I See Green...
At the moment, it is impossible to go anywhere on campus without being reminded of the need to be Green. Our culture is in the midst of a stunning Green frenzy. New magazine titles, such as Green, Green Pages, and Green Living have turned up in the Unishop. The paper bags at Fuel Silo were plain last week. This week they read: “This brown bag is made from 100% Australian recycled paper. A positive step towards a better environment”. The Sydney Morning Herald runs some feature loosely connected to the environment almost everyday, (‘How Eco-friendly is your love life?’) And of course, there was Earth Hour, “Our Gift to the World” according to the SMH. These and other examples point to a very obvious fact: Green sells. No business, company or product can afford not to be seen as Green.
Lately, whenever the word “environment” comes up, Christians groan. And in some ways, I am in sympathy with the groaners. It's hard not to be cynical about the Green phenomenon. Where did it come from? Why now? And why do I get the feeling that Greenness is just about the trendiest thing around?
You may or may not be aware that when it comes to the environment, Christians have a very bad reputation. A fair degree of criticism has been leveled at Christianity in response to the environment, most famously by Lynn White in 1967* . And popular culture has followed this up. As western Christians, we’re generally acknowledged to be lazy, over-fed consumers. Regardless of the validity of these claims, what things need to be included in a Christian response to the environment?
The environment belongs to the Lord Jesus. We know God made it, we know we are supposed to look after it, but somehow the link between “creation” and “the environment” seems tenuous in our thinking. But I maintain: Christians should care about the environment because God has told us to. I put it to you that this is a matter of obedience.
Another excuse we give ourselves is “it's all going to be destroyed anyway”. As many of the New Testament writers remind us, this world in its present form is passing away, and indeed, is stored up for destruction. However, the person who neglects environmental concern for this reason is guilty of the same mistake as the people in Thessalonica. They had quit their jobs and sold their possessions, and were waiting for the Lord Jesus to turn up. Paul rebukes them, declaring that anyone who walked in such idleness did not deserve to eat. Paul's logic is sound. While ever Jesus has not returned, people must continue to eat and drink and work. This same logic applies to the environment. While ever the Lord Jesus has not yet returned, we must get on with the job of living responsibly, not idly, in the world he has given us. After all, we are not ultimately destined for some ethereal, intangible place, but as Peter puts it: “according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet 3:13). Re-read the final picture in Rev 21-22. There is a garden, a river and a city. God is not above including such earthly scenes in the new creation. At the very least, this should add to the value we place on the gardens, rivers and cities we presently have.
But what about relationships and evangelism? Aren't they more important than the earth? Why should we spend time, energy and resources on the environment rather than people? In fact, I want to suggest that environmental issues are people issues, and that caring for the environment will actually be good for your evangelism. Our lives can bring either support or discredit to the gospel we proclaim. If we fail to care how our actions affect people on the other side of the world, or future generations, or the beauty of nature, who will believe us when we say we care about people? Rather than materialistic consumers, Christians are called to be selfless, responsible and content. This way of living just happens to be both good for the environment and in sync with our culture's Green obsession. Christians can't afford not to be seen as green. But unlike the world around us, this is not because Greenness is a fashion statement, but because it is obedient to God's word, a way to love people and show the genuineness of our message. More than this, it is a brilliant, God-given opportunity to bridge the gap between us and our community.
Re-duce Re-use Re-cycle:
*Drive less: use public transport, walk or cycle
*Eat two less serves of red meat per week
*Take shorter showers, install a water saving shower head
*Install energy efficient light bulbs
*Compost or worm farm food scraps
*Remember to recycle things like tins, plastic bags and glass jars
*Take Chinese food containers home to re-use
*Fix dripping taps
*Buy second hand clothes from op-shops or on-line
*Where possible buy local and seasonal produce
For more ideas and information visit www.acfonline.org.au, or have a chat to Tess Holgate, ECU's resident human geographer and environmental warrior.
By Alison Wright
* Lynn Townsend White, Jr, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis", Science, Vol 155 (Number 3767), March 10, 1967, pp 1203-1207
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