Soup and Substance Lenten Programme (5): Let’s Live Lent!

Mercy International Association held its fifth gathering of the Soup and Substance Lenten programme on 22nd March 2012.

In this session, Eamon Ryan, leader of the Green Party, addressed the group on the “Challenge of Sustainable Living”. He spoke about the importance of interconnectedness in addressing the threats faced by our planet. Using the example of climate change he pointed to the dangers of global emissions and the need to reduce them through changing personal behaviour.

Eamon advised that there are four main contributory factors to emissions: industry, travel, food and land use and energy. Through recycling, moving towards use of public transport and electric cars, efficiency in waste management and moving towards renewable energy these problems could be tackled.

Eamon Ryan (Leader, Green Party) and Mary Reynolds rsm (Executive Director, MIA)

A process which involves global as well as local responses, cultural change involving local initiatives and the development of empathy is needed to tackle these problems. The political process needs to put in place a system which allows people to support environmental initiatives easily.

You are invited to view the video of Eamon’s presentation and the handout distributed to the group gathered in Dublin.

Messages to: Mary Purcell - Assistant Director Mercy Global Action

Participants of this week’s Soup & Substance program on The Challenge of Sustainable Living: What Can We Do?