Teen Ministry Make up Class for March 15, 2015
 Please answer all questions .
 Please be sure to have your name at the top of your paper and the date . I cannot credit you for the make up if I do not have a name.
 Email, mail or drop off to Sr. Terry by first week of February
Email: faithlifeformation@comcast.net
Teen Ministry class March 15 th Purpose: To be aware of and appreciate God’s creation and be made accountable for its continuation.
Prayer: Lord of all creation, we are grateful for the gift of life. The amazing diversity of all creation astounds us and holds us mesmerized. We marvel at a spider’s web, the birth of a child, the growth of an acorn into a beautiful oak tree. When we see the countless species of fish, animals, plants and trees, your vision and design are beyond our imagination or comprehension.
Teach us today how best to care for the earth and remedy the scars from over – consumption, misuse, and lack of knowledge. Inspire us Lord, that we might in turn inspire others to find new and creative ways to take care of the earth. Amen.
Introduction:
At our last class before Lent, we talked of our Catholic Church teaching about Pro Life. We said that Pope
Francis reminds us that we should not view pro-life only through one or two issues but a wider pro-life emphasis.
Being a person who is pro life is not simply to outlaw abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. It also includes loving relationships within the family. Also, caring for creation is an important aspect of the church’s teaching of pro life. We are called to be responsible guardians of the earth and to use the gifts we have been given to protect all life now and for the future
Caring for the planet means we address the environmental breakdown of our planet. To care for the planet is to care for its people. We read the bible passage from Genesis when God created the heavens and the earth. We shared on what we thought was God’s attitude toward the earth and its creatures; God loves all that he has created and that it is good. We said that all human beings have responsibilities toward the earth and its creatures.
Today we will go a little deeper. Whether we believe in Global warming and its effect or not, there is change in our world, in our environment and so we look at what we call Carbon Foot print. Christians have a responsibility for what happens to our earth. As Christians we are invited to view creation as a sacred expression of the creator, our God. Creation and nature are expressions of God’s presence and care for us.
Go to You Tube: Creation Calls, are you listening. Watch this short clip.
The video Creation Calls, are You Listening? had beautiful scenes of our world and its creatures.
1. Which scene in the video was the best for you? Why is that?
2. We are fortunate to live near the ocean and the beach. Do you remember what your reaction was to the ocean the first time you saw it?
3. When you look at the ocean, what comes to mind? Or do you take it for granted? Explain.

4. Do you ever think of yourself as part of creation or separate from creation? Explain.
5. Do you treat the environment as something fragile to be treasured or do you take it for granted?
Explain.
Perhaps we sometimes take for granted the many gifts our environment provides for us. It provides food, drink, shelter and clothing, but also materials for work, raw materials for the artist and musician to create works of beauty. The environment provides refreshment in the summer and recreation in the winter. It is through the environment that we experience wonder and awe and learn that we are a part of a much larger whole. Jesus took the ordinary gifts of nature: bread, wine and oil and gave them the power to unite us with himself. He invites us today to carry on the work of God’s love by learning to love
Mother Earth and to use it in such away that its treasures are preserved for the future generations and is available to all people.
You leave footprints when you walk in the sand, the mud and when you've got wet feet.
A footprint is a mark you leave by walking. The way you live also leaves a mark. You leave something called a carbon footprint. Many things we do in life, such as producing energy, driving cars and raising livestock, generate gases that contribute to climate change. And almost all of these gases are carbon compounds. That’s why the effect your life has on climate change is called your carbon footprint. Sometimes the way we affect climate change is obvious, such as driving cars. Sometimes it's not so obvious, such as eating meat.
You can't see your carbon footprint, but you learn how it impacts the earth and leaves a mark just like the ones in the sand and the mud.
Take a little test carbon foot print worksheet (part 2 of Make up class for March 15 th )
6. What is your score? Why do you think you got that score, explain?
Read the following.
