Preserving God's flowerbed

Home by Yan Arthus-Bertrand

2009-06-21T08:05:00.003+08:00

It is appalling to know that 20% of the earth's population consumes 80% of its resources.

Does this not point to our selfishness and greed?

Yet, there are solutions and there are people who are making a difference in the way we live on this earth.

Change the way you live.

Where is it in the CCC?

2009-05-16T00:51:00.002+08:00

For all or hard core Catholics out there, we may be very keen to find out where is 'Caring for Creation' stated in our CCC or Cathecism of the Catholic Church?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Respect for the integrity of creation

2415 The seventh commandment [thou shalt not steal] enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity. Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man's dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of his neighbor, including generations to come; it requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation.

2416 Animals are God's creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory. Thus men owe them kindness. We should recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri treated animals.

2417 God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in his own image. 197 Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure. Medical and scientific experimentation on animals is a morally acceptable practice if it remains within reasonable limits and contributes to caring for or saving human lives.

2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.

Clearly we are called to be gentle and respect towards nature yet at the same time, not be nature-worshippers. We can be aware of our consumerism, go out to parks and appreciate nature, treat all living creatures as brothers and sisters, but never place them in a position that is higher than the Creator Himself.

In 2418, it also states clearly the need not to over-spend our resources on animals but to also channel those resources to help people from their oppression or suffering. Unfortunately, this can be interpreted very differntly from people who choose to see an opportunity to exploit nature.

With this knowledge with you, how are you going to respond?

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T11:33:00.004+08:00

I'm currently helping the Society of Conservation Biology, Religion and Conservation Biology Working group. We are compiling a set of notes to inform conservation biologists and religious figures on the role of faith in conserving our natural world. While preparing my research, I stumbled upon a website called Catholic Climate Covenant. It really seems to me that the Church is taking its green issues seriously! Pretty amazing how far we have come... but we still have a long long way to go!

If you are thinking of what to do for Earth Day, why not start by taking the St Francis pledge!

These are the aims and purposes of the St Francis pledge:

The St. Francis Pledge is a promise and a commitment by Catholic individuals, families, parishes, organizations and institutions to live our faith by protecting God’s Creation and advocating on behalf of people in poverty who face the harshest impacts of global climate change. To join the Covenant, you commit to act on each of the five elements of the St. Francis Pledge.

I/We Pledge to:

* PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
* LEARN about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.
* ASSESS how we-as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations-contribute to climate change by our own energy use, consumption, waste, etc.
* ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.
* ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.

CATHOLICS GO GREEN!

O, and if you happen to be on facebook, I invite you to join this group called Catholics Go Green! I will post information on the Church's teachings on ecology and the environment. :)

___________________________________________________________________________________

On a personal side...

I was praying in the adoration room last night and I felt that God was cautioning me to not lose sight of what I am doing all this for. I fear I may be too caught up with my own personal agendas and take too much pride or seek popularity in what I do. That is definitely not what I want, and I seek God's graces to purify my intentions and lead me in this cause/ belief that I have. That all I do, may be for the glory of God.

:)

Climbing Mt. Kinabalu

2009-04-03T00:35:00.004+08:00

Last week, a group of us from St Francis Xavier Church went on a Mt. Kinabalu climbing expedition in Sabah. Personally, I have scaled the mountain twice but only managed to reach the peak on the first try. I succumbed to altitude sickness on the second attempt and had to be content reaching the half-way point Sayat-Sayat. That was when I was 17 years old and was there with a group from the VJC Odac. I felt very disappointed and a little upset with myself, but I recalled looking at the mountain and telling myself that I will be back to conquer it again.

And conquer it I did.

Along the way, I did manage to see a wide variety of amazing mosses, plants, orchids, picther plants and also some animal life like birds, squirrels and a very quick tree shrew. Amazing! I was simply soaking up the beauty of creation all around me and even managed to capture the endemic Giant earthworm and Giant Leech of Mt Kinabalu on film!

I need to figure a way to use flicker so that all of you can access the pictures easily online. :)

Thank you Lord for the beauty of the mountain and for granting our team a safe and enjoyable trip to Mt. Kinabalu. I praise you for all creatures big and small that we have encountered and am awed by the wonder of your creation.

Inspirational!

