Should I Care About the Environment?

I get it. We (Starbucks, the government, Swifties) started substituting paper straws for plastic ones to keep plastic out of the ocean and protect turtles and other marine animals. But whenever I use a paper straw, it just unravels and disintegrates. Once the paper hits the liquid’s surface, BAM. The ten-minute countdown to finish my drink begins. At the end, I’m left with a soggy piece of paper in my cup that I’m not sure how to remove.

Usually, though, I don’t need a straw to begin with (note: I believe restaurants should have straws for people with disabilities). In fact, I’ve started to say “no” to plastic straws everywhere I go. It’s a conviction I began to feel a few years ago, and it’s a step towards treating the Earth well, like the Bible says, right?

But then I thought about it…what does the Bible say about how we treat the Earth? If this place is temporary, can’t I treat it like the wastebasket by my desk?

Does God Care About How I Treat the Earth?

I believe God cares about how we treat the Earth—and its people. God wants Earth to look like Heaven does. We are called to partner with Him in this mission to restore Earth (which we can all see is broken) by bringing Heaven to Earth in everything we do. This phrase, “bringing Heaven to Earth,” comes from Jesus in Matthew 6:10, where he teaches his followers how to pray:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

What is his kingdom? That’s a loaded question, but this video might help. In short, it’s basically anywhere we see His power at work—which I’ve seen and experienced, from physical healings to spiritual healings to the universe being turned upside-down. When we love God and his creation, we’re bringing Heaven to Earth. We’re restoring what is broken in our world.

That said, Earth is not yet fully restored. There’s more to come. And creation (the trees, grass, mountains) is also along with us for the ride. It talks about this in Romans 8:19-25. Part of it says:

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”

With this in mind, I believe this mission of bringing heaven to Earth includes caring for the environment (aka creation care). And here are my four reasons why I believe caring for the environment aligns us more closely with God’s mission of bringing heaven to Earth, and ultimately brings us into a closer relationship and life with him as the creator of it all.

1. Nothing With God Is Wasted

After God created the universe and humans, he looked at it and declared it was “very good.” (Genesis 1:31). Nothing he made went to waste or was deemed “leftovers.” Everything he made has a purpose and has value. The central place of all this was the garden, where humans resided, where God spent time with the humans, where everything was “very good.”

But sin entered the world, fracturing the connection humans had with God. The garden disappeared. Still, God didn’t give up on us. That’s the great news about Jesus’ resurrection and the introduction of a new kingdom: we get another chance to live in that close connection with God, each other, and creation—the way God intended.

Was there any trash in the garden? Is there any trash in heaven? I would say no, because God is the ultimate recycler. Nothing is wasted with him, including:

• Our weaknesses, struggles, or insults we receive (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
• The evil (Genesis 50:20) done to us.

All things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28). We are called by God to bring heaven to Earth, and I think that includes reducing our waste and caring for creation.

2. Whatever We Do, Do It for God

God entrusted us with the responsibility to rule and care for the Earth. Genesis 1:28 suggests that we have dominion over creation, that we are to rule over it. But does this mean we can do whatever we want with and to the Earth? I don’t think so. “Rule over” here doesn’t mean abuse. Colossians 3:17 says,

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

We see this kind of wicked “rule over” throughout the Bible and the entire history of humanity. We see injustice when God’s nation ended up forgetting him, abusing the poor and the righteous, and using the Earth in unjust ways. Books like Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos, 1 and 2 Kings, are full of examples of Israel ignoring God’s warning and continuing to abuse. How can we ensure we don’t make similar mistakes?

I believe we are called to “rule over” the Earth by taking great care of it—this includes people, resources, plants, animals—everything. So everything from embracing a more minimalist lifestyle, to refusing to buy more clothes and shoes (unless required), to properly recycling and not littering. I’m definitely not perfect at all of this, but with Jesus and my community, I’m trying.