Definition When you use fossil fuels, like heating oil to keep your house warm or gasoline for your family's car, these things create carbon dioxide, also called CO2. Carbon dioxide is called a greenhouse gas. Many scientists believe that greenhouse gases are making the earth too warm. Your carbon footprint is the total amount of CO2 you create. A big carbon footprint is bad for the planet.
Carbon Dioxide is Energy Waste Every time you use energy that comes from fossil fuels; you create CO2 and make your carbon footprint bigger. Think of CO2 as energy waste. It's what's leftover after you use fossil fuels. You create carbon dioxide every day.
7. Do you agree with these 2 statements? Yes or No and explain your answer.
Electricity
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, which is the part of the government that makes sure our environment is cared for, the electricity you use in your home creates the biggest part of your carbon footprint. Although electricity doesn't make greenhouse gases when you use it, the power plants that make the electricity do. Power plants that use coal to make electricity create the most CO2. Coal is another type of fossil fuel.
The activities of daily life, such as driving a car and using electricity, produce carbon dioxide emissions, a form of greenhouse gas. We can reduce our individual carbon footprints by making simple changes in our activities at home and at work each day.

Electricity use at home contributes 12 percent towards the total output of carbon emissions in the environment. Appliances such as the microwave, dishwasher, central air systems and light bulbs contribute to a high carbon footprint.
8. Name 2 ways you could reduce your carbon footprint?
Water The process of providing water to communities consumes large amounts of energy. Cutting your time in the shower in half, turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth and shave, and reducing the amount of water used to rinse off dishes and water the lawn will help to reduce the amount of water and energy wasted--and to decrease your carbon footprint.
Travel The Green Guide of NationalGeographic.com suggests that, to decrease the use of fuel and carbon emissions, carpool to work or social events, use the bus rather than drive, and walk or ride your bike to get to places close to home or work.
Food often travels across the country before it gets to your local grocery store, wasting valuable oil and resources. Purchasing food at the farmers market in your neighborhood, participating in a community garden or growing your own fruit and vegetables are some other ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
Recycling To further decrease your impact on the environment and reduce your carbon footprint, donate clothes, furniture or electronics you no longer use so that others can use them or break down materials in these items to make new products, purchase products made from recycled materials, and participate in a trash recycling program in your community.
9. After reading about water, travel, food and recycling, name 2 things you could personally do to help reduce your carbon footprints.
Continue reading:
Heating Your Home Keeping warm in the winter is the second biggest source of CO2, and it adds to your carbon footprint. Your house probably uses fossils fuels like oil, natural gas or electricity to keep you warm. The amount of CO2 your house makes depends on the type of fuel you use and how high you set your thermostat. You also add to your carbon footprint when you run the air conditioner to stay cool in the summer time.
Other Sources of Carbon Dioxide When your family uses your car, it adds to your family's carbon footprint. That's because a car uses gasoline to run, and it produces CO2 as waste. Buses, trains and planes also produce CO2. Your trash also makes your carbon footprint bigger. The government estimates that every pound of trash you put in the garbage makes one pound greenhouses gases. That happens because, over time, trash produces CO2 and methane, another type of greenhouse gas.
Making Your Carbon Footprint Smaller The best way to make your carbon footprint smaller is to use less electricity and less fossil fuels. Be sure to turn off your computer, television and lights when you're not using them. Lower the temperature in your house during the winter and raise it in the summer. Walk and bike whenever you can instead of using the car or bus. Reduce the amount of trash you create by recycling and reusing items.
10. What are your thoughts about the comments on heating and other sources of carbon dioxide? Do you agree or not? Explain.