2009-03-16T12:13:00.001+08:00

After watching so many presentations showing forests disappear over time, watching forests emerge over time is a wonderful change.

What an inspiration!

of cute animals and francis the musical

2009-03-10T16:35:00.004+08:00

My cell group decided to act out various scenes of St. Francis of Assisi last Sunday. It was riotous fun! :) I had the brief opportunity to speak before my community and talk a about Franciscan spirituality towards Caring for Creation. It was quite a pity that I did not read more and prepare my presentation well. I just had an information overload and did not know where exactly to begin! So I did a sketchy introduction to the concepts and principles behind environmental concerns in the Catholic Church.

The next time, I vow to do better.

Just like to share a picture of some uber-cute elephant seals from the National Geographic photo-of-the-day!

The next time I will try to upload the video of our skit! ;p hilarious!!

A lovely walk in the garden

2009-02-28T01:36:00.015+08:00

The 'Care for Creation' book club went for a nice walk around the Singapore Botanic Gardens and got to discover a little more about the rainforest ecosystem within the Botanic Gardens.

We started at 8.30am at the Tanglin entrance of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and were enchanted by a Plantain Squirrel Callosciurus notatus.

After having some 'bao' brought by one of the Franciscan sisters, we made our way to the Rainforest Trail which was somewhere in the middle of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Along the way, we stopped by to admire anything which I could at least say
something about! ;p

Spotted a juvenile pigeon (I think!), resting on the branch of a Tembusu tree Fagrae fragans.

Learning more about Bird's Nest Ferns Asplenium nidus.

Initially I thought it was a flowering tree... but it was the Kapok tree Ceiba pentandra fruiting! We picked up little fluffs of white fibre with the seed attached within.

The Rainforest Trail! A little briefing beforehand and some pictures along the way...

The beautiful strangling fig tree.. We could hardly see the host tree from where we were standing. I spent a good 15 min sitting here absorbing in the quietness of the forests after the walk.

Could these be their figs?

A dipterocarp tree of the genus Shorea or meranti. Dipterocarp trees are characteristic of Southeast Asian forests and can grow up to 50 m in height! These majestic trees have very angular branching and a very straight trunk. Gorgeous!

After our time in the forest, we had a short time of prayer and reflection along Liana Road. I felt rather odd singing the 'Canticle of the Sun' in the forests, but after a while, I did enjoy the time of praise with my fellow sisters, giving thanks and praise to God for all that we have experienced through nature.

It was a good learning experience for me as well, on how to communicate to the public, how to conduct a tour outdoors (I guide in the museum so it's much easier when your animals don't move anymore...), how to talk to others and try my best in answering questions.

Thank you Lord for this lovely walk in your garden. :)

Toddycat walk 21st Feb 2009 Singapore Botanic Gardens

2009-02-18T21:53:00.003+08:00

Are you interested in knowing more about nature in Singapore and learn more about rainforests in the region? How about connecting with them spiritually and caring for creation like St. Francis did?

The Care for Creation book club from CANA will be organising a field trip to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, to learn more about nature as well as understand the spirituality behind caring for creation.

If you are keen, feel free to join us!

Date:21st Feb 2009, Saturday
Time:8.30am - 12pm
Meet at:Entrance of Botanic Gardens (Tanglin side)

Contact me at my email if you are keen to make it! j_lee12@yahoo.com.sg

Looking forward to new people :)

Adoring the precious gifts of God's creations

2009-02-08T22:19:00.003+08:00

Taken from Good News Refection (forwarded by a friend)

Adoring the precious gifts of God's creations

Photo credit: blakophoto

One of my patron saints is Francis of Assisi. He reminds me of what the first reading and the responsorial Psalm teach us: All creation is sacred. God made everything and declared it "good."

We don't worship creation, but by appreciating it and protecting it we worship the Creator. This is why St. Francis could genuflect before every person he met, even very un-Christian folks. He bowed to honor the creation God had made, no matter how unlike God the person behaved, and in so doing, he worshipped the Lord in every person.

Imagine what would happen if all of us starting doing this today and it became a new Christian fad! Respect for one another would increase dramatically. Eventually it would spread to produce a culture of respect even for the unborn and the elderly and the handicapped who seem to have no value in this world. Ahhh, but we're dreaming of the ideal. Let's look at the real, at what we CAN do.

