Finding ways to conserve resources now

The following information is from the Covenant Companion “Facing the Future with Faith” by Marianne Peters published on: February 1st, 2013.

There’s a lot of talk around the topic of climate change right now. So, lets stop talking and start doing the things we need to do to sustain life on earth. We can’t all do the same things—some of us might not be able to do much at all. But together we can form a patchwork quilt of faithful lives that tell God’s story.

Here are some hopeful actions to “green up” our life today:

ACTION: Waste less food. I am going to plan meals and snacks for the week to cut down on the food I have to throw out. Americans wasted 34 million tons of food in 2010. That’s not just poor stewardship, but it’s bad for our public health, according to the EPA. It’s also an affront to the many, many hungry people in the world. So I’ll plan to shop a few times during the week for perishables, keeping frozen veggies and fruits on hand. I’ll keep a bag in the freezer for chicken bones, veggie tops, and peelings—once it’s full, I can use it to make a simple stock I can freeze for soups. I’ll keep composting outside in small batches. Along with all this, I’ll ask God to give me a deep dependence on him as the source of everything, including the food on my plate.

ACTION: Get control of my stuff. I want to learn to re-use and repurpose more of the things I already own and give away my extras. It would be great if everything in my house had a use, a reason for being there. Clutter is not a sin, but in my life, I spend an inordinate amount of time sifting through stuff, feeling stressed. Getting control will be a stretch for me. I’m not naturally organized or disciplined. But I can do better. And one thing I’ve noticed is that discipline in one area can often “leak” into other areas of my life. Who knows—maybe I’ll lose those ten pounds!

ACTION: Wean myself from car-dependence as much as I can. Combustion engines create most of the fossil fuel emissions that are warming the planet. Can I plan my trips so biking or walking is a possibility? Plenty of people around my little town walk and ride their bikes in all kinds of weather, usually because that’s all the transportation they have. Even if the weather is bad and I want to drive my car, I can still carpool, consolidate my errands, and drive the speed limit, all of which help limit emissions.

 

Click here to read full article by Marianne Peters

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