Continue reading: Some ideas and information from eHow.com

o Climate Change: a series of events in the earth’s environment resulting from increasing global temperatures. o Greenhouse Effect: Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, help keep the earth warm. They float in the atmosphere, the blanket of gases that surrounds the earth, and allow the sun’s warming rays through to the earth’s surface. When these rays reflect back up, the greenhouse gases keep the warmth from the rays inside the earth’s atmosphere. This is how the planet stays warm. o Greenhouse Gases: These gases are not in themselves a bad thing. Earth’s greenhouse effect is what keeps the planet warm, and allows life to exist, even for the half of Earth that isn’t facing the sun at any given point in time. Scientists believe that climate change is the result of mankind producing too much greenhouse gas. This excessive amount keeps too much of the warmth from the sun bottled up underneath the atmosphere, and the added warmth is causing a number of problems for the climate. o Carbon Footprints: An individual’s carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that the individual’s activities produce. These are activities add this greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.
These activities include things like driving in a car, flying in a plane, and using electricity in their homes.
Plants that burn coal, which produces greenhouse gases, provide most power in the United States. While leaving a light on doesn’t seem like it is creating greenhouse gases, if the power is coming from plants that burn fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gases, then it is.
The art of composting has been part of our global culture since ancient times. The basic principles are quite simple, and adhering to them will result in an efficient and successful outcome. Studies have shown that home composting can divert an average of 700 lbs. of material per household per year from the waste stream. Municipal composting carries a greater environmental cost, but not nearly as high as if leaf and yard waste is disposed of by conventional means. Composting is an excellent way to avoid both wasting useful, natural resources and creating environmental problems, while at the same time producing a high quality and inexpensive soil amendment. Composting is the transformation of organic material (plant matter) through decomposition into a soil-like material called compost. Invertebrates
(insects and earthworms), and microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) help in transforming the material into compost. Composting is a natural form of recycling, which continually occurs in nature.
Renewable resources are an important aspect of sustainability. According to the U.S. Energy Information
Administration, the most frequently used renewable resources are biomass, water, geothermal, wind and solar. Unlike fossil fuels, we can regenerate or replenish these resources. With the rising cost and decreasing availability of nonrenewable fossil fuels, renewable resources are receiving increasing attention. Biomass resources include trees, food crops, algae, agricultural and forestry byproducts, and even Methane fumes from landfills. Energy production from biomass is important because it can help reduce dependence on foreign oil. In addition, it has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The agricultural and forestry industries also benefit from the demand for biomass. Water, or hydropower, is the renewable energy source that produces the most electricity in the United States Wind power is clean energy because wind turbines do not produce any emissions. The sun has produced energy in the form of heat and light since the Earth formed. Solar energy systems do not produce emissions and are often not harmful to the environment.
Read more: Carbon Footprint Facts for Kids | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7972220_carbonfootprint-kids.html#ixzz1Qn5QCeiq
Simple things you can do to slow down climate change: 
 packaging, reduce your consumption,
Drink from reusable water bottles, generate less waste, ride the bus, shop locally, carpool, clean without

chemicals, repair, don’t replace, fix leaky faucets and windows, use cloth shopping bags, compost, turn lights out, unplug appliances, cook on burners that fit your pan sizes, take shorter showers...
Easy Energy-reduce consumption
Don't forget the basics. This simple stuff will save energy -- and money -- right now.
1.
Unplug seldom-used appliances, like an extra refrigerator in the basement or garage that contains just a few items. You may save around $10 every month on your utility bill. o
Unplug your chargers when you're not charging. Every house is full of little plastic power supplies to charge cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal gadgets. Keep them unplugged until you need them. o
Use power strips to switch off televisions, home theater equipment, and stereos when you're not using them. Even when you think these products are off, together, their
"standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100-watt light bulb running continuously.
2.
Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, allowing it to use less power during periods of inactivity. In Windows, the power management settings are found on your control panel. Mac users, look for energy saving settings under system preferences in the apple menu. o
Configure your computer to "hibernate" automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity.
The "hibernate mode" turns the computer off in a way that doesn't require you to reload everything when you switch it back on. Allowing your computer to hibernate saves energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your computer from scratch.
