NEW:  check out www.thegreenbible.org

The Stewardship of the Earth

I had the pleasure of hearing former Vice President and Nobel Prize recipient Al Gore speak in January at the New Baptist Covenant Celebration in Atlanta.  I'm sure many of you have either read his book or seen his movie An Inconvenient Truth.  The presentation he delivered to his fellow Baptists was one of stewardship...of the earth.  Caring for God's creation and it's inhabitants was a responsibility first given to Adam.  We still have that responsibility today, although the effects of our negligence are leaving behind some irreversible consequences.

President Jimmy Carter challenged all Baptists to embrace the movement to protect our environment.  See how the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is doing by going to their blog at  http://cbfportal.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/going-green/. 

As we focus on how to be better stewards this Earth Day, I thought it might be helpful to share some practical ways for you and your family to get started with your "Green" lifestyle. 

10 Things You Can Do Now:

1)  Purchase canvas bags for your groceries.  Think you'll never remember to use them?  Write at the top of your grocery list each week "take bags".  Also, once you empty your groceries, put them back in your car.  Also, if you're just buying one or two items that you can carry, skip the bag altogether!

2)  Contact PBT Curbside Recycling (People for a Better Tomorrow) to pick up your recycling at your home.  The cost is $12 a month and they do the sorting for you!  They accept all 7 kinds of plastic, glass, paper, cans, ink cartridges, batteries, books, and many other items.  Go to www.pbtrecycle.com for more information.

3)  Expired Drugs/Prescriptions:  Do NOT flush them down the toilet where they can end up in our water supply.  Dispose of them in the trash in closed containers.

4)  Personal Care Products:  Avoid using any products that contain the following ingredients:
     triclosan, phthalates, and parabens.

5)  Consider purchasing a hybrid vehicle.  You may qualify for a tax credit if you purchase it before 2009.  Your insurance company may also offer incentives such as discounts.  Find out what current incentives are available by going to www.hybridcenter.org.

6)  Buy meat, dairy products and produce that are organic, hormone-free and anti-biotic free. Buy coffee that is Fair Trade Certified, Certified Organic, Shade Grown, or Rainforest Alliance Certified.  Organic foods are generally more expensive, so don't bother with produce that has a protective peel (like bananas) and focus on items like apples and spinach.  Try to buy locally-grown produce and shop at the Farmer's Market.  Go to www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php to download and print a wallet-sized guide to help you make better informed selections at the market. 

7) Run your home more efficiently. 

• When selecting cleaning products, avoid antibacterials, aerosol cans, and fragrances.  Baking soda and vinegar make excellent cleaning agents for a multitude of chores. 
• Replace all your lightbulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.  They use 66% less energy and last 10 times longer! 
• Replace your antiquated computer monitor with a laptop or a LCD monitor, and don't forget to cut them off when not in use.
• Use a programmable thermostat that will allow you to set the temperature for daytime and evening comfort.  It can save you as much as 20% if you reduce temperatures by 5-10 degrees.
• Make sure your appliances all have the Energy Star certification.
• Instead of replacing appliances and other electronics, see if you can repair it.  Go to www.repairclinic.com to find parts and do-it-yourself tips.

8)  Eliminate all those catalogs you receive!  Go to www.catalogchoice.org to find and decline catalogs you no longer wish to receive or to eliminate duplicates. 

9)  Recycle your clothes, furniture, computers, cell phones, and musical instruments.  This is the time of year when we clean out our closets.  You can contact the following agencies for information on how and where to put these items to good use.
www.Soles4Souls.org  (shoes)
www.salvationarmy.org  (clothing)
www.purpleheartpickup.org  (clothing)
www.goodwill.org  (clothing)
www.dressforsuccess.org  (clothing)
www.nike.com --Reuse-A-Shoe program
www.rchfh.org  Habitat for Humanity ReStore (furniture, building materials)
www.onewarmcoat.org  (coats)
www.theonitfoundation.org  (computers)
www.operationhappynote.com  (musical instruments)
www.help1up.org  (furniture)
www.letmeplay.com  (sneakers)
www.swaptree.com  (DVDs and CDs)
FedEx, Kinko's and AT&T  (cell phones)

10)  Be kind to your yard.  Cut back on fertilizers and pesticides.  Start a compost pile.  Plant native plants. Use organic products on your plants.  Switch to manual or electric yard tools instead of gas.  Go to www.arborday.org to join for $10 and receive 10 free trees.

 Don't forget the 3 R's:  Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle. We might also want to add Respect.

--Kristina Brown

 
"Never doubt that small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed it’s the only thing that ever has."  (Margaret Mead)