BRIGHT ideas to cut carbon emissions could help save the planet, says Oxford’s Bishop, the Rt Rev John Pritchard.

Hundreds of churches around the world are cutting carbon for Lent, which this year runs until Saturday, April 7.

Tearfund’s Carbon Fast campaign is offering daily steps people can take throughout Lent to reduce carbon emissions.

This year, the aid agency is also challenging supermarkets to ditch excessive packaging on selected products.

Bishop John said: “The Carbon Fast is Lent with a difference. It encourages ordinary people like me to think harder about how we treat a planet which has limited resources and is in danger of irrevocable climate change.

“Removing a light bulb may be easy on day one but asking my supermarket to reduce its packaging on day 28 requires more demanding action.”

One example of self-denial for the Bishop is eating no meat, after he and several other bishops were lobbied by the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals. He said: “The trouble is, producing meat is extremely hungry on resources. If we all ate less meat, there would be more food to go around.

“But our global consumption is reaching dangerous levels, and, as countries like China continue to develop, that is only set to continue.

Other Tearfund actions include having a zero spend weekend, converting your car to run on chip fat, or investigating electric cars, and booking a ‘staycation’ holiday or short break.

For information visit tearfund.org