In 2002 Toronto hosted World Youth Day, a mammoth event in the Catholic calendar. In a few short hours, a mass of 1.5 to 2-million youth will begin to descend on Rio de Janeiro for WYD #Rio2013, July 23 – 28.

The difference between then and now? In Rio the pilgrims will be handed plastic bags on arrival and told to use them for litter.  Brazilian zero waste agency Rio Lixo Zero and the city itself have combined forces to beautify their cities and regions with a crackdown on litterbugs, including pilgrims, apparently.

WYD issued a statement July 20th reminding devotees to abide by the strict new laws that are set to come into play on touchdown.

July 1 was the date when strict enforcement was to come of age in Rio.  But the city has extended until August the time at which the real hard line stand will begin in earnest.

Nevertheless, the entourage of WYD pilgrims has been told to not litter or risk paying a fine.  The missive came from the Pontifical Catholic Church of Brazil.

The youth have been instructed to put their trash in a bin, or use the bag until a suitable container can be found.

This is progress. 

I am proud of the Catholic Church for reaching out to parishioners and telling them not to sully the land with their coterie of wrappers, gum, pop cans, water bottles, food bits – you get the picture. You can see that scene any day of the week on the streets of my city, Toronto.  I don’t recall 11 years ago any special effort being launched to tell WYD visitors not to litter Toronto.  In our city, we flush money into cleanups afterwards.

We can learn from Rio and should be watching closely to see the results of its intention to get litter-tough, educate and change the behaviour.

Churches can do more to promote non-littering habits. I covered this topic in a previous blog. I am heartened to know that from The Pope on down to the streets of Copacabana, this litter prevention message seems to be gaining traction.

I suppose one could pray and hope that litter goes away.  But in reality we know it takes more than wishes and prayers to change a culture of mindlessness that has seized our population when it comes to littering.

I think religions of the world could play an almighty role in litter education.  Why aren’t these powerful voices from all faiths being used to imbue in the faithful the values of natural beauty and earthly respect? 

Believe it or not, some of the best do-gooders can be litterers.  Littering is like many of those social problems where the perpetrator of such misdeeds can live comfortably among us, even rise to the highest ranks, appear to be a model citizen and operate without detection.

We need those on platforms in places of worship to talk to their flocks about not littering.  Treat it as a cause wanting to take wing across denominations and in honour of all the gods out there.

Shout out to the guy who flicks every cigarette he smokes into the street.  Appeal to the busy mom who dumps her toddler’s diaper under a bush in the park.  Speak to the coffee drinking hordes, whose littering ways are well apparent cup after cup, lid after lid in this drive-thru, throw-out world.

You’d want to believe that churches, synagogues and mosque properties, and those of other congregations around the world, are the cleanest and most waste conscious places on earth.  Woefully, this is not the case generally, which is why faith leaders should be hammering away on high about our responsibility for keeping the earth tidy.

In 2012, churches in Borneo made litter eradication a focal point for their members, who individually pledged to keep their churches free of litter inside and out and to never litter.  To which I say, ‘Amen’.

On Sunday, February 3, 10:30 a.m., I will be speaking to Don Heights Unitarian Congregation, 18 Wynford Drive, Toronto (Don Mills & Eglinton) on this very subject.  Guests are welcomed.  I appreciate the interest shown from this faith group.  It will be an interesting morning.   www.donheights.ca