Joy to the world, the lord has come...and heaven and nature sing.

Christmas coming in less than a fortnight from December 12, when the COP 21 climate summit in Paris ended, it is no surprise that concern for planet earth plays a big part in the coming festivities.

St Paul's Cathedral at Bahubazar, Ranchi, under Church of North India (CNI), is already urging the faithful to celebrate a green Christmas.

"We are witnessing rapid climatic changes, including rise in global temperatures, the shrinking ice cover, failure of monsoon rains with resultant crop failures and farmer suicides. Earlier this month, leaders from 200 countries had gathered in Paris to chalk out a strategy to limit rising global temperatures. Accordingly, we began to tell our faithful of the prevailing climate chaos and our responsibility towards future generations," Arun Barwa, presbyter in-charge of St Paul's Cathedral, told The Telegraph.

For this Christmas, Barwa said they were telling people at congregations to do their bit to contain climate damage by planting more trees, using energy-efficient bulbs at homes throughout the year and for Christmas décor and curbing the use of firecrackers during festivities.

"These are some small yet important steps that we need to take to limit global warming," Barwa added.

Stressing on tree plantation, Barwa said: "We need to tell people of all ages, especially children, that a mature tree produces oxygen enough for 10 people to breathe in a year. Besides, trees help clean the air."

He also asked revellers to replace incandescent and CFL bulbs by more energy-efficient LED lights to deck up homes for Christmas and New Year. "Lessen energy consumption to reduce global warming," he said.

He added they were leading by example. "We don't burst firecrackers after Christmas Mass on December 25 at our churches in Bahubazar, Namkum, Kantatoli and Samlong that falls under the Ranchi Pastorate of the CNI Church. We are now telling our faithful to do the same and pass on the message to neighbours as well, so that the entire society is mobilised," he said.

Admitting that putting a complete ban on bursting fire crackers was difficult, he said: "But, revellers can at least reduce the amount so that air and sound pollution is less."

He added that Christmas was not about making a big show of firecrackers, décor and lights. "The real message of Christmas lies in love, peace, joy and brotherhood. This can be possible only if we all contribute in our small ways to preserve god's creation, this planet that we have inherited," the St Paul's Cathedral presbyter in-charge said.

How will you show you care for the planet this Christmas? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com