Creation care can even be a form of worship, since we are doing it for God. We move from thinking about ourselves consuming the item to thinking about who helped make it, the resources used to make it, the money spent on it, and what happens after we are done with it.

3. Partner With Him

It can be easy to slip into the false mindset of, “What does it matter if I care about the environment? God’s gonna renew all of this anyway.” In Romans 6, Paul talks about this very way of thinking, specifically regarding sinning more to receive more grace, but I believe it applies here, too: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”. Side note: when we think “What does it matter?” we aren’t thinking or being considerate of others. Our actions matter. Our actions make a difference.

Caleb Cray Haynes is a reverend, author, and advocate for creation care. In his book, Garbage Theology, he said:

“Because once we understand that us joining in with God’s mission on Earth is about our co-laboring in the renewal of all things, we embrace a posture of resurrection in all that we do and all that we touch.” (Garbage Theology, pg. 75)

“All we do and all we touch.” Great, but how can we start to take action? What can we do in our everyday lives to care for people and the planet? How can we take meaningful action?

It can seem stressful, daunting, and frustrating at times, but when we all work together, we can make a difference. It first starts with a shift in mindset. Then it takes small, daily steps to change habits. When we start to think about the energy that went into making a product, or about what happens when we throw something away, it honors God and the world he created for us, which brings us into a closer relationship with him.

So…What Can I Actually Do?

This article contains some great ways you can participate in creation care. Here are a couple more:

🌍 1. Reduce Your Trash

Reduce what you send to the landfill. Unfortunately, when we throw things away, they aren’t gone forever. That toothbrush you used as a kid is probably still sitting in a landfill somewhere. Although there are safety and health regulations in place for landfills, studies show they hurt the environment and community. Items sit there for…well, forever, until we figure out what to do with the landfill. Because of the slow decomposition process (due to oxygen flow, material, heat, sunlight, rain, etc.), it could take hundreds to thousands of years for something to decompose. In the meantime, the slow decomposition process occurring releases harmful methane gases.

For example, while a banana takes about six months to decompose, a plastic bottle takes about 450 years. And when they finally do, they’re both just sitting there, surrounded by more smelly trash. The best thing to do is to compost that banana peel and recycle that plastic bottle so it can be made into something new.

MAKE A GO-BAG

And keep it in your car so you’re prepared when you go out, that includes:

• Silverware Metal or collapsible straw
• Cloth napkin
• Travel mug
• Reusable water bottle
• Grocery bags
• Reusable food containers (instead of styrofoam)

Pro Tip: Carry some of these around in your backpack or purse to cut down on what you send to the landfill.

USE LESS PLASTIC

Make those small adjustments. Use up what you have first, dispose of it properly, and then replace it with a more sustainable option. Or kindly say “no” to the plastic item (like that straw). A lot of plastic in our lives is single-use. We use it once and then throw it away. Not only that, but even when plastic is properly recycled, it’s downcycled. The material becomes weaker, resulting in lower-quality products.

Using less plastic helps fight throwaway culture. It also fights microplastics leaking into our water, food, and bloodstream. For example, plastic water bottles on average contain 240,000 pieces of microplastic per liter. Plastic has been shown to increase the risk of illnesses and cancer.

Unfortunately, it’s here to stay, but we can still do something about it! Look at what you use and try to switch it to something more sustainable:

• Reusable metal water bottle
• Bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste tablets
• Bamboo dish scrubber
• Wooden spoons
• Non-PFAS cookware
• Reusable beeswax wraps (instead of plastic wrap)

There are many ways you can be more sustainable; look around online. These sustainable switches can help you save money, too.

BUY LOCAL

When we support small businesses and local farmers, we invest in our community. The product is usually of higher quality, and the produce is usually tastier and healthier. So try to purchase less frequently (online and in person) at chains and big-box stores. Your dollar matters.

INVITE A FRIEND

Invite a friend to join you in this journey. Encourage each other. Have someone to go to when you’re frustrated.

