Earth
respect God's spectacular creation
foundational
principles
i'm not a hippie . . .
why should i care about the earth?
- environmental problems cause harm to the most vulnerable people and animals.
- God told us to, and says He will judge those who do not take care of His creation.
- the heavens and earth declare the glory of God. should we not respect His glory?
- not living green selfishly places us above others needing resources.
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read "The Green Bible" - highlights creation care in God's Word
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The information on the below slides is taken from Creation Care's "In the Bible" article.
In the Bible
Jesus Christ’s Relationship to All of Creation: Creator, Sustainer, Reconciler, Consummator, True Image of God, Heir of All Things, Lord.
Creation is a sacred trust having been created through and for Christ. (All scriptures are from the New International Version of Scripture.)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through
him to reconcile to
himself all things,
whether things on
earth or things in
heaven, by making
peace through his
blood, shed on the
cross.” (Col. 1:15-20)
Also see:
1Cor 8:6b
Eph 1:10
Heb 1:2-3
Jn 1:1-3
Creation Declares the Glory of God
The entire creation
is valuable as a
revelation of God’s
invisible nature.
“The heavens
declare the glory of
God; the skies
proclaim the work
of his hands. Day
after day they
pour forth speech;
night after night
they display
knowledge. There is
no speech or
language where their voice is not
heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ”(Ps 19:1-4)
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse…” (Rom 1: 20-23)
Ps 96:1, 11-12
Rev 4-11
The Earth is the Lord's
The entire creation ultimately belongs to God and not to us.
“To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens,
the earth and everything in it.” (Deut 10:14)
Heb 1:2
Ps 24:1
Lev 25:23
1Chron 29:11-12
Neh 9:6
Col 1:16b
1Cor 10:26
Is 66:1-2
God Lovingly Provides for His Creation
God values the entire creation and
seeks to care for it.
“God makes springs pour water into the
ravines; it flows between the mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the
field; the wild donkeys quench their
thirst. The birds of the air nest by the
waters; they sing among the branches.
He waters the mountains from his
upper chambers; the earth is satisfied
by the fruit of his work. He makes grass
grow for the cattle, and plants for
humans to cultivate—bringing forth
food from the earth: wine that gladdens
the heart of man, oil to make his face
shine, and bread that sustains his
heart. The trees of the LORD are well
watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he
planted…” (Ps 104: 10-30)
“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.” (Exod 23:12)
Lev 25:1-7
Job 38:39-41, 39: 5-8
Gen 1:20-25, 6:19-21, 9:8-17:9
Humans Serve as Stewards of the Creation
Humans have a divine responsibility to care for God’s creation on His behalf.
“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food…The LORD God took the man
and put him in the
Garden of Eden to work
it and take care of it….
Now the LORD God had
formed out of the ground
all the beasts of the field
and all the birds of the
air. He brought them to
the man to see what he
would name them; and
whatever the man called
each living creature,
that was its name. So the
man gave names to all
the livestock, the birds
of the air and all the
beasts of the field.”
(Gen 2:7-9a, 15, 19-20a)
2Chron 7:13-14
Gen 1:25-31, 2:1
Ps 65:1, 9-13, 104:13-15, 21-24
The Relationship Between Environmental
Problems and Christian Love and Justice
Environmental problems like pollution of the air and water, loss of entire species, and the warming of the earth’s climate, harm people, especially the most vulnerable among us. Air pollution harms the urban poor; the loss or scarcity of entire species hurts those who depend on them; flooding in coastal regions threatens the poor who live there. Since the problems are global in scale, we may not be as adversely affected as those in other parts of the world, especially the less fortunate. But Christ’s love compels us to be concerned for our neighbor’s well being.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness…” (Phil 2:4-8)
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me…’” (Matt 25:34-45)
Ps 72:1, 12-14a
Mic 6:1-4, 7-8
Luke 6:31
1Jn 4:7-8
John 13:34
Luke 4:18-19
2Cor 5: 14-21
Col 1:20
Jer 22:3
Matt 22:37-40
OUR
RESPONSIBILITY
We Will Answer to God
Our individual and corporate
actions can lead to harming
God’s creation. We are
accountable to God for these
actions.
