Environmentalism

A broad philosophy and social movement engendered from environmental degradation.

The philosophy is focus on improving the environment for its own sake as

well as the importance for civilization.

History• Environmental thinking began mainly after the

Industrial Revolution.• The industrial period gave rise to modern

environmental pollution as it is generallyunderstood today.

• Animal activists began to promoteenvironmental ideas in an attempt to savewildlife.

• Literature such as A New Look At Life on Earthand Silent Spring, questioning the logic ofreleasing large amounts of chemicals into theenvironment, were published.

•By the mid 1970’senvironmental ethics joinedin with anti-Vietnam Warsentiments and otherpolitical issues.•Mainstreamenvironmentalism began toshow force with thesigning of the EndangeredSpecies Act in 1973, andthe formation of CITES in1975.

•The 60’s and 70’s broughtabout the “hippie” erawhere “tree huggers” setup peaceful protestsagainst deforestation.•Since environmentalistaction has led to thedevelopment of a newsubculture.

Living anEcoFriendlyLife…

•Recycle.

•Make your home

energy efficient.

•Choose local, organicfoods.

•Use transportationwisely.These are the fourmain ways to liveeco friendly…

…but there are several otherways to live GREEN…

•Reading daily news on the internet.•Use rechargeable batteries and digitalcameras.•Download music.•When traveling, pack lightly.•Carry your golf clubs.

•Carbon Dioxide-The substance thatcontributes to globalwarming.-CO2 occursnaturally, but theburning of fossilfuels has increasedlevels dramatically,preventing theatmosphere fromcooling naturally.(Creating extremeweatherevents/changes).

The Enemies•Chlorofluorocarbons- Cause the depletion of the ozonelayer allowing harmful ultra violetrays to reach the Earth’s surface.

•Industrial Pollution-Noxious chemicals can contaminateair, water and our food supply.•UncontrolledDevelopment-Leads to deforestation and thedestruction of habitat.

Something To Think About.

Cons•Economic interests surpassenvironmental protections.•Increase gas and oil prices.•The recent push to live a greenlifestyle has uncovered a newproblem: the lack of uniformstandards as to what constitutes agreen product.•Major technologicaladvancements must be made.

Pros

•Protection of the environment supersedes economic orlegal considerations because the environmentalcontamination or species extinction could disturb theecosystem, adversely affecting other species and humans.•A green lifestyle will conserve our natural resources.•Environmental movement will slow down the effects ofglobal warming.

“God told us to protecthis Earth.”•Protection of theenvironment is aBiblically rooted epictask straight from God.•Nature is Godscreation.•We share this planetwith all species; faunaand flora.

The Church’s View

The Call To StewardshipStewardship is measured by healthy ecosystemsand sustainable, responsible consumption.TheBible says that God expects, even demands,that we be stewards of His creation. Scriptureis undisputable. God created the differentspecies of plants and animals, blessed them,protected them and made a covenant withthem.

•God has aRelationshipwith All of HisCreation.•God's Power isSeen in Nature.•God TeachesHumansthrough Nature.•God ExpectsHumans to beHis Stewardswith Nature.

Á La Mode:GoingGreen.

What Type

Dark•Believeenvironmentalproblems are aninherent part ofindustrializedcapitalism, andseek radicalpolitical change.•Dark Greens arethe “intense”environmentalists

Of GREEN

Light•See protecting theenvironment firstand foremost as aresponsibility.•Often viewenvironmentalismas a lifestylechoice.•This group’s wayof thinking can besummed up withthe motto “Green isthe new black.”

Are You?

Bright•The mostcontemporary ofthe threecategories.•Bright Greensnew technologiesand wiselydistributed socialinnovations arethe means tomake ecochanges.

The Choice Is Yours.Steps to going green can be costly--in the

short term but the cost of not protecting ourplanet is far greater in the long term. TheBible expresses the importance of respectingGod’s creation and His wish for us to exercisestewardship. We must begin to preserve theenvironment in light of future generations. Wehave the power to hinder environmentaldestruction but changes must be madeimmediately before the damage caused isirreversible.