September 4. ECO-FRIENDLY FAMILIES. (From Becoming Eco-Friendly Families).  What is this strange ideal? Terms like environment, ecology, climate change or biodiversity all address the same urgent need, not only to understand the impact of climate change, but also to respond in our daily lives. Its effects, such as extreme weather conditions, are experienced throughout the world, where more rain or less rain, hurricanes, typhoons, floods and landslides affecting everyone and everything are causing deaths, destruction and losses, also of livelihoods. This was noted by the 2024 UN International Year of the Family 30th anniversary theme of “Families and Climate Change.”

Family is a reality and a form of family living is the most common way of life. Becoming an eco-friendly family is an ideal, a vision and a journey in faith, accepting the reality and dealing with issues as they arise. There are many facets and differences in being and becoming eco-friendly families. These are our vision and goals :

  • We see families as units, ideally choosing common causes e.g. save the rhino,  protect unborn life.
  • We recognize individuals; gender, age, relationships within a family.
  • We recognize differences and needs: abilities and interests – from sport to technology, science or nature in men, women, children, young to old
  • We motivate for environmental awareness – often in competition with other interests e.g. sport. 
  • We aim to share eco-friendly values, “refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, repair. “  
  • We promote saving; water, energy – electricity, electronics, travel.   
  • We aim for healthy eating – diets with less meat and more plant-based.
  • We encourage joint activities and causes – “clean-up campaign, maintain a veggie garden..  
  • We aim for shared faith and spirituality, recognizing God as creator as the basis of all life. Synodal sharing means to reflect, share and pray in developing this spirituality.
  • We put our money where our mouth us. Eco-awareness and action require money and investment but ultimate outcomes make any expense worthwhile.
  • We take what starts at home out into the world, school, work, sport etc. 

All family members can engage in different ways, feeding tiny infants in most healthy ways, ideally through breast-feeding, toddlers not being fed on junk food and sweet drinks. School-age kids are encouraged to be health conscious about smoking, drinking, food and sexual behaviour.  It is for their whole world all around  i.e. the school, sportsfield and shopping mall.

Eco-sensitivity starts in homes and is put into practice in creative and innovative ways by young people’s technological ability for design and inventions, The elderly are still active in their families in water and energy saving and clean-ups, when they are more fragile they may need special care and healthy diet.  Appreciating beauty in nature and architecture is for everyone

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  Trust in the Lord and do good, then you will dwell in the land and safely pasture.  Find your delight in the Lord who grants your heart’s desire.  Turn away from evil and do good and you may abide forever, for indeed the Lord loves justice and will never forsake his faithful.   Ps37.  Pope Francis: Authentic development includes efforts to bring about improvements in the quality of human life which involves settings in which people live. These influence the way we think, feel and act in our rooms, homes, workplaces and neighbourhoods, as we use the environment as a way to express our identity. If it is chaotic, filled with noise and ugliness it makes it more difficult to keep calm, relaxed and happy.  LS147.  Eco-tip. Evaluate together how eco-friendly we are.  

DAILY FAMILY PRAYER from Season of Creation 2026.  May God our Father, who brought water from a rock, sustain us in the desert. May Christ our Lord, who is Living Water, refresh us for the work of restoration.  May the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen. St Francis guide and inspire us on our way.

–

CHECK OUT MARFAM’S ECO-FRIENDLY BOOKLETS. contact Toni 082 552 1275. [email protected]. https://www.marfam.org.za/shop available soon to download.

FAMILIES CARING FOR GOD’S CREATION, BECOMING ECO-FRIENDLY FAMILIES, FAMILIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE. R25 each,