DOING A NEW THING!
May Brings Out the Best!
People emerge from cold-weather shelter.
Blossoms, then leaves, pop out from barren branches.
Wildflowers and perennials peek up from silent ground.
God’s gifts beckon us to new life.
God’s trust summons us to care for His Creation.
“I am [we are] doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18)
What new thing(s) have you decided to do to better care for God’s Creation?
When we first moved into our house on Bennett Court, we did four Creation Care things right away:
- Started composting, and showing our neighbors how to do it too
- Reduced our electric bill to $13 a month – being mindful of electric light usage
- Planted a pollinator garden
- Walked everywhere we could (church, bank, library, post office)
Why are these things important?
#1 – Nearly half of what is in landfills is organic. Since landfills are anaerobic (no air gets inside) organic waste creates methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas that heats up our atmosphere. Nearly 25% of current atmospheric warming is due to methane alone. Plus, we got to meet our neighbors and show them how easy it is…matter knows how to decompose 😊.
#2 – Using less electricity saves us money, and makes us less dependent on fossil fuels. Plus, we’ll need fewer solar panels when we convert to sun-power.
#3 – The loss of nearly 97% of wildflower meadows has resulted in great losses of pollinators too. Reverse the trend by increasing and feeding more pollinators, which contributes greatly to agriculture and food production. (This year, we are converting our back yard from a “mow zone” to a “grow zone”, adding raised beds, planting small herb and flower gardens, and growing nitrogen-fixing ground cover instead of grass.
#4 – Help reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions. Drive less. Walk or bike more. Carpool or combine trips. Bring your lunch and picnic nearby in the air you helped make cleaner. Give yourself a pat on the back for the extra exercise you’re getting.
REMEMBER:
“We affirm that all creation belongs to God and is a manifestation of God’s goodness…. Rather than treating creation as if it were placed here solely for humanity’s use and consumption, we are called to practice responsible stewardship and to live in right relationship with the Creator and with the whole of God’s creation.” — United Methodist Church Social Principles
