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Christians and the Environment

Christians and the Environment

Essay 3 “Christians and the Environment”

What can Christians do to care for the environment? What ethics of Christians would be related to the preservation of the environment? These and other related questions are the major concern for Christians and the need to protect the environment. Christians seek to have environmental ethics that rely on awareness, faith, and care. The specific actions Christians should take regarding the environment and its preservation are recycling plastic, paper, preserving the wildlife, and conserving water and energy. If Christians do their individual part then it will affect the entire global community. The term “going green” should be the outline for the awareness on environmental issues. Starting a recycling bin, cutting back on water usage, and turning off the power when not used are good ways to use your “green” thumb. Christianity and the Scriptures alone provide the basis for a correct view of nature and man’s relationship with the environment.

Protecting the environment is not the only cause of Christ, but it is certainly not our calling to plunder the earthly home that God has created for us. Genesis 1:29-30 states “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat. And to everything that creepth upon the earth where there is life. I have given every green herb for meat”. (First book of Moses) Christians can preserve the environment by recycling paper and plastic. There are many benefits to recycling and how it can help the environment. Some items are bio-degradable and can’t be broken down and should be avoided. For example, “plastic is an integral and useful part of daily lives. In 2009, the plastic bottle recycling rate reached 28 percent, ranking it among the highest recycled plastics.” (Admin 2012) This shows that using plastics is inevitable in daily lives and the rate of plastic is at its highest. Producing new plastic products from recycled materials uses two-thirds less energy than making products from raw materials. Therefore, by recycling plastics will free up energy that is being consumed for other products and uses. Not only should Christians learn the value of recycling, but also the importance of purchasing products that are already recycled. By making a conscious effort to inform people and make them aware of the importance of recycling; society should actively participate in recycling and incorporating it into their Christian behavior. One option would be to set up recycling bins in the church. This would cause people to be more dedicate to doing their small but big part in the world in order to help the environment in a huge way. “When recycled materials are substituted for virgin materials, greenhouse gas emissions from extraction, preprocessing and production are significantly reduced. Recycling can help society reduce emissions by conserving materials”. (Admin 2012) Every little bit of recycling can help the environmental process. There are different ways that the environment can be preserved. One way would be by conserving the use of water. In our homes there can be a decreased amount of water usage by switching from taking baths to taking showers, limit the number of flushes from the toilet, or even lowering water heaters. Another way to conserve the environment would be to conserve the use of energy. Energy can be conserved by switching from incandescent to fluorescent light bulbs, or installing power strips that shut appliances off when not in use. These are just some of the ways to contribute to conserving water and energy from your home. “The average bathroom faucet runs at 2 gallons per minute, turning the water off when brushing your teeth is one of the easiest ways to save water. Society will use less water by loading the dishwasher and doing laundry with a full load, whether than running half-loads uses twice more water.” (Flourish Magazine) As you can see, there are many ways Christians can conserve water and energy. Early Christians believed that human beings had dominion over the earth and had authority to use whatever resources necessary for success. Some Christians today are aware of their role and obligation to preserve God’s creation and understand that water and sunlight enables life to thrive. Psalm 19 states, “The heavens declare the Glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Bible Study Tools) Christians can make these few adjustments to ensure that they conserve water and energy to help save the earth. Finally, there are wildlife species that are in danger of extinction and other animals that suffer abuse. Hunting and the destruction of animal habitats for human and economic development is bringing a decline in the species. Christians should engage in behavior that is kind and supportive of animals and to teach others about the importance of creation and how society must protect God’s creation. “Modern Christian thinking is largely sympathetic to animals and less willing to accept that there is an unbridgeable gap between animals and human beings”. (Lewis 2006) They acknowledge that some animals display sufficient consciousness and self-awareness to deserve moral consideration. “There is a general acceptance that human dominion over nature should be seen as stewardship and partnership rather than domination and exploitation.” (Andrew Linzey) This Christian thinking differs from older traditional thinking where animals were thought as being inferior to humans and were used for sacrifices. God gave humans dominion over the earth to care for it. Having dominion doesn’t mean to pillage and plunder, but to take care of the earth and its creatures and to work in “taking care” of the garden. Believing that man evolved from animals and that nature is supreme, the modern man has no basis for valuing any one species over another. “God intended that nature and creation should turn man toward the true God.” (Romans 1:20) God has given man the task of caring for and protecting His creation on the earth. Whereas for an animal, it is inappropriate to romanticize that these animals carry human emotions. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant a problem might be, take wildlife into consideration when making a decision. Although, all creatures glorify God through their existence, but only one creation is obligated to worship and serve him by the act of will.

Conclusion Christians should take the environment into consideration and its preservation of recycling plastic, paper, preserving the wildlife, and conserving water and energy. Christian’s should address the concerning issues in today’s society in hope to get others to help preserve the goodness of God’s creation that He intended for us. “There is undeniable evidence that the earth, wildlife, water, land and air can be damaged by human activity, and that people suffer as a result”. (Linzey) Human activity is mixed in its impact on creation- sometimes productive and caring, but often reckless, preventable and sinful. There are a number of ways that humans have contributed to the environmental changes of the earth. Although some industrial plants are utilizing safer methods of chemical releases into the air, many others still spread gases, smoke, and other chemicals into the air polluting it even further. Every living thing has an impact on its environment. By simply existing, all species including ourselves will imprint their marks on the world around them.

References

Linzey, Andrew. (Aug 3, 2009) “Christianity’s teaching about animal rights” www.bbc.co.ok/religion/religions/christainty/christiansethics/animal_1.shtml Regenstein, Lewis. (2006) ICPAN Regenstein@mindspring.com www.humansociety.org/assets/pdfs/faith/replenish-booklet-in-color.pdf Larry West, former About.com Guide “Benefits of Recycling Plastic” (May 24, 2012) admin “Why to Recycle” http://www.environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefits-of-plastic-recycling Bible study Tools (2012) Psalm 19:1 http://www.bibltstudytools.com/psalms/19-1-compare.html. Water Conservation at Church: Saving Water Indoors February 17, 2011. Flourish Magazine
www.flourishonline.org/.../water-conservation

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