First of all, what is climate change?
Climate change is a general term used to describe all the changes in nature that can be attributed to humans’ use of fossil fuels. AKA, climate change is the effect humans have caused on our natural world through our dependence and addiction to fossil fuels.
When you hear about fossil fuels the first thought that comes to your mind might be natural gas used to heat your home or the gas needed to fuel your car. While these uses contribute to air pollution and our dependence on fossil fuels, there is even more danger to be had by our addiction to plastic.
Plastic is made almost completely by fossil fuels. First of all, fossil fuels are not a reliable renewable source. Meaning, once we use up what is in the earth, it’s gone. You don’t hear of fossil fuel farmers, because you can’t just grow your own fossil fuels. Second, plastic is literally killing us and our world. How?
From it’s extraction from the earth (regardless of method) to it’s slow, nearly impossible decomposition, plastic emits greenhouse gases and other toxins into the air we breathe. A report from the Center for International Environmental Law studied and described the emissions produced by plastic in each phase of its life cycle. There is no perfect solution to our immense plastic waste other than zero use of plastic. Even the “good” uses of plastic such as recycling to prevent production of virgin plastic and incineration for energy use emit greenhouse gases.
These greenhouse gases affect the natural order and cycle of our world.
This is one of the reasons why Plastic Free July exists.
You literally have to live in a bubble under a rock to not see or hear about the immense destruction we humans have caused and are causing in our natural world.
Devastating natural disasters are occurring more frequently than before.
Christians, you can’t just throw your hands up in the air and quote Matthew 24 and say, “it’s a sign of the end times, it’s God’s judgement, there is nothing we can do”.
Bull.
If a loved one is running down a sketchy trail at full speed and doesn’t know that they are about to run off a cliff you don’t throw your hands up and say, “well, guess it’s their time to die”. No. You would do everything in your power to warn them and stop them from their untimely and painful death.
It’s not a secret that human action is destroying the world we live in. So why throw your hands up and say “it must be the end” as if that is a free pass to live destructively in the world you believe God created.
Yes, it really is that simple.
Do you want to care for the poor?
Evaluate your environmental impact.
Do you want to feed the hungry?
Evaluate your environmental impact.
Do you want to clothe the naked and aid the sick and dying?
Evaluate your environmental impact.
Remember last week’s post about intersectionality?
News flash, people are part of the environment.
The way you treat the environment is a direct reflection of how you view the worth of human beings.
Recap.
We humans are destroying our beautiful world and one way we are doing that is through our obsessive addiction to plastic.
Plastic creates horrible toxic pollution causing climate change.
Blaming natural disasters on the end times instead of the direct result of our destructive actions is at the very least the lowest level of foolishness.
If you don’t care about your environment enough to learn something new, to evaluate your relationship with plastic and other fossil fuels that directly impact climate change (let’s be real, it doesn’t take much caring to be willing to learn) then what are you doing?
Until next time,
A.F.
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