THE PROTEC CAMPAIGN – GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF GOD’S CREATION

All the Archbishops and Bishops of Malaysia have launched a new 5-year Malaysia-wide campaign called “PROTECT OUR EARTH, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN” (PROTEC). The PROTEC campaign aims “to protect mankind from self-destruction” (Laudato Si #79) and ensure “intergenerational solidarity for current and future generations” (Laudato Si #159). This campaign is to deepen our gratitude for all of God’s Creation, as we incorporate ecological spirituality into life’s practicalities.

Planet Earth, is the third planet from the Sun, and based on what we know, it is the only planet that is populated by living things. Over time, Planet Earth has undergone distortion with rapid development and together with the ongoing effects of climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems have been lost.

Pope Francis inaugurated “Laudato Si’ Week” (16-24 May 2020) at the Vatican to commemorate the 5thanniversary of the publication of his eco-encyclical, which was first published in June 2015. On this Laudato Si’anniversary, the Vatican invites us to reflect on the importance of “caring for our common home” and the need for us “to create and strengthen constructive attitudes for the care of creation.”

The PROTEC campaign will take off on the Special Fifth-Year Laudato Si’ Anniversary, as we focus on one different theme each year over the next 5 years. Here are a few details that we need to keep in mind: 

i)               The PROTEC campaign will be launched simultaneously in ALL Archdioceses in Malaysia on 1 September 2020.

ii)              The PROTEC campaign is a 5-year program, beginning 1 September 2020 – 31 August 2025.

iii)            Each year, we will have one theme to focus on, and the theme will be made known on 1st September of each year and end 31st August the following year.

iv)            For the start of Year One (1 Sept 2020 – 31 August 2021), our focus will be – USE LESS ELECTRICITY.

To respond to the ecological crisis, the Archbishops and bishops of Malaysia call upon every parish, religious congregation, church organisation office, house of formation and all the faithful, to implement and promote the recommended practices, in order to save lives on Planet Earth.

From 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021, our campaign will be to reduce the consumption of electricity in our respective homes, offices and parishes. There are many ways in which we can reduce electricity usage, as the following tips suggest:

a)     Unplug electrical items and electronical devices when they are not in use. Although they may consume a small amount of energy, but when we put them together over a long period of time, it adds up.

b)    Switch off the lights when they are not in use. We also can reduce the number of bulbs in a room. Replace ordinary light bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs. It may be slightly more expensive to begin with, but it will last longer than regular bulbs. 

c)     Turn off the air conditioner or fan when you leave your room or house. 

We need to get our children involved in helping to reduce electricity and also teach them the importance of saving energy. We need to change our old habits in order to conserve electricity at home. If we religiously follow the above given tips and implement other energy-saving initiatives, we will see the rewards of our efforts via our electric bills, perhaps saving a few hundred ringgit every year. Let us together as a family, do what is necessary and what is possible to focus on the PROTEC campaign theme “USE LESS ELECTRICITY” which starts this September 2020 till August 2021.