What does the Pope's new car have to do with 'Laudato Si?'

Pope Francis has a new plan, and a new car.

Pope Francis has a new car, and the Holy Father hopes other drivers will follow his example in choice of car.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- Italian car manufacturer, Opel, has presented Pope Francis with an electric car, intended to be part of a sustainable mobility program in Vatican City. Opel and the Vatican are partnering to promote green living, consistent with the Holy Father's encyclical, Laudato Si.

Vatican City is less than 1 square mile in size, and it is the world's smallest sovereign state, confined entirely to its own pocket in Rome. However, the Vatican has its own fleet of automobiles which shuttle people within the city state, and to places around Rome and across the region.

Pope Francis has made care for creation a central message of his pontificate. By caring for creation, we also provide care for the people who live within it. This is consistent with our place as stewards of creation, granted dominion by God, and our fiduciary responsibility to love God and one another as Jesus Christ loved us.

Creation care means minimizing our impact on the environment. Using an electric car helps because its post-manufacture carbon emissions are virtually negligible compared to those emitted by a gasoline-powered automobile. If the electricity is also generated from a renewable source, such as solar or wind, then an electric car can be remarkably clean and efficient.

The car is just a first step. Pope Francis wants the Vatican to be the world's first "carbon neutral" state. This means that the state would not contribute to global CO2 levels. This would be accomplished by reducing emissions. The task of achieving this goal for the Vatican isn't as difficult as it will be for other nations, which are much larger and less regulated. However, it still sets an example for the rest of the world.

Most scientists agree that human carbon emissions are responsible for global warming. Global warming is expected to disrupt the planet's weather and impact the environment negatively, leading to disasters, extinctions, and the disruption of food supplies. These consequences are likely to cause or exacerbate conflicts.

Although not everyone can have an electric car like Pope Francis, there are many things we can do to join him. Recycling, using fewer disposable goods, and practicing conservation all helps. When we practice these good behaviors, we preserve the environment not only for ourselves, but also our neighbors.

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