How many light bulbs does it take to change a Christian?

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has endorsed a booklet encouraging Christians to play their part in helping to stop climate change.

Aiming to counter the idea that stark warnings on the state of the environment seem too colossal for individuals to make any real difference, the book — called How many Lightbulbs Does it Take to Change a Christian? — argues that Christians not only can have an impact by adapting their lifestyle, but also have a moral duty to do so.

The guide, part of the Church of England’s Shrinking the Footprint campaign, suggests a range of practical actions to help churches and their members “go green”, including:

• Organise a car-sharing scheme for travelling to and from Sunday worship;
• Book some holiday time from work — but cut transport emissions by staying locally and rediscover the interesting features of the neighbourhood;
• Use the toaster rather than the grill when making toast to conserve energy;
• Help a churchyard become a “green lung” for the community by setting aside a “wild area”;
• Review any floodlighting the church has and whether the bulbs are energy-efficient and directed at the building rather than the sky;
• Sign up to stop receiving wasteful junk mail.

Dr Williams said, “For the Church of the 21st century, good ecology is not an optional extra but a matter of justice. It is therefore central to what it means to be a Christian.”

More information from www.chpublishing.co.uk.