Bible Study:
Genesis 1:26-31
1. How does v31 encourage you to environmental concern?
2. What task does God give humans in this world (v26-28)?
3. How do you think fulfilling this task is to be in God’s image i.e. like him?
4. What does the phrase “in God’s image” suggest about the manner in which we should fulfil the task we’ve been given?
5. Try and define in a sentence what it should mean to properly rule or subdue the creation in a way that pleases God.
6. How does our task relate to our responsibility to care for other human beings?
7. If God would have us perfectly care for our environment, then the ultimate cause of its current destruction is our sin, our disobeying his will. With this in mind, complete the table below.
God’s call to
fill the world
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God’s call to
subdue the world
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How have we corrupted it.
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What sinful desires lead to this corruption.
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How does this destroy the environment.
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What godly virtues need to be adopted to reverse this destruction.
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8. Who and what does God want to enjoy his creation (v29-30)?
9. What steps can you take to better care for the world’s vegetation?
10. What steps can you take to better care for the world’s animal life?
11. What steps can you take to limit the impact of environmental degradation on humans?
12. Read Colossians 1:15-23 below. Annotate it with comments on how Jesus brings hope for our environment.
15 [The Son] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
Christian conservation:
See: http://en.arocha.org
General advice:
Taken from: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/faqs/questions/help_planet_2005.htmlEnergy
Being energy wise helps combat climate change - the biggest environmental threat we face. Everyone can make a difference - it can even save you money.
See our Climate Challenge and earn 1, 2 or 3 stars by choosing pledges. Other energy tips are:
- Replace light bulbs with low energy ones - some of these use less than a quarter of the electricity of their equivalents - and they last much longer too.
- Insulating your home will prevent valuable energy being lost to the outside air - and keeps your home warmer. For more green DIY tips on energy savings at home, see the Energy Saving House.
- Energy efficient appliances use less electricity than their less efficient counterparts. For details - see the Energy Saving Trust.
- Buying green electricity from suppliers that support renewable energy sources - like wind power - helps to cut C02 - a dangerous climate changing gas. See our green electricity guide.
Getting around
Cutting the number of car journeys you make helps reduce pollution - and it can keep you and your family healthy too:
- School journeys can be safe and more fun if made on foot with a Walking Bus scheme. See Sustrans for advice on school travel plans.
- Leave it behind - can you make your journey on foot, by bike or using public transport and give your car a couple of days a week off? Contact TransportDirect for public transport information or CTC for details of cycle routes in your area.
- Small is beautiful if you have to drive - a small, fuel-efficient car will produce less polluting emissions - compare models at VCA.
- Are you local? Use local shops rather than going to a supermarket that you have to drive to. You'll cut down on congestion and also support local businesses.
- Cleaner fuels - some alternative fuels like biofuels don't harm our climate. These are renewable alternatives to petrol and diesel, produced from crops like oil seed rape. Many cars can use biofuels with little or no modification to the engine. Biodieselfillingstation will tell you your nearest supplier. The Energy Savings Trust offers grants of between £700 and £1500 to help with the purchase of electric and hybrid cars.
- Car renting and sharing. Smartmoves runs pay as-you-drive car clubs and has a growing list of centres. Liftshare organises car-sharing schemes. For more sensible ideas, see our guide - Cutting Car Use.
Buying it...
Want to be a green shopper? - being more selective in what you buy can benefit the environment and smaller or local producers:
- Consult the Good Shopping Guide which lists the most environmentally-friendly products and high street brands. For greener alternatives to ordinary household goods and gifts see Natural Collection, Greenchoices and the Green Shop.
- Go organic - the Soil Association and BigBarn will help you find organic and local food suppliers.
- Fair trading means small producers get a fair deal for goods. Friends of the Earth believes that sustainability - a commitment to people and environmental limits must underpin the whole trade system. For sources of fair-trade products, see Natural Collection and the Fairtrade Foundation.
- Wood - new wood products should have FSC approval or use re-claimed timber. The Good Wood Guide will help you to find better sources.
- Green investing - don't support bad business - talk to EIRIS about changing to an ethical bank for your savings, pension or mortgage.
- Holidays nearer home can mean lower emissions of C02 - a dangerous climate changing gas. For shorter journeys, let the train - rather than the plane - take the strain. Tourism Concern has lots of advice on holidaying ethically.
Our new book Save cash and save the planet has been launched. Greening your lifestyle is not only good for the environment, but could save you £100s or even £1000s, according to this new guide from Collins and Friends of the Earth.
It includes top tips on how to save energy, detox your house and be a smarter shopper, while helping the environment and your budget too.
Find out more and place advance orders online at: www.savecashsaveplanet.org
...and chucking it away
Recycling or reusing more of the things you throw away could help improve the UK's terrible recycling record.
This will also help combat climate change since it takes more energy to make products from virgin materials than by using recycled materials:
- Recycle locally - Wastewatch and Wasteconnect will tell you where you can recycle or re-use all sorts of waste in your area. Lobby your local authority to improve its recycling services if you think it's not doing enough.
Press for change
There are lots of easy actions you can take to help with our campaigns.
Recycling and sourcing a few ethical items each week is a good start. But we can go further and be actively involved in changes that benefit the planet.
Practical
Application from ‘Caring for the Environment’ (provided by Dan Woodfield 18/11/19)
- Buy a Keep-Cup for takeaway coffee (it saves you money as well)
- Have Meat-Free Mondays (or any day of the week)
- Switch to Organic Milk
- Switch to Organic other groceries
- Plan to walk instead of drive
- Put on a jumper before you put on the heating
- Reuse plastic bags
- Coordinate to car pool to events you know people who
- Switch to low energy light bulbs
- Consider how well you can insulate your home
- When considering a new car, think about whether you can go for a smaller, greener option
- Use local shops which you can walk to (and perhaps have more sustainable business practices) than supermarkets
- Buy Fairtrade
- Consider whether you could holiday in the UK or Europe and drive rather than fly
- Attempt to recycle everything you can at home
- Buy clothes second-hand, or from businesses which are carbon neutral
- Download Ecosia, an internet browser which plants trees as you search (you could plant a small forest if you do your Christmas shopping online)
- Write to your local authority, and MP, to encourage greener initiatives
- Buy Fairtrade as often as you can
- Try to reduce plastic – use paper bags for vegetables, make your own cakes instead of buying them in plastic containers
- Bulk cook your meals, cutting down on multiple packets every night
- Start a compost bin for your food leftovers rather than letting them rot in the bin
- Plan your meals for the week, so that you know how much to buy and don’t end up wasting food
- Learn to cook leftover recipes (my nan made a great bubble and squeak)
- Think about times of the year which are very heavy on packaging – Christmas, Easter, and Bonfire Night – and plan to mitigate the packaging you use