Denying global climate change.
The flat Earth movement. Anti-evolutionists.
There are several scientific
debates that have not shed a positive light on some very conservative folk out
there. I suppose that shouldn’t be that big a deal. We’re all allowed to think
what we want so long as we’re not hurting anyone, right?
That’s the thing, though. We
absolutely are.
First, we’re clearly hurting the
planet. Even NASA (n.d.) has spoken up about global climate change, explaining that
the Earth’s temperature is rising, which leads to warmer oceans and melting
icecaps, which leads to rising sea levels and extreme weather events, which
doesn’t help since we’re polluting the oceans, and etc., and etc.
Second, we’re also hurting ourselves.
For example, Center for Biological Diversity (n.d.) declares that plastic pollution
in our oceans is a global crisis, with tragic results such as sickening sea
life and giant gyres of trash like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. In
addition, a chemical component of plastic– BPA – has actually been linked to cancer
(Breastcancer.org, n.d.)
So, if we’re hurting the planet
and ourselves, can’t we extrapolate that we’re hurting God too? After all, didn’t
God create us both?
I think the answer to all of the
above is “yes”.
That’s why I’ve come up with five
biblical reasons why I think Christians should be eco-friendly, as well as action
steps anyone can take towards becoming an eco-friendly Christian:
1) The Earth is Created by and in God
Scriptures: “All things
were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.” –
John 1:3
Explanation: Let’s start
off with the basics. God has created the Earth, but not only that. God is also part
of the Earth. Therefore, if we hurt the Earth, then we are hurting God, and we
don’t want to do that (or at least we shouldn’t).
Action: Use reusable kitchen
supplies
Let’s say you’re hosting a Bible
study with a group of church members, or attending a church bake sale within
the community, and you want to bring your homemade cooking or baking to the
event. Large events like these call for some large recipes.
Why not buy all the ingredients
for these activities in bulk that’s in your own reusable container? Buying in
bulk cuts down on single serving plastic, as well as larger plastic containers.
You can buy products from Life Without Plastic, like a large
reusable cotton bulk bag, for bulk ingredients. Then, once the event is
over, you can preserve any leftovers with one of these reusable food
wraps from Etee instead of aluminum foil, clingwrap, or plastic bags.
While you’re at it, plan ahead
before you attend a church event if there’s a chance there will only be plasticware.
You can bring your own reusable
bamboo utensils and stainless steel to-go
container, straw,
and water
bottle in order to avoid any throwaway utensils, cups, and plates.
2) The Earth Belongs to God
Scripture: “The earth
is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it.” – Psalm 24:1
Explanation: This one’s pretty
easy to understand. Just as we are part of God’s creation, so is the Earth. We
both belong to God. Need I say more?
Action: Buy a used Bible
You know the moment someone gives
you a nice, new Bible with your name engraved on the cover, that you’re not
going to be taking notes in it. Perhaps you’ll keep it on a shelf until a
special occasion, much like how we leave the good china in the china cabinet seasonally.
If you’re going to buy another new
Bible for the sole purpose of notes, why not buy a used one? It’s all going to
keep getting marked up anyways, no? Then you can keep your pristine Bible just
that: pristine. It’ll also help cut down on non-eco-friendly aspects of new book
printing, such as the paper the book is made of, the plastic wrap it comes in,
and the fuel costs to ship.
Besides, you can’t have too many Bibles,
right? (Don’t answer that)
3) The Earth was Given to Us by God
Scripture: “Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it” – Genesis 2:15
Explanation: Let’s use the
example of a child wanting a pet, so the family got one. Technically, the pet
is the child’s, but the parents are really the ones who own the pet. Even
though the Earth belongs to God, God is giving us permission to take temporary
ownership of it.
Action: Give eco-encouraging
Christmas gifts
‘Tis the season for useless
plastic. Think about all the Christmas presents you’ve received that you only
used once, broke quickly, had no use for, or simply didn’t like. What happened
to those presents? You may have donated them, threw them away, or still have
them in random hidden spots of your household that you never check.
Before you continue this pattern,
you have a chance to stop the cycle and give presents that are not only plastic
free, but useful and encouraging an eco-friendly lifestyle as well. There are plastic-free
cookie making kits for children to make Christmas treats. You can give a
copy of Beth
Terry’s book – Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit – to
that friend of yours who loves to read. Gift your coworker a plastic-free
shampoo bar that’s natural, vegan, and soothing.
Get the idea? It takes some
creative problem-solving, but it’s doable.
4) The Earth is Our Responsibility from God
Scriptures: “God blessed them. God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” – Genesis 1:28
Explanation: This one’s
more like a parent who left their child alone for five minutes with crayons and
a piece of paper in the living room, but then comes back to see all the walls
have colorful scribbles all over. Clearly, we haven’t lived up to the
responsibility God has placed on our shoulders. We’re supposed to take care of
the Earth, but instead we have done the exact opposite.
Action: Wear sustainable
clothing
Have you heard the term “Sunday
Best”? It means dressing better than your usual daily style for church on
Sundays. The world of fashion goes through fabric like I do popcorn at the
movie theatre – way too much way too quickly.
Did you know that polyester is a
form of plastic? It’s important to think about what materials our clothes are
made from and if they’re non-toxic to the environment, renewable, and sustainable.
Basically, our clothing needs to have the least amount of negative impact on
the Earth as possible.
There are brands like Happyxnature and prAna that
aim to provide sustainable clothing like aforementioned. Why not get your
outfit for your next worship service or church BBQ at retailers like these?
5) The Earth’s Abuse is Sinful to God
Scripture: “So you
shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement
can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed in it, but by the blood of
him who shed it” – Numbers 35:33
Explanation: If we
consider abusing people and animals as sinful, we need to also add Earth to
that list of unacceptable behavior. To elaborate on what I mentioned earlier,
when we hurt the Earth that God has created, still has overall ownership of,
and entrusted us to care for, we are hurting God as well. If that’s not a sin,
I don’t know what is then.
Action: Influence your
church to make changes
We’ve talked about several small
changes you can make, but if you’re thinking of going on a larger scale, you
can try to create lasting change at your church.
Think about it. Wouldn’t an
eco-friendly church only add to the positive impact? For example, you can submit
a proposal for the church building to go solar in order to save money, reduce electric usage, and use
a more sustainable resource for electricity. It’s a win-win-win!
You can find further ideas on how
to become a Zero Waste Church here.
Why do you think being an
eco-friendly Christian is important? What changes have you made in your life to
become one? If not, why not? Please join the conversation in the comments
below!
Note: All Bible quotes were
pulled from the World English Bible because it’s in the public domain. I
encourage you to compare Bible translations and see what these scriptures speak
to you as a result.
References
Breastcancer.org (n.d.). Exposure
to chemicals in plastic. Breastcancer.org. Retrieved from https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/plastic
Center for Biological Diversity
(n.d.). Ocean plastics pollution. Center for Biological Diversity. Retrieved
from https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/ocean_plastics/
NASA (n.d.). Climate change: How
do we know? NASA. Retrieved from https://climate.nasa.gov/
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