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Everyday earth day
by Tamara Power-Drutis

Environmental degradation is all around us in the form of global warming, the destruction of the rainforests, and contaminated water supplies. The enormous scope of the problem, and the tangled politics that play a role in it, are enough to make us throw up our hands in frustration and despair. It doesn’t take much to talk ourselves out of caring for the simple reason that we’re not sure our actions are going to matter. “What difference does one less car on the road really make?” “What does it matter if I unplug my appliances?" ”“What good would eating organic or local really do?”

We may feel overwhelmed, but there really are simple, practical solutions and ideas that can make a difference if enough of us do it together.

We hear the word “sustainability” a lot, but what does it mean? Sustainability is commonly described as a process or state that can be maintained indefinitely. When I first became concerned about the concept of sustainable living, I quickly discovered that there is a lot of very good, easy to understand, widely available material on the concept.

Even though I am a child raised on celebrations of Earth Day, recycling bins in every building or classroom, and conservation as a core family value, I learned even more about lifestyle and how lifestyle changes make a real impact.

Last spring I was accepted as a Pacific Lutheran University Sustainability Fellow, an experience that would forever affect the way I live my everyday life. My job is to research sustainability practices, particularly those on campus. Since I was going to be promoting sustainable lifestyles to my campus community, I thought that I should live a sustainable lifestyle myself.

If I was going to ask those around me to walk to school, buy local and organic, reduce their energy use, recycle, compost, and reuse more than they throw away, then I would have to do these things first. And you know what? The transition was not as difficult as I thought it would be. It was simple, enjoyable, and beneficial.

Getting rid of my car got me walking and riding my bike every day. Prioritizing earth-friendly foods translated into caring about what went into my body and preparing it in a healthy manner. Responsible waste habits meant savings all around.

I remember the first time my housemate commented on our recycling bin being fuller than our trash bin, and again when the trash bin was almost empty.

Every step I took toward leading a more sustainable lifestyle prepared me for the next step and inspired me to do more. I remember explaining the experience to my fellowship advisors as being like an addiction: Suddenly I couldn’t wait to learn more, couldn’t wait to tell those around me about how they could do the same, couldn’t wait to further engage my community on sustainability. It was contagious, and I couldn’t wait to pass it on.

What I discovered in my work was that others were generally excited about sustainability as well. My position called for promoting green progress on campus, which required collaboration with many people on many levels. As my research led to ideas, I began meeting with various individuals and groups around campus. I expected I would have to deliver sustainability sales pitches, but instead I found that students, staff, and faculty were all ready and prepared to jump in. PLU was ready to be more sustainable, and in most cases all it took was asking some questions, starting a conversation, or making a connection to get the ball rolling.

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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Faith reflections
by Amy Waelchli

When I think about the state of the environment — all the facts, figures, predictions, and failures — I’m completely immobilized with fear. Scientists have been issuing warnings and admonitions to get our acts together for a while now, and we’ve ignored these modern-day prophets.

What can one little person do to make a difference?

I could live the life of a steward like Joseph. And so could you.

My son recently studied in Sunday school the story of Joseph, the part where Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams in Genesis 41. In one of Pharoah’s dreams, he sees seven fat cows grazing along the banks of the Nile. Seven thin and ugly cows come along and eat them. But after the seven thin cows eat the seven fat cows, they are still thin and ugly. Joseph understands what this means, and interprets the dream for Pharoah:

God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. After them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land. The plenty will no longer be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very grievous.
Genesis 1:28–31

Joseph then suggests a disaster preparedness plan —during each of the next seven plentiful harvests, save for the lean years ahead. His plan is put into place, and enough food is saved that no one starves during the famine. Joseph’s stewardship, as my son’s Sunday school lesson said, “uses resources fairly.” Joseph and Pharaoh take immediate action — they might be afraid, but they don’t let fear immobilize them. There’s no room for that in the stewardship job description — we have too much work to do!

Earlier in the book of Genesis, in the first chapter, we are called upon to be stewards of creation and to use creation's gifts fairly, justly, and sustainably.

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.

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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.