All of creation is a reflection of God and an opportunity to worship him. Why waste time in front of the artificial world of the television screen when we can be delightfully entertained in our back yards watching the shows that God produces? They're all commercial-free!

For example, simple, little dew drops are far more enjoyable than early morning TV gossip shows. When the sun touches these tiny globes of water, they sparkle like shiny diamonds, and when God touches them with a gentle breeze, they glitter with bursts of rainbow colors. Each one is a precious gift from the Creator. God placed those dew drops there for our benefit! Sadly, we miss a lot of his shows. So many dew drops never get appreciated.

Well, that's not true. God sees every dew drop in the entire world, and he thoroughly enjoys watching them. He started entertaining himself with dew drops long before he created people who could appreciate them.

If he gets this delighted over simple dew drops, imagine how wonderfully happy he feels about you! You are far more delightful to him than mere bits of water. He smiles over every nice gesture, every kind deed, every helpful outreach, every use of your gifts and talents, even the tiniest ones. And when you do something that displeases him, he's still tickled by everything that's good about you.

As reflections of God, let's follow his example. Even if we don't genuflect when we meet his creations, we can silently (or not so silently) say, "Wow Lord!" in every encounter with people, with dew drops, and with all the gifts of creation through which he likes to delight us.

© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
For PERMISSION to copy any of my reflections, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Good News Reflection
Monday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
February 9, 2009

Today's Readings:
Gen 1:1-19
Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10, 12, 24, 35c (with 31b)
Mark 6:53-56
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/020909.shtml
Audio:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_02_09.mp3

not alone

2009-01-22T18:32:00.004+08:00

I was at the major seminary at Punggol for a short retreat two weeks ago and had another 'revelation' in my relationship with creation. Major seminary at Punggol has beautiful natural surroundings, lots of trees, birds, beautiful sky and lots of space to roam around and be reflective.

During one of the evenings, I was sitting at the basketball court, doing my quiet time. After my reflection, I thought about doing what St. Francis did, speak to the birds and trees, and sky and sun, and addressing them as my brothers and sisters in Christ. It seemed pretty wacky at that time, but gradually I learned to appreciate each creature for what it is.. thanking the birds for their beautiful sounds, thanking the trees for providing cool shade, thanking the sun for his warmth, the wind for his comforting touch..

And it just occurred to me that I am not alone wherever I go. Even if I'm standing on the hills of England or trekking through the forests in Malaysia, I can always feel a sense of solidarity and shared kinship with creation all around. I guess that's God's way of telling me that I am not alone on this earth. He walks with me, and creation is His way of showing His presence. I am never alone.

Have you spoken to brother sun or sister moon today? :)

Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean adventures

2009-01-07T23:03:00.002+08:00

I had the opportunity to watch this documentary on National Geographic channel today. If you missed it, don't worry! Catch part 2 next Wed!

The focus was on the marine nature parks off the coasts of America. As I was watching the documentary and beautiful footage of coral reefs, fishes, dolphins, whales... I could not help but feel absolutely in awe of nature. There was this particular scene where they filmed a leatherback turtle (one of the largest and most endangered in the world) laying her eggs on the beach and returning to the sea at day break. The sight of the largest living sea turtle being reclaimed by the ocean at dawn was simply breathtaking and if it was so beautiful a moment for me in my living room, I can't imagine what the videographer must have felt watching this scene before his or her eyes.

Just watching scene after scene of magical moments on TV, dolphins jumping in front of the ship, humpback whales flipping out of the water, thousands of eggs and sperms spawned from coral reefs... all these instilled within me a great awe and wonder for God's creation. Perhaps this sense of awe and wonder is but a small fraction of what we will experience when we see God face-to-face. It is an opportunity, to recoginse Him and appreciate Him for His creation, and an opportunity for us to be reminded of our responsibilities as stewards of this earth, to protect this beauty in nature for future generations to love and respect.

When was the last time you were in awe of God's creation?

Humback whale

Brothers and sisters

2008-11-24T20:36:00.002+08:00

I'm beginning to see how establishing a relationship with our environment is the key to bring us humans into a closer communion with nature. It is not in our interest to care for the environment if we treat the environment as things to be used and exploited rather than respected. The following is an abstract from one of my readings in environmental law. It is part of a speech given by red indian chief, Chief Seattle, when the white men tried to purchase the land of the Red Indians.

