What is 10:10 ? It's a pledge to cut your greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by Christmas 2010.

Why 10% in 2010? While politicians argue about targets for 2050 and 2020, the scientists say world emissions must peak and begin to fall within the next few years. That means we need deep cuts in the developed world as quickly as possible. The longer we leave it, the smaller our chance of avoiding disastrous warming.

Who is it for? individuals, churches, schools, councils, businesses, hospitals -- everyone working together! 10:10 makes the efforts of individuals meaningful by ensuring that lots of people will be pledging to make the same cuts, and shows politicians that we as a people are taking the threat of climate change seriously.

Why is this a Christian act? The early Christians shared what they had with each other and with the poor (Acts 2:44 -45). Climate change is already affecting our neighbours and fellow Christians in the developing world and by cutting our own emissions we can help to slow the damaging effects of climate change for them. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told us to 'let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day' (Mt. 6.34). It's important to do what we can now in the present and not look just to the future.

How to do it : Cutting your first 10% is the easy part. It's all about not wasting energy at home and cutting down on unnecessary journeys. For those who have already slashed some emissions another 10% cut will be more challenging!

The first steps : Gather your 2009 bills for gas, electricity and water and work out how many units or kilowatt hours you used last year. Calculate how many miles you drove - and how many you flew! How many imports - by ship, air, and lorry - did you buy? File away those figures so you can check at the end of 2010 if you really have managed to cut down by 10% on the energy use you are directly responsible for. Then start to work out how to make those cuts. For some ideas to get you started down load CEL's ' Nine Ways to Live Gently on the Earth' leaflet at www.christian-ecology.org.uk/nine-ways.pdf