Vatican Does Planetary Penance

Vatican City recently announced plans to offset the tiny nation's carbon emissions to zero for (the Year of Our Lord) 2007. Partnering with the American firm Planktos and Hungarian company KlimFa, the Vatican will sponsor the planting of hundreds of trees in Hungary. The sponsorship is a bit of a formality as the two firms have volunteered to absorb the costs of planting the holy trees. But all three partners acknowledge that the project presents a major opportunity to raise awareness about global climate change and the possibilities for helping to mitigate the impact. The Vatican has made recent overtures toward environmental action, including installing solar panels to power an audience hall and calling on the faithful to care for creation. "You can emit less carbon dioxide by not using heaters or by doing without a car. Or you can do penance, in this case by planting trees that convert CO2 into oxygen," said Monsignor Melchor Sanchez de Toca Alameda, an official at the Pontifical Council for Culture. Via ::Life In Italy