In The Beginning: Creation Appreciation #9

This post will catch you up to where we are in class. Along the lines of the previous lesson, this lesson deals with consumption of the earth's resources. This kind of conversation seems like it could be a secular issue. Some might say this dialogue should be reserved for civic centers, universities and legislatures. Part of the point of this class is to bring Christians into these conversations so that people with the interests of God at heart will be able to help shape the future of the earth as we steward creation.

As you think about the below ideas, remember that the earth belongs to God (Ps 24.1) and as followers of Jesus, we are called to live humbly, putting the interests of others ahead of our own. See Philippians 2:4-8.

First consider how we use arable land in the world. Land capable of producing crops is a precious commodity. Here's a quick demonstration of how rare the world's arable land is.

This (and the following issues) is a global issue. China has over 20% of the world's population, but only 7% of the world's arable land. Do you see the imbalance? If we are going to love our neighbors and look to the interests of others, we can not turn our backs on the rest of the world and count our lucky stars that we happened to be born into a country that has enough farmland to feed its people. The only word I can think of to describe that way of thinking is "selfish".

Water shortages are quickly becoming a problem as well. Nations all over the world are facing water shortages as water quickly becomes a high priced commodity. This isn't only a problem in the remote parts of Africa. Remember the water crisis in Atlanta last summer? We're only going to see more of this issue.

The term, "water shortage" is somewhat misleading. Others will argue that there is no such thing as a water shortage. Their reasoning is that the world always has the same amount of water. Remember this picture from 7th grade science class?

The earth's water cycle system is a closed system, so in theory, the world does in fact have a constant amount of water. However, due to pollution we are slowly reducing the amount of usable water we have. More than that, with the earth's population rate growing exponentially, we may indeed have a constant amount of water, but the amount of water per person is declining sharply. Water scarcity is already affecting international relations and agendas between countries. But again, this must be seen as a global issue.

*Nearly 450 million people in 29 countries currently face severe water shortages.

*20 percent more water than is now available will be needed to feed the additional three billion people who will be alive by 2025.

*As much as two-thirds of the world population could be water-stressed by 2025.

*Aquifers, which supply one-third of the world's population, are being pumped out faster than nature can replenish them.

*Half the world's rivers and lakes are seriously polluted.

*Major rivers, such as the Yangtze, Ganges, and Colorado, do not flow to the sea for much of the year because of upstream withdrawals.

Our resource of air is important as well. Ever flown into a major city like L.A. and noticed the brown filth that hovers over the city? It makes an impression on you. We've seen and heard this week all the press about the smog in Beijing. Not only does polluted air cause damage to the environment, it also contributes to all kinds of other problems like healthcare. We clearly need to take better care of our air.

Finally, the issue of energy sources is a huge deal. Obviously this issue is very politically charged due to the recent spike in oil prices. As we look to the future, we can not solely rely on nonrenewable energy sources like oil, coal and gas (the "nonrenewable" label is slightly misleading because the earth does continue to produce these resources - it is just a very slow process). Our energy demands continue to increase and at some point (maybe already?) will exceed what the earth can sustain through these resources. Though politics may be deeply tied to this issue, Christians must look for just and responsible solutions to fill the world's energy needs.

Next week, we'll start looking at some practical solutions and lifestyle changes.