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We often first look
to physical, or “hard” changes that enable us to
maintain our lifestyles and reduces environmental
damage, but that is not enough. We install water
efficient shower heads, buy hybrid cars, or purchase
appliances with green tags. But we continue to take long
showers, drive to work, to the store, or to friends’
homes, and leave lights, computers, and appliances on
and plugged in. Hard changes do have a real impact, but
sustainability cannot be fully realized without soft
changes as well.
"Soft"
sustainability focuses on lifestyle and how we actually
live. Simply improving the structures around our lives
does not mean we are living sustainably; we need to
alter our lifestyles as well to complete the circle.
“Sustainability” is an evolving concept and vision.
Endless resources, guides, and information are at your
fingertips, waiting to engage you on the subjects of
waste, water, electricity, transportation, and food.
Figuring out where you stand in relationship to each
will inevitably show you where you can go next. For
example, if you already recycle, consider composting,
which reuses waste rather than sending it to a landfill,
or reducing the amount of waste you create in the first
place.
If you're
already taking short showers and turning the water off
while you brush your teeth, consider reducing the amount
of water you use for doing the dishes, flushing the
toilet, or watering the lawn. If you already purchase
energy efficient appliances, consider unplugging those
appliances when they’re not in use, turning off your
computer every night, or minimizing your decorative lighting. If you're already carpooling to
work, consider taking public transportation, biking, or
walking all or part of the way. And if you're already
checking labels to see what you're eating, consider
shopping for organic foods or, even better, buying
locally produced organic food.
The
possibilities for individual choices are endless, and
when it comes to sustainability, every tiny bit of
progress is a rewarding building block for the next
step.
Tamara
Power-Drutis is a senior at Pacific Lutheran University
studying
political science and global studies. She has served the
past year as a PLU Sustainability Fellow as well as the
student body Vice President, and hopes to continue
promoting sustainability professionally after
graduation.
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Bible verse:
Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one
of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and
search carefully until she finds it? When she has found
it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying
'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had
lost.'
Luke 15: 8–9
Reflection
The woman in Jesus' parable was concerned about just a
small portion of her environment. She lost 10 percent of
her money; 90 percent was safe and secure. Yet she would
not rest until she recovered that one coin and, in the
process, she thoroughly cleaned her entire house.
If we
misplaced 10 percent of our personal resources, we would
probably react the same way. When it comes to recovering
lost natural resources, however, we may be less
determined in our efforts. We may have a hard time
seeing the loss of a species of insect in South America
as a personal loss.
Hardly a week
goes by without news of another source of water
pollution or toxic waste leakage discovered. The closer
it is to home, the more concerned we become. The truth
is, however, that the way in which we, individually,
care for God's creation affects not only our local
community, but the whole planet as well.
Yet
environmental discussions and decisions become
incredibly difficult when equally legitimate, but
conflicting, concerns vie for the use of resources:
saving jobs in the timber industry versus protecting the
habitat of the spotted owl; using non-renewable energy
sources versus building nuclear power plants.
The woman in
the parable had a distinct advantage in that she could
pursue her goal with a single-minded dedication to the
task at hand. She looked for her coin in her house. Our
"house" is much bigger, and there's a lot more at stake.
Discussion questions:
1. Consider these 10 natural
resources: air, lakes, soil, trees, birds, animals, fish, insects,
sunlight, and rain. Which one (10 percent) could you afford to lose?
What difference would it make?
2. What efforts can you make to "clean house" in your community in order
to recover a nearly-lost resource? What steps are you taking to make
care of God's creation a way of life?
3. When two legitimate uses of a resource are in conflict, what
principles and guidelines may you use to address and solve the problem?
Prayer
God of earth and altar, we live together on earth as
members of one family residing in one home. Forgive our
complacency about the environment you have given us to
tend, and give us, we pray, both wisdom and compassion
as we care for your creation. Amen.
Written by
Susan K. Wendorf for Women of the ELCA. Copyright © 1995
Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. All
rights reserved.
May be reproduced for use by Women of the ELCA in
congregations provided each copy carries the copyright
notice above. For all other purposes, contact us.
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Visit the
study
page for ideas for discussion and further
reflection.
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God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over
the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every
living thing that moves upon the earth. God said, “See, I have given
you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the
earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them
for food. And every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the
air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has
the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it
was so.
Genesis 1:28–30
It is easy to read this
passage and interpret our dominion over all things as meaning that
we can use it all however we see fit. But dominion does not mean
domination — God has given this great earth, all living things, to
us as a gift. As gracious receivers, shouldn’t we treat it well? We
are called to be stewards of this gift, wisely exercising the
dominion God has granted to us. Like Joseph, we trust God’s presence
in everything we say and do. Stewardship is our created frame of
mind.
Remember last summer one
day when it rained and you were bummed because you couldn’t go
outside after work? Retune your thinking. In my city, it is hard to
know when the earth is thirsty because so much of it is covered with
houses, watered lawns, paved parking lots, concrete streets and
sidewalks, shopping malls, and so on. We don’t see the dry, cracked,
dusty earth. We need to look at each weather variable and appreciate
the brilliance of God’s self-sustaining creation.
Get some plants for your
office and home, and tend to them. Take a break, go outside, and
gaze at the clouds. Relax into creation. Get off the
inclement-weather-hating bandwagon. Get back to an earth-centered
attitude toward the weather and the seasons and notice the earth’s
changes and needs.
This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in
it.
Psalm 118:24
Every day, appreciate
creation. Go outside, and say out loud to yourself or someone else,
“What a beautiful day God has made!” And mean it when you say it.
It’s amazing, the difference you’ll feel toward creation when you
make a practice of being grateful for it.
We stewards also need to
make changes in our lives that reflect our gratitude for creation.
For an immediate impact on the earth, start watching what you eat.
Truly healthy foods are healthy for both the environment and our
bodies because they require minimal processing, packaging, or
shipping. Instead of processed fruit or energy bars, choose the
actual source material: Eat an apple! Try eating lower on the food
chain several times a week. This means going meat free, focusing on
vegetable combinations and other sources of protein. Explore and
experiment with new recipes.
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Do you notice the cycle
here? From our thankfulness, we pray. From our prayers grows
thankfulness. Prayer is not restricted to Sunday mornings or just
before bed. Nor does prayer need to be formal. Talk with God about
the earth; pray for the healing of the earth; pray for your strength
as a steward; pray for a miracle. Do this everywhere, especially in
the grocery store when you’re about to choose between the cheapest
item and the fair trade item.
Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.
To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all
the saints.
Ephesians 6:18
Pray for your fellow
stewards. Pray that each one of us does what we can to use creation
fairly, faithfully. As Luther says in his explanation of the eighth
commandment, we need to look upon everything our neighbor does in
the best possible light. So when you talk to others about the earth,
assume the best of them. Know that they will do their part when they
know what is needed of them. Share what you’re doing as a steward,
help them do the same, and inspire them to do more. We need to hold
each other accountable as stewards by actually talking about what
we’re doing successfully and what more can be done.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit
within me.
Psalm 51:10
God is still creating.
In our new sense of urgency about the environment, there is a new
sense of hope among those of us who understand ourselves as
stewards. We know that we need to practice our gratitude for the
earth, make some simple changes in our lives, pray to God about
this, trust that others will do their part, and let others know that
we are trusting them.
Amy Waelchli lives
with trust in the stewards of this world. You can contact her at her
Web site.
_________________________
When you and your friends, classmates, or co-workers meet to
discuss this issue of Café, try out the questions for
reflection on our study
page.
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