When you're done for the day, shut down.
3.
Take Control of Temperature Set your thermostat in winter to 68 degrees or less during the daytime, and 55 degrees before going to sleep (or when you're away for the day). During the summer, set thermostats to 78 degrees or more. o
Use sunlight wisely. During the heating season, leave shades and blinds open on sunny days, but close them at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. Close shades and blinds during the summer or when the air conditioner is in use or will be in use later in the day. o
Set the thermostat on your water heater between 120 and 130 degrees. Lower temperatures can save more energy, but you might run out of hot water or end up using extra electricity to boost the hot water temperature in your dishwasher.
4.
Use Appliances Efficiently set your refrigerator temperature at 38 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit; your freezer should be set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the power-save switch if your fridge has one, and make sure the door seals tightly. You can check this by making sure that a dollar bill closed in between the door gaskets is difficult to pull out. If it slides easily between the gaskets, replace them. o
Don't preheat or "peek" inside the oven more than necessary. Check the seal on the oven door, and use a microwave oven for cooking or reheating small items. o
Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, using short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes.
This saves water and the energy used to pump and heat it. Air-drying, if you have the time, can also reduce energy use.

o
In your clothes washer, set the appropriate water level for the size of the load; wash in cold water when practical, and always rinse in cold. o
Clean the lint filter in the dryer after each use. Dry heavy and light fabrics separately and don't add wet items to a load that's already partly dry. If available, use the moisture sensor setting. (A clothesline is the most energy-efficient clothes dryer of all!)
5.
Turn Out the Lights o
Don't forget to flick the switch when you leave a room.
Remember this at the office, too. Turn out or dim the lights in unused conference rooms, and when you step out for lunch. Work by daylight when possible. A typical commercial building uses more energy for lighting than anything else.
After reading the above information on Greenhouse change/effect; carbon foot prints etc.
11. What are 2 things you can do personally to protect the environment?
Down load part 3 of make up class for March 15 th Using Spirit Magazine Oct. 19 th issue
SHARING LIFE STORIES
Objective: The young people will discuss the importance of the common good and political involvement.
.
Article: Father John Rausch, Adventures in Justice (pages 1-3)
Look closely at the photo on page 2 and read the cutline this introduces mountaintop removal as a justice issue in Appalachia.
_ Read the first three paragraphs, which introduce the sense of fairness that animates Father Rausch’s vocation and ministry.
_ Read the rest of the article.
Answer questions 1-3. On page 3 (12 to 14 on your sheet)
12. What does Fr. Rausch give to God?
13. What interests Father Rausch about the work of Glenmary priests?
14. What does Father Raush give to Caesar? Which means to people/government
REFLECTING ON THE GOSPEL
Objective: The young people will reflect on the influences that pull them toward God and community involvement.
What is Caesar’s? What is God’s? (Page 1) Read the Gospel passage
Answer questions 4-5. (Marked as 15 & 16 on your sheet) this is for you to identify what you give to God
and to” Caesar.”
15. What do citizens owe their governments?
16. What do citizens owe one another?
17. A. Does commitment to sports or a job (Caesar) compete with time for worship (God) or family? b. What and who pulls you toward God?

c. What and who pulls you toward active participation in your civic communities?
LIVING OUR CATHOLIC FAITH
Our Catholic Faith: Duties of Catholic Citizens (page 4) Read this feature which explores how the fourth commandment calls young people to active involvement in their Church and world.
Faith in Action (page 4)
18. A. What issues do you think are important for us to engage in at this time? b. How can you help? How can you get involved?
Don’t forget you name at the top!
 For March 29 th class: March 29 th is in the K/C hall for both junior youth and teens not participating in the Living stations. The time is different: 5:00 PM and including the 6:00 PM mass.
This is Palm Sunday so some of you will be involved in some way.
If you will not stay for mass that day, your parents need to write us a note and of course come for you by 5:45 PM.