Lent, a time of sacrifice and personal reflection, started Feb. 17.

British church leaders have asked people to join in a “carbon fast,” a technology movement to cut carbon emissions.

This movement is now being pushed during the 40 days of sacrifice, said an article on the Gadgetophelia Web site.

The eco-friendly challenge asks people to eat less meat, flush the toilet less and slice veggies thinner to cook faster. However, the trick comes when people are asked to cut television, cell phones and iPods for a single day.

Yeah, like Americans can survive that long in a society that thrives on mass communication and technology.

For journalists, technology is something needed for sending messages from reporter to newsroom and vice versa.

In this sense, America would be lost in many obvious ways for a day.

For everyone else, it would cause chaos because there wouldn’t be the direct communication line via text message, e-mail, etc.

Pity the U.S. for having to return to a time that’s become something only read about in history books — our roots — a life without technology.

People might have to actually pick up a book or spend real time talking face-to-face instead of talking through a microphone.

Enough sarcasm.

The idea behind the “carbon fast” is actually quite interesting. A lot of money could be saved just in one day of fasting.

This money could be used to help out economic issues in the country or other countries that are struggling.

“Lent is a period when we should look at how we live our lives,” said the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev. John Pritchard, in the article.

“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.”

While this is a valid point, not all technology should be given up completely or every day. But it wouldn’t hurt to save where the country can.

So fast a little. Sacrificing a day alone could save money on a personal level as well as a national level.