Now that Pope Francis has been elected, one of the questions eco-savvy people might be asking is: How eco-friendly is he?
The First Green Pope
Pope Francis’s predecessor, Benedict XVI, was praised for many of his eco efforts, such as caring for creation. In fact, he was even referred to as the first ‘Green Pope.’ Some of the eco-friendly activities he did was install eco-friendly solar panels in the Vatican, urge the youth to be ‘guardians of nature’ and he spent time penning eco-friendly writings and doctrines.
Green First Impression
Will Pope Francis follow in the carbon-free footsteps of his predecessor? It looks promising so far.
Pope Francis has been said to have be a champion of those in need and that he likes small, efficient living spaces. He also uses public transport often, which further displays his reputation as wanting a simple and humble life that doesn’t place pressure on the planet. According to the Huffington Post, when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires Pope Francis used the bus to go to work and visited the poor in the Argentine slums. He traded the opportunity of living in his archbishop’s palace for occupying a small room in a downtown Buenos Aires home instead.
This background helps to give a green impression of the Pope and it creates the idea that he is going to be ensuring greater eco-friendly awareness.
Nature Lover
A recent Catholic Bishops’ Conference also illuminated such hopes. Jose Palma, Cebu Archbishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines President expressed his need for the Pope to place environmental protection high on his list of priorities. He also noted that Pope Francis took the name of St. Francis of Assisi who was a nature lover – could this be a good omen of things to come? Palma said that he hopes the Pope will issue pastoral letters or encyclicals on the environment, perhaps following in Benedict XVI’s footsteps.
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