholic Climate Movement has recently publicised two resources that could assist in this work: an A4 poster of Pope Francis’ quotes on the environment, ecological rosary and a Laudato si’ animators course.
Beating plastic pollution is the theme for World Environment Day 2018 which is this year hosted by India.
Global Plastic Pollution by the Numbers:
- 500 billion plastic bags used each year
- 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean each year
- 17 million barrels of oil used on plastic production each year
- 1 million plastic bottles bought every minute
- 100,000 marine animals killed by plastics each year
- 100 years for plastic to degrade in the environment
- 90% of bottled water found to contain plastic particles
- 83% of tap water found to contain plastic particles
- 50% of consumer plastics are single use
- 10% of all human-generated waste is plastic
Citizens must act as both consumers and informed citizens, demanding sustainable products and embracing sensible consumption habits in their own lives.
This World Environment Day, we’re calling on every plastic consumer to exercise their buying power by refusing single-use plastics: “If you can’t reuse it, Refuse it”.
More information is available at: http://worldenvironmentday.global/
