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Monday, July 20, 2009
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Fifty Ways to Help Save the Earth --On Your Own or with Your Church
The green movement has taken root among Christians, with individuals, churches, denominations, and other groups embracing eco-justice as a vital part of discipleship. 50 Ways to Help Save the Earth: How You and Your Church Can Make a Difference (Westminster John Knox Press) by environmental activist Rebecca Barnes-Davies makes clear the connection between caring for the earth and living one's faith.
"Our task is to learn to reshape our lives to honor rather than destroy God's creation," Barnes-Davies says. "If we are to save the earth, we must save it from ourselves." To that end, the book reinforces values of conserving resources, recycling, gardening, and being content with "enough."
Taking action is important, but it's also about "not doing," Barnes-Davies says. Knowing when to let go of control, doing no harm, resting, celebrating, and trusting that God is doing the work to care for creation, are all essential elements to her approach.
Seven chapters address key environmental issues including water, energy, people, transportation, food and agriculture, other species, and wilderness and land planning. Each chapter offers seven action items ranging from individual efforts to activities that encourage the involvement of church and community. Suggestions range from personal to political action, such as:
•buying a solar cooker as a way to conserve energy (Barnes-Davies includes a recipe for delicious, easy-to-make sun-baked brownies);
•working to stop mountaintop removal, a method of removing coal that devastates mountains and often, local economies;
•doing a complete energy audit of your home;
•eating locally, seasonally, and organically;
•re-using bathwater in the garden or to flush toilets;
•advocating for clean air as a matter of justice for all people;
•engaging in activities such as reading or hiking that neither produce nor pollute.
A fiftieth action item ties these efforts into the biblical concept of a "Jubilee" year, which occurs every 50 years. An important aspect of Jubilee is the idea that the earth and its people need a periodic rest.
"These fifty steps will lead to a deepened commitment, a habit of thoughtful living and practical action," Barnes-Davies says. "Once we form this ongoing habit, the possibilities for further action and results are endless."
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