More than just "Saving the Trees."

        So... for my Environmental Theology class we have to write weekly journals. This class has been extremely eye-opening so far, therefore I thought I would share my thoughts with whomever was interested enough to read them. Here goes... 

    I realize my naivety in believing the environmental crisis primarily affected the ecosystem alone.  I thought our actions were only dangers to the animals, land, oceans and atmosphere. I knew the current environmental degradation would cause problems for our lives such as health issues, a decrease in land quality, and resource scarcity. However, I did not have a global perspective on the true spread of damage the environmental crisis could cause… and is currently causing. Particularly, I did not realize the effect global warming, deforestation, pollution, and the entire slew of environmental problems we have created, has on the poorest people on our planet.

            This was tremendously convicting for me not only as a Christian but also as a scientist determined to use her gifts to feed the world. Poverty is one of the global crises that tugs at my heart strings the most. I was always a supporter of environmental efforts because I wanted to save the planet. However, I was never fully aware that impact environment had on the lives of the poor. Growing up in a privileged society, it is easy to lose sight of the true desperation between the rich and poor in our world today. In For the Beauty of the Earth, Steven Bouma-Prediger called out my ignorance as he explained how “the most vulnerable people and countries will most likely suffer the worst, with the present disparity between the rich and the poor even more greatly exacerbated” (53).  Developing nations do not have access to the resources and technologies that we do and therefore will find it more difficult to adapt to a changing environment. They do not have the ability to find alternative resources when the natural ones eventually disappear, nor do they have access to modern advances which have allowed developed countries to adapt to current environmental conditions.  As the environmental crisis worsens, so will their situation.

            In Loving Nature, James A. Nash continued to enlighten me as he asked if environmental concerns were a moral issue. I am fully convinced environmental concerns are moral obligations. As a member of an affluent society, I must be aware of my actions and the impact they have on people around the globe. As a Christian, Jesus calls us to tend to the poor. The Bible enforces this calling 2,200 times and we cannot ignore this calling as his followers. If our careless harm against the world is making life more difficult for the poor, we must seriously reanalyze our behaviors and strive to correct them. If we are to live as Jesus did, we must look out for the poor and be aware of the indirect effects our actions may impose on them. Environmental awareness should focus on more than just "Saving the Trees" for human lives and well-being are also at stake.