🌍🌍 2. Recycle, Especially Glass and Cans

Recycling can be confusing, but it’s still worth doing. My recycling provider is Rumpke, and I ended up touring their recycling facility in Cincinnati a couple of years ago. I saw all the different stages, from the beginning when the trucks unload recycling from residents to the items being sorted and put on pallets. At the end of the day, it’s still a business for them, but I can assure you that all the recyclable material was brought there and sorted.

Especially when it comes to glass and aluminum, they are almost infinitely recyclable. Aluminum foil is often contaminated with food, but aluminum cans can be back on the shelf in as little as 60 days.

Pro Tip: Recycle your items appropriately (I still get annoyed at how confusing recycling can be. Check your recycling service’s website and/or email them, or search online).

SHOP AT SECONDHAND STORES

When we are done with an item or become tired and want a fresh look, thrift stores and secondhand stores are great places to donate to so that we don’t contribute to the landfill. Not only that, but they are great places to shop at, too. When we buy used, we are giving the item a longer life. There are things like clothes, shoes, electronics, jars, books—the list is endless! I’ve even found items with the tag still on.

Pro Tip: Try to wear your clothes at least 30 times before switching them out (the average for women’s clothing is only about 10 times).

🌍🌍🌍 3. Compost

When organic material breaks down, it turns into compost. This material is rich in nutrients and highly beneficial to plants and soil. Compost is amazing because it gives new life to material that is deemed inedible and nonvaluable. Compost is then used to further boost the life of plants and soil. When we divert organic material from the landfill, we help reduce harmful gases in our atmosphere. Sad fact: Almost half of what goes into the landfill can actually be composted.

Pro Tip: Start a compost pile in your backyard. There are many resources and videos online to help you get started. If you aren’t ready to start your own pile, see if there is a composting program in your area. There may be a business that can pick up your organic waste or a neighborhood garden that accepts your scraps. Here are a local to Ohio:

• Queen City Commons - Cincinnati
• Waste-Free Dayton - Dayton
• The Food Bank - Dayton
• The Compost Exchange - Columbus
• Columbus City Compost Collection - Columbus

SHOP AT A REFILL STORE

There is a growing movement of refill stores opening up around the country, places where you can bring your own containers and fill them up with food products and/or cleaning products.

Here is a list of refill stores in southern Ohio:

• Simply Zero Co. - Over the Rine, Cincinnati
• Lier’s Market - Northside, Cincinnati
• Health Foods Unlimited - Miamisburg
• Olympia Health Foods - Kettering
• Reduce Reuse Refillery - Dayton
• Designs from the Grove - Troy
• Bexley’s Market - Columbus
• Mediterranean Food Imports - Columbus
• Fresh Thyme - Cincinnati, Beavercreek, Columbus

RECYLE NON-CURBSIDE ITEMS PROPERLY

Not all plastic and metal items are accepted in curbside recycling, including:

• Clamshells (that hold strawberries or blueberries)
• Takeout containers (often from Chinese food restaurants)
• Plastic bags
• Chip bags
• Breakfast/protein bar wrappers

Look at the Hefy Renew program, or check if your city has a recycling program like the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub.

Disclaimer: This article is 100% human-generated.

Reflections to share? Got an idea for an article? Email us at articles@crossroads.net

At Crossroads, we major on the majors and minor on the minors. We welcome a diverse community of people who all agree that Jesus is Lord and Savior, even if they view minor theological and faith topics in different ways based on their unique experiences. Our various authors embody that principle, and we approach you, our reader, in the same fashion. You don’t have to agree with every detail of any article you see here to be part of this community or pursue faith. Chances are even our whole staff doesn’t even agree with every detail of what you just read. We are okay with that tension. And we think God is okay with that, too. The foundation of everything we do is a conviction that the Bible is true and that accepting Jesus is who he said he is leads to a healthy life of purpose and adventure—and eternal life with God.