It is Worse Than Theologically Questionable, it's Silly

The "Environmental Outreach Committee" of the Archdiocese of Washington has issued something called "Lenten Carbon Fast 2010":

As Catholic Christians we have a responsibility to be wise stewards of God’s Creation and each of us must decide how we can improve our stewardship to safeguard God’s Creation now and for future generations. The Archdiocese Environmental Outreach Committee suggests the following list of 40 carbon fasting actions everyone can consider as a part of your Lenten preparation for the Easter season. Each of these actions will reduce our production of climate change pollution and help to preserve God’s great gift of Creation.

In calendar form, it provides suggestions for proper environmentally sensitive actions to take on each day of Lent. Next Thursday, for example, in lieu of prayer, fasting, alms-giving or penance, it helpfully suggests instead that you "Run the dishwasher only with a full load, and skip the energy-intensive drying cycle by choosing the “air-dry” option; or just open the door overnight."

Of course this is silly and embarrassing, and leads some of us to be grateful that we are not subject to the Archdiocese. But it seems also to entirely miss the point of Lent, which is not to "do good" (which we ought to be doing every day), but instead to offer up to God some good thing, as a sacrifice in pitifully insufficient imitation of The Lord. Thus, while it would be a good thing for your humble and obedient servant to give up smoking, it would NOT be an appropriate Lenten sacrifice to cease doing a bad thing, and offer it up. What sort of sacrificial gift is a pile of cigarette butts?