“The nations were angry; and
your wrath has come. The time
has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your
servants the prophets and
your saints and those who
reverence your name, both
small and great and for
destroying those who
destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18)
Hosea 4:1-3
Isa 24:5-6
Gen 3:17
God's Future Kingdom
Our destiny is not to be separated
from the earth in a disembodied,
purely spiritual existence, but to
live in a renewed and redeemed
creation. In the Bible, life begins
in a garden and culminates in a
garden city. In the same way that
we are to care for our mortal
bodies because they are the
temple of the Holy Spirit, we are
to care for the earth, because it
is to become the dwelling place
of God.
“The desert and the parched
land will be glad; the wilderness
will rejoice and blossom. Like the
crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy…Water will gush forth
in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” (Isa 35:1-2)
“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more…They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands…The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.” (Isa 65:17-23)
Rev 21:1, 5
Rom 8:19-23
Isa 11:1-9, 55:12-13
The information on the below slides is taken from Creation Care's "The Science of Creation Care" article.
World Health Concerns
Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine you did it to Me. Matthew 25:40
The public health consequences associated
with anthropogenic (caused by human
activity) changes in the local and global
environment are numerous, diverse and
difficult to predict.
However, one commonality shared among
these adverse health outcomes is that
children, elderly, chronic disease
sufferers and, most significantly, the g
lobal poor are disproportionately
affected at significantly higher rates
than healthy, economically advantaged
populations.
While the cumulative anthropogenic effects on the global environment
are innumerable, climate change, both general global warming as well as increased frequency of extreme weather events, and air pollution represent the most significant and direct contributors to negative consequences for public health.
Global Warming
In their 2007 report, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international collaboration of more than 2,000 environmental scientists, concluded that global warming is “unequivocal” and it can be attributed, with greater than 90% certainty, to the activities of mankind. Because the interactions between humans and the environment are endless, changes in the global climate, however subtle they may be, undoubtedly result in endless consequences for human health. The complete impact of global warming on human health has yet to be elucidated, however, many direct effects are already being observed.
The most obvious effects related to global climate change are the redistribution of old infectious diseases (ie: Malaria, Dengue and Yellow Fever) and the emergence of new diseases (ie: West Nile Virus). As an illustrative case study, malaria is useful in demonstrating this relationship between climate change and increased spread of infectious disease. Malaria is a chronic disease caused by parasitic infection of the red blood cells by Plasmodium protozoa causing flu-like symptoms, kidney failure, anemia, seizures, bleeding and, in some cases, death.
The protozoa that cause malaria are transmitted exclusively by the
Anopheles mosquito and the disease is therefore limited geographically
by the range of the insect. Previously, cities such as Nairobi, Kenya and
indigenously populated rural areas such as the New Guinean highlands
were essentially protected from malaria by their relatively cool climates
due to high elevations. However, as the isotherm (the altitude at which
water remains frozen year round) ascends, so does the altitude which can
be inhabited by the Anopheles and vectors (carriers) of other diseases.
300-500 million new cases of malaria occur worldwide each year and it
remains the most common cause of mortality among children under 5 in
Sub-Saharan Africa resulting in 1-3 million deaths annually. As the
range of the mosquito vector continues to increase, these numbers are
projected to rise despite the fact that the disease is easily preventable
and curable, with a total cost per cure being less than $1.50 (US).
Malaria is a leading cause of work absence and total years of life lost in
Africa. The increasing occurrence of the disease is crippling to the work fo
rce, further promoting a nearly inescapable cyclical pattern of disease
and poverty. A comparable pattern of redistribution is occurring with
Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, in North
America as the range habitable by its vector, the Ixodes tick, increases
in a similar fashion.