All Sacred

Every part of this earth is sacred to my people
Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which course through the trees carries the memories of the red man.
The white man's dead forget the country of their birth when they go out to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it is the mother of the red man.
We are part of the earth and it is part of us.
The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers.
The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony and man - all belong to the same family

...

St Francis of Assisi also used the terms brother sun and sister moon, and because of his relationship with nature he was able to cherish and treasure creation all around him. Indeed, it seems hard for us to do so in our urban environment today! We live in tall HDBs, travel in cars/ buses/ MRTs, work in air-conditioned rooms and face a computer screen all day! The nature we are exposed to s perhaps the nature documentaries we watch on TV or youtube!

How can we establish a relationship with nature if we seldom have contact with it? It is sort of a long-distance relationship then... difficult... We should take advantage of the man-made natural surroundings even if we rarely come in contact with the forests and rivers! Our town parks, our shady trees, our bougainvillas on the overhead bridge and flame of forests flowers and all small wonders of nature we can appreciate. One of my favourites is the sky. Go to an open area and just gaze up at the sky and appreciate the clouds and their ever-changing ways. Singapore has beautiful clouds due to our tropical and humid climate! Don't take them for granted!

Lord,

Help us to see in your creation, the wonders of your creativity! May you also use them to remind us of the wonder of our being.

Amen.

Care for Creation - Franciscan Spirituality

2008-11-11T20:09:00.002+08:00

I attended a very interesting session organised by the Franciscans on 'Care for Creation'. It was an introduction to a book club.. something similar to Oprah's book club. It was really heartening to hear from people on their views as well as listen to Fr. Clifford's explanations on Franciscan spirituality and how it embodies a very unique element of relating with nature and respecting nature.

I'm looking forward to reading this book and gaining some insights which I can hopefully share on this blog! If I'm not too lazy... :)

Just checked the price on amazon.com and it was cheaper! ;p

creature to Creator

2008-11-09T22:17:00.003+08:00

I had the grace to experience a moment with my Creator. It occurred while I was having lunch during my silent retreat over the week. As I was drinking soup with my spoon, I had the feeling that I was being watched by someone up above. Instantly, I felt like a deer, drinking water from a stream. It felt really strange, to be for that moment, a simple creature, not thinking, not rationalising, just drinking soup with a spoon and enjoying the present. I could feel God smiling down on me, it was as if He was amused at me, pleased with my existence. I could understand then, what God meant, by saying that He is well-pleased with His creation. We as humans, we too create. I have created this blog, I create pictures and drawings, I create happiness in the lives of others, etc. But it is to this ultimate Creator-creature relationship that we are called to come back to after being creators in our own lives. To draw strength, to rest, to be renewed and directed by God to create His kingdom here on earth. It was truly a grace to experience my God in such a manner. To experience Him as my Creator, the One who knows me intimately, loves me deeply and constantly watching over me. Just like how we do our best and provide as much as we can to what we have created, so does God provide and care for us His creation.

Lord,

May I have the grace and openness of heart to accept you as my Creator and allow You to work Your spirit in me to care for your creation. Thank you for this experience of being aware, that You were smiling upon me, Your lowly creation. I'm happy to have been pleasing to You. Thank You.

:)

The humble earthworm

2008-09-08T01:01:00.002+08:00

Just a short sharing today.. I am trying to update this blog at least once a week so whatever I have encountered this week, I hope to share with you.

I was in or church confirmation retreat over the weekend. My role there was to be a facilitator and talk to confirmants and have a short time of personal sharing. On my way to the front of the church, I met two girls screaming at a little earthworm that had landed on the concrete pavement. Initially I was quite amused at their reaction, but I decided to educate them a little and so I picked the earthworm up and started explaining to them about the importance of earthworms in our soils. Indeed, they play a crucial role in nutrient recycling, aeration of the soil and all this leads to greater fertility of our soils to enhance the growth of our crops. I felt very happy to be there educating the two girls and helping them overcome their fear of this little creature God has made so that they may better understand its role in the ecosystem and its benefits to us humans. I know this all sounds exaggerated and a little nature-crazy but I always feel a little joy when I can inspire people to take a closer look at their surroundings and learn more about the wonderful facts of nature. I recently explained the pistil and stamen structures to Cheryl-Anne and ever since then she has been looking for these structures in almost every flower she encounters. I hope she does not look for them in roses she receives cause their sexual parts have all been mutated to become petals!

