Psalm 24:1-2
Good
morning,
During
the week you might have heard in the news that the United Nations
Climate Change Panel is now 95% certain that climate change is caused
by humans (up from 90% in its previous report.)
Climate
change is a big issue for politicians and businesses. We've seen the
carbon tax introduced, dramatically reduce Australia's carbon
emissions and now about to be axed and replaced with a different
scheme, which will hopefully have as much of an effect. This is an
issue world leaders need to work on at a global level.
It's
also an issue for us, in our own homes and community, in how we
exercise our faith daily. Human beings are breaking the earth, and
it's not ours to break. It's God's. Human beings have the task of
caring for the earth. But the earth is God's handiwork and God's
possession.
There
are some simple things we can do to minimise our carbon impact: we
can turn off standby power on products (turn things off at the wall
when we are not using them); turn off lights when we're leaving the
room (if there's no-one else using them); change to lower energy
consuming lights and products; use public transport where we can; try
to organise tasks so as to do as many as possible in one car journey;
to try to buy food and other items that haven't travelled huge
distances to get to us.
For
those who are able, switching to solar power and cars that use less
fossil fuels are also ways to help protect this planet.
It's
a matter of using what we need, without waste: being thankful for,
and respectful of, what God has provided.
Grace
and peace,
Iris
Further
information
http://world.time.com/2013/09/27/u-n-climate-panel-its-95-certain-that-humans-are-the-dominant-cause-of-climate-change/