Air Pollution
Although often used to refer primarily to automobile
exhaust and industrial waste, environmental scientists
consider air pollution to include any contaminants,
biological, industrial or otherwise, that disrupt the
inherent balance of Earth’s atmosphere. The
contaminants that impact human health most
significantly are fossil fuel combustion products and
aeroallergens. Air pollution resulting from fossil fuel
use can be divided into primary products of combustion
and secondary chemicals created when primary products
react with other atmospheric molecules creating a
mixture called photochemical smog, which exists in the
highest concentrations in urban centers.
Increasing concentrations of photochemical smog, which contains
ozone and other strong oxidizing compounds that can damage respiratory airway tissues, is believed to be associated with the 160% increase in the occurrence rates of asthma in preschool aged children between 1980-1994. Within this group, the rate of increase in asthma was higher among African-American children and those from low-income families according to the CDC. In addition, photochemical smog has been proven to cause asthma exacerbations which can be fatal in situations without access to bronchodilating medications.
The term aeroallergen refers to any aerosolized particulate organic matter that causes allergic reactions. Among the most common aeroallergens are ragweed pollen and mold spores. Scientists have shown that ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) produces more pollen in warmer environments as well as those with higher concentrations of CO2 and thrives in areas of cleared or disturbed ground; all of which are fostered by human activity. While allergic rhinitis (hay fever) may be only a nuisance to many sufferers, such allergic reactions may precipitate potentially fatal respiratory compromise and heart failure requiring hospitalization in those suffering from COPD, a chronic lung disease of the elderly.
Extreme Weather
Extreme weather events (EWE), commonly referred to as natural disasters,
include droughts, fires, floods, heat waves, tsunamis and wind storms. The
patterns of global climate change observed during the past century have
been associated with a significant increase in the frequency and severity
of each type of EWE. The repercussions of these events are more
devastating for residents of developing countries (ie: sub-Saharan Africa)
and the poorer populations of developed countries (ie: U.S. and Western
Europe) because these individuals typically lack the basic resources
necessary to cope with the physical stress of the event and its aftermath.
The impacts of EWE’s on the populations affected can be classified as
either direct or indirect health consequences. Heat waves have increased
in duration and intensity secondary to global warming. This phenomenon is most pronounced in cities where summer nighttime minimum temperatures have increased dramatically over past decades. The “Urban Heat Island Effect,” to which this is largely attributable, is a process of nighttime warming during summer months related to land modification, specifically the replacement of vegetation with concrete and asphalt. The direct effects of heat waves are hyperthermia, or “heat stroke,” which can result in permanent brain damage and cardiovascular collapse, and dehydration, which is rapidly fatal in severe cases. These outcomes are experienced at disproportionately high rates by those living in urban centers without nearby parks, those without indoor climate control, those with poor access to health care/uninsured individuals and the elderly. 81% of the deaths in Paris directly related to the 2003 European heat wave, which killed an estimated 30,000, were individuals over 75 years old.
As oceanic and atmospheric temperatures rise, both evaporation from bodies of water and the atmosphere’s capacity to hold water increase leading to greater torrential rains in many regions. Flooding is the most common natural disaster comprising roughly 40% of all EWE’s worldwide. Direct health effects of flooding include traumatic drowning and wound infection. However, the indirect consequences are more abundant. Flood waters often contaminate reservoirs and wells leading to outbreaks of water-borne infectious diseases such as typhoid (salmonellosis), dysentery (amebic or shigellosis), Hepatitis A and cholera, all of which can lead to fatal dehydration. The flooding of the Mississippi River valley in 1993 led to an outbreak of Cryptosporidium parvum, a water borne protozoan, affecting over 400,000 individuals exposed to Milwaukee’s contaminated public water supply. Some areas, such as Western Europe, that experience summer flooding will experience winter droughts. These droughts are associated with exceedingly high rates of forest fires. Smoke from forest fires can contribute to photochemical smog leading to increased rates of asthma and COPD exacerbations in nearby populations. The mental health of populations can also be adversely affected by natural disasters. Rates of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder have been found to increase in association with experiences surrounding extreme weather events such as loss of loved ones, personal injury and property damage.
