LONDON - Church leaders in the UK are calling for ‘technology fast’ this Lent, insisting people to give up iPods rather than chocolate to save the planet.

Senior bishops are backing a call to cut carbon emissions during the 40 days of Lent.

The eco-friendly move involves eating less meat, flushing the toilet less often and cutting vegetables thinner so they cook faster.

However, giving up technology such as television, mobiles and iPods for a day is one of their tougher challenges.

The ‘Carbon Fast’, organised every year by development agency Tearfund, even suggests giving up technology for a day every month of the year and giving the money to charity.enior church leaders have added their support to the Carbon Fast, including The Bishop of Liverpool Rt Rev James Jones, who first had the idea for the fast.

He has urged people to give the money saved from not using technology to people in the developing world.

The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, also supports the idea.

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, said abstaining from technology would help people to think of others less fortunate than themselves.

“Lent is a period when we should look at how we live our lives,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“Giving up chocolate is a symbol of that but giving up technology is a more serious way of looking at the issues that face us as a global community.

“It is a statement [of solidarity] with a world that does not have that ability to communicate the way we can and a reminder to us that perhaps we may have got beyond ourselves in terms of our own consumption of technology.

“We have galloped forward so fast maybe we have out-run our global responsibility in doing that,” he added. (ANI)