GREEN VATICAN:THOU SHALT NOT harm the environment during thy vacation. So says the Vatican in a message it sent this week to summer travellers.
Travel suggestions to help tourists minimise or offset environmental damage caused by the pursuit of rest and relaxation were issued by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
Its message said one can choose to be a tourist "at odds with the Earth or in favour of it". Tips include taking less luggage on fuel-guzzling aircraft and cars, planting trees to offset carbon footprints and choosing holiday spots in closer harmony with nature.
Under Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessor, the late John Paul II, the Vatican has become progressively "greener", undertaking such activities as installing photovoltaic cells on buildings to produce electricity. Last year the Vatican hosted a scientific conference on climate change to underscore the role that religious leaders around the world can play in reminding people that damaging the environment is sinful.