The Future
Earth’s biosphere is a complex network of interactions between living and non-living components of the global environment. From driving inefficient cars to cooling our homes with electricity generated from fossil fuels, substantial causal links exist between human activities and negative public health outcomes, especially concerning our disadvantaged neighbors in the global community. Furthermore, future impacts of unabated climate change are likely to transcend socioeconomic divisions and involve insufficient agricultural capacity and potable water supply to support an exponentially growing human population.
It is clear we have
negatively affected our
planet, however, we
should be encouraged
that if we choose to
affect the Earth
in positive ways, many
of these situations we
have created, which
lead to death and
disease, can be
counteracted by
improving our behaviors
across the residential,
commercial and
industrial sectors.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth. The different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the diversity of genes in these species, and the different ecosystems such as deserts, rainforests, and coral reefs, all are an
integral part of
Earth’s biodiversity.
Biodiversity is often
used as a measure of
biological health of a
given ecosystem. As
many as 30 million
different species are
thought to live on
Earth, but only
about 1.5 million
have been documented
by scientists.
Species Loss
Despite the incredible diversity of life, some studies show that between 10 and 30 percent of all bird, mammal, and amphibian species on the planet are currently threatened with extinction, and many other forms of life face similar conditions. Though extinction is not a new phenomenon, the extinction rate is now about 1,000 times the historical background rate, and may increase to 10,000 times by 2100.
This translates into a permanent loss of about 25,000 species of life per year, or about 1 species every 20 minutes. According to several comprehensive studies, the increase in
extinction rate is attributed
entirely to human activities.
Habitat fragmentation and
destruction, the spread of
introduced species, and
overfishing/overhunting are
the leading causes of species
extinction. Climate change,
which can force changes in a
species’ relation to its habitat,
is becoming a major concern for
extinction trends in the near
future. It is often a combination
of these stressors that ultimately causes a species to go extinct.
Benefits to Humans
Biodiversity has a variety of direct benefits
to humans that warrant its protection. At a
basic level, humans rely on the rest of life on
Earth for food. Although 80 percent of our
food supply comes from just 20 different
plants, humans use about 40,000 species of
plants and animals each day for food and
drink. The dependence on only a few crops can
lead to agricultural disaster, such as the
Irish Potato Famine in the late 1800s.
Earth’s store of species and genetic diversity
has allowed us to find new varieties of crops
that increase yields and resist pests. Also, many of the world’s medicines are derived from biological sources, and many of these cannot be artificially synthesized in a lab. Only a tiny fraction of organisms have been evaluated as potential sources of new drugs, and the maintenance of biodiversity ensures these sources remain available for future discovery.
For example, the pacific yew, formerly considered an undesired tree in many settings, contains taxol, a chemical which was recently found to effectively fight against lung and ovarian cancer. Across the planet, many other products such as construction materials, fuel, fibers, resins, dyes, and other industrial and cultural materials are derived directly from the natural world. The long-term status of these materials depends solely on the survival of healthy, diverse ecosystems.
Ecosystem Services
Aside from extractive potential, healthy ecosystems perform many other functions that directly or indirectly benefit humans and other organisms. All ecosystems have a role in regulating the chemical and biological cycles that are the lifeblood of our planet. For example, many forests help build fertile soils, moderate local climate, filter water, and recycle carbon and other nutrients. Other ecosystems such as wetlands provide flood protection,
erosion control, water treatment, help
replenish groundwater, or provide
other valuable services. Mangrove
forests, for example, effectively
protect against hurricanes and
tsunamis along tropical and
subtropical coastlines.
Insect pollination of crops, a service
valued at tens of billions of dollars
annually, is provided for free by the
inhabitants of healthy ecosystems.