So there, sometimes it take a little knowledge and scientific truth to enlighten peoples' minds on the things they often take for granted or they fear.

10 Things to do to conserve and restore creation!

2008-08-31T20:46:00.002+08:00

(adapted from website)

1. WORSHIP and give thanks to our Creator and Redeemer in Holy Mass! This is the single most important action that you can take to help restore Creation! Our experience of worship makes us more aware of God in all Creation. Out of worship comes a Christian response to rule Creation rightly -- humbly, justly, enthusiastically, and with holiness and wisdom. Christian worship is a response of thanksgiving. The liturgy leads us to offer thanks and praise to God for the gifts of Creation and Redemption. Participating regularly in this liturgy will gradually teach us to live constantly in a sense of profound gratitude. With this viewpoint, we are more likely to care for Creation as God's gift. In addition, worship fosters conversion, the gradual giving of our whole life to God, which is necessary for us to become good stewards of the Earth. Just as Saint Francis praised God for every being and for all of Creation, a parish community can do the same every week in its liturgy and celebrations.

The Importance of the Eucharist

Pope John Paul II has said, "When I think of the Eucharist, and look at my life as a priest, as a Bishop and as the Successor of Peter, I naturally recall the many times and places in which I was able to celebrate it... I have been able to celebrate Holy Mass in chapels built along mountain paths, on lakeshores and seacoasts; I have celebrated it on altars built in stadiums and in city squares... This varied scenario of celebrations of the Eucharist has given me a powerful experience of its universal and, so to speak, cosmic character. Yes, cosmic! Because even when it is celebrated on the humble altar of a country church, the Eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world. It unites heaven and earth. It embraces and permeates all creation. The Son of God became man in order to restore all creation, in one supreme act of praise, to the One who made it from nothing. He, the Eternal High Priest who by the blood of his Cross entered the eternal sanctuary, thus gives back to the Creator and Father all creation redeemed. He does so through the priestly ministry of the Church, to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity. Truly this is the mysterium fidei which is accomplished in the Eucharist: the world which came forth from the hands of God the Creator now returns to him redeemed by Christ" (Encyclical Letter "Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 2003).

For Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology, the Eucharist became the deepest source of support for his desire for cosmic peace and reconciliation. Just two years before he died, St. Francis said: "I beseech all of you, by whatever charity I can, that you show reverence and all honor to the most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, because (in Him) all things, whether on earth or in heaven have been pacified and reconciled with Almighty God".

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "the Eucharist, the sacrament of our salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, is also a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation. In the Eucharistic sacrifice the whole of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through the death and the Resurrection of Christ. Through Christ the Church can offer the sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for all that God has made good, beautiful, and just in creation and in humanity" (no. 1359).

2. CONTEMPLATE the wonders of God's creation in the woods, by the sea, in a park, on a mountain, on a farm, or in a garden. Many people can sense the presence of the Lord in the midst of nature. "Faced with the glory of the Trinity in creation, we must contemplate, sing, and rediscover awe," said Pope John Paul II.

To be aware of God in nature should also lead us to praise the Lord in worship at Mass. And our experience in Mass should make us more aware of God in nature. The relationship between experiencing God in nature and in worship is truly of mutual benefit!

3. CELEBRATE with special creation-oriented liturgies or prayer services (St. Francis Day, Rogation Days, Earth Day, etc.) According to the U.S. Bishops, "We urge celebrants and liturgy committees to incorporate themes into prayer and worship that emphasize our responsibility to protect all of God's creation and to organize prayerful celebrations of creation on feast days honoring St. Francis and St. Isidore."

4. CAREFULLY USE the resources of the Earth by conducting environmental or energy audits of your grounds, recycling, composting, organic gardening, etc.
STUDY to know more of creation and its needs. Join at least one scientific or conservation organization and take the time to read their magazine and other publications. Attend public meetings in which information about creation, specifically the neighborhood creation, is presented and discussed. Pick up and use a nature field guide, such as a field guide to birds or wildflowers.