Preserving the biodiversity of these
ecosystems ensures that they will
continue to provide valuable services
long into the future. In some cases,
the loss of one or a few keystone
species can lead to the unraveling of
an entire ecosystem and thus the loss
of ecosystem services.
Cultural and Aesthetic Value
Many people derive
value from biodiversity
through the simple
enjoyment of nature,
an ecosystem service
that is hard to quantify.
Birdwatching, hiking,
and camping are popular
ways that people
appreciate nature, and
people often feel
refreshed or restored
after such activities.
The aesthetic nature of
biodiversity has long
been a source of inspiration for writers, musicians, and other artists. Other people feel a moral or religious obligation to enjoy and protect biodiversity, and many cultural groups view themselves as an integral part of the natural world and have a deep respect for other living organisms. Many of these people would argue that biodiversity is worth protecting even aside from the quantifiable benefit to humans.
Climate Change:
A Pastoral Perspective
by Steven Bouma-Prediger
The evidence for global climate change has gotten more certain with each passing year. The debate about whether it is real is over. The important questions are: what will be the consequences and what can weas humans do to prevent the worst? One of the profound effects of global warming is loss of biodiversity. Our original world wide webbiodiversity not the internetis becoming frayed and torn. Some reputable scientists claim that we are at the beginning of a massive extinction. But we humans cannot live without the plethora of creatures around us. Our lives depend on theirs. Finally, the effects of both of these degradations will affect the poor and impoverished the most. We in the wealthy parts of the world will adjust, but a great many people will not be able to.
For Christians, this is simply unacceptable. Integral to our faith is the call to care for the earth and its panopoly of creatures. Even if we
did not have serious ecological problems, the Bible
teaches us to care for creation. For example,
Genesis 2:15 calls us to serve and protect the earth.
Like the slogan on the side of every Chicago police
car (To serve and protect), we humans made from the
humus are given the responsibility and the joy of
being creations copswatching over and protecting as
well as cultivating and using the gifts of the earth.
And the Bible teaches us that we must give special
attention to those most vulnerable the modern
equivalents of the widows, orphans, and aliens of
Old Testament times. The question is: will we?
Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger, Professor of Religion - Hope College, Holland, Michigan
Author of For the Beauty of the Earth
Global Warming - Section 1
Marah J. Hardt, PhD and Carl Safina, PhD, Blue Ocean Institute
Everything on Earth–water, air, soil, plants, animals, people, and all else in nature–is woven into the fabric of Creation. Tug one part of the cloth, another part feels the pull. Earth receives heat from the sun and reflects much of it back into space. Certain gases in our atmosphere trap some of the heat, like the glass of a greenhouse, giving the planet life-sustaining warmth. This is called the “Greenhouse Effect” and the gases are called “greenhouse gases.” Without this effect, Earth would be too cold for life.
But there can be too much of a good thing. Greenhouse gases now emitted by human activities—mostly by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas—are building up in the atmosphere and trapping more heat. Carbon dioxide, one of the strongest greenhouse gases, increased 35% between 1850 and 2007 as the world industrialized, going from a concentration of approximately 280 parts per million to over 380 parts per million, and rising (meaning that for every million molecules of all gases in the atmosphere, 380 are carbon dioxide molecules).
Scientists can measure layers of ice just like tree rings and extract air that was trapped in bubbles when the ice was formed thousands of years ago. By measuring the carbon dioxide in the trapped air, we can know how much used to exist in the atmosphere. Today, there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than anytime in past 400,000 years. The result is a warming planet. Eleven of the past twelve years (1995-2007) rank among the 12 warmest since reliable measurements began in 1850.
This warming cannot be explained by changes in the sun’s strength, or other natural phenomena. But it can be explained by human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels and land use changes. In fact, that is the only source for the warming that appears possible, and that makes sense given scientific understanding of the atmosphere and how it works.