5. EDUCATE your congregation or parish school by sponsoring or participating in Catholic theology/spirituality and environment classes/workshops, environmental study groups, lecture series, special curriculum, video or library resources, etc.

6. ENGAGE in youth activities like special liturgies, prayer services, wilderness experiences, ecological restoration, litter or environmental cleanups, etc.

7. PROMOTE or sponsor public policy activities such as letter writing campaigns, interfaith events, meetings with government representatives, community events, etc.

8. DIRECT advocacy towards health issues, biodiversity conservation, toxic waste clean-up, misuse of pesticides, land and water conservation, lead poisoning, sustainable development, authentic development, alternative energy sources, ecological restoration, etc.

9. EXAMINE your environmental responsibility in terms of issues particular to your community whether you are urban, rural or suburban.

10. CULTIVATE outdoor activities, such as hiking, walking, camping, biking, boating, gardening, canoeing, kayaking, photography, hunting, fishing, swimming, mountain climbing, birding, and botanizing. Take yourself and your family out of your house, automobile, shopping mall, and theme park and into the living world.

Keeping the faith in conservation

2008-08-21T21:36:00.004+08:00

There is a great deal about the environment these days and people are starting to sit up and figure out how all these big issues like global warming, climate change, greenhouse gases, depletion of resources, how all these issues have any link to themselves.

Living in an urbanised setting like Singapore makes it even more difficult to understand the importance of preserving nature as we urbanites have lost all direct dependence on nature itself, less the occasional walk in the park. The students I teach as a teaching assistant in the university often do not comprehend the need to study basic biology and ecology but honestly, I don't blame them. Subjects on biotechnology and biomedical research have taken centre stage for their economical promises and pharmaceutical rewards. The study of ecology has been reduced to the 'last chapter in my biology book which teacher says not important to study'. It's just an all-too-familiar pragmatic approach we take in Singapore. Sad but true.

My interest in Biology came when I was very young and I guess all the David Attenborough documentaries really made me want to study nature and protect the environment. It is difficult to explain to someone what I am doing as people always ask, 'So what are you going to do next time?' , to which I have no answer and which leads to subsequent questioning of what the hell am I doing and whether all this is really worth while. All I can say is that I have a little voice in me that tells me to be counter cultural and do what you can to bring a little environmental awareness into the lives of others. Many many have little empathy to the causes for the environment. People are dying from hunger, wars are breaking out, diseases are taking over and you want to talk about saving a tree? It is true, immediate problems are all around us but conservation of natural habitats have many many long term benefits which can be quantified in terms of cash. Ecosystem services like nutrient recycling, watershed properties, pollination of cash crops actually provide billions of dollars to agricultural systems and benefit local communities in the area. Moreover, preservation of these natural habitats is crucial as there is no guarantee that these forests can ever be the same as before!

Alright fine, nature is important (as if the papers don't remind us about that everyday!)...
But what about this religion and environment thinggy?

Well, firstly, let me quote my environmental law professor who said,"I believe that the earth will only be saved by human ethics." I sincerely agree because in many ways, it is hard to see the immediate economical value of a forest compared to a factory. We conserve because we want to pass this earth to future generations and what a sad heritage it will be if trees were reduced to a quarter of their magnificent size or if charismatic mammals are forever lost from the face of the earth.
Personally, that's where religion plays an important role as there are many parallels between conservation and religion which I will elaborate on in later posts. Religion is a code of ethics where behaviour, attitudes, mindsets and character are developed and directed towards a greater common good for all. In a way, if we could only work together with religions to bring a little environmental awareness into the hearts and minds of others, what a great change that would make in the world!

Just to clarify, I am not hoping to make faith revolve around conservation. As a Catholic, I sincerely do wish that the focus of my faith is to grow closer to God and spread the love of Jesus to the people around me. However, I do hope that people of faith can see a light in the direction of being stewards and custodians of this magnificent creation that we have been created amongst and to not see ourselves as dominians and wanton destructors of the environment for personal gain. In the end, all things are related and the consequences of our destructive actions on the environment will come back to impact us, much like the consequences of our sin which affects the community we live in and in turn harms us by separating us from God and man.

Image from http://conservation.catholic.org/background.htm

**side note**
wow.. I am not normally an activist.. I guess I have to get used to this side of me! ;p