Why does climate change matter? Many of the effects of climate change are a little surprising. For example, climate change threatens our supply of drinking water. Warmer temperatures change rainfall patterns and also melts glaciers. These glaciers are Creation’s natural storage tanks, supplying freshwater to over a billion people through slow spring melting. Smaller glaciers melting too soon and too fast means less water for over 1/6 of the world’s population, many of them in poor, rural areas, such as in India or China. This will increase poverty, desperation, food stress, and strife.
Warming temperatures also cause changes in the growing season, affecting agriculture. Climate change also disrupts the timing of natural events, such as bird migrations or blooms of algae in the sea, which results in the loss of breeding or feeding opportunities for species. Animals and plants that need colder climates are at risk because they can only move so far north or south towards the poles, or uphill on mountains. Eventually, they run out of habitat. In the sea, unusually warm temperatures are killing tropical coral reefs in large areas worldwide.
Global Warming - Section 2
Overall as the average temperature of the globe increases, the weather around the world becomes less stable with more extreme events, including droughts, floods, and bigger storms. Warmer air holds more water vapor, which then leads to bigger rain storms. But warmer temperatures also mean increased evaporation of water from the ground. The combination results in wet places getting wetter, and dry places becoming dryer. Sea level is also rising, as more glaciers melt and warmer ocean water expands. Communities from tropical islands in the South Pacific to islands off Alaska in the Arctic are threatened by loss of habitat and changes in their ancient customs that depend upon natural cycles of hunting, fishing, and harvesting that are now disrupted. Millions of people in low-lying cities (half of humanity lives within 50 miles of a coast) and in crowded regions like Bangladesh will have to move as saltwater begins to taint their fields or flood their homes. Where will they go?
Oceans are another large sponge for carbon dioxide gas, absorbing almost half of all the carbon dioxide emissions that humans have released into the atmosphere since industrialization. The extra carbon dioxide is changing the chemistry of the water, making it more acidic, which affects the ability of animals to live there. When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it binds to carbonate ions, taking them out of circulation. Fewer carbonate ions makes it harder for animals such as corals and many mollusks to build strong, thick shells. These animals must spend more energy building skeletons and shells, diverting energy for growth and reproduction. If we continue with current trends in fossil fuel consumption, scientists predict ocean waters will become too acidic for corals as early as 2050. Meanwhile all organisms in the sea have to expend more energy to balance their internal chemistry in changing chemical conditions. These changes ripple through the food web, affecting fisheries, and weakening coastal protection by coral reefs.
The effects of putting carbon dioxide into the air are partly determined by other things we do, too. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and with a little sunlight and some water, their green chlorophylls create sugar and release oxygen as a “waste product” of the process (which is called photosynthesis, meaning ‘making with light’). Cutting down trees reduces the ability of the earth to absorb carbon dioxide, which only exacerbates the warming.
Climate change permeates all aspects of our lives, from the food we eat, to the water we drink, to the places we can live. People depend upon other strands in the fabric of Creation for a stable, healthy existence. Climate change is slowly loosening this fabric. We must take immediate action to prevent unrecoverable harm. Fortunately, the main things we need to do, like using more energy-efficient products and developing new energy sources, will also be good for our national security and our own wallets. That’s another way in which things are all connected.
Marah Hardt and Carl Safina work with Blue Ocean Institute. You can see their profiles and other aspects of BOI’s work at www.blueocean.org.
Top Resource on Global Warming: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
the five best ways to
go green
#1 - go vegan.
it's the biggest impact one person can have on the environment.
#2 - use natural light.
it's prettier. it's free. what more can i say?
#3 - use re-fillable bottles.
those plastic water bottles may be chic, but they clutter the earth.
#4 - recycle your trash.
don't be lazy. take a few extra steps and throw it in the bin.
#5 - don't waste water.
1 in 6 people in the world don't have adequate access to clean water.
the information on the middle two tabs is from two articles on creation care's "for pastors" website.
i have included the links to the sources at the top of each page.
