What are we doing about our disproportionate use of the world’s resources?

Do we see unreasonable exploitation in our relationship with the rest of creation? How can we nurture reverence and respect for life? How can we become more fully aware of our interdependent relationship with the rest of creation?

To what extent are we aware of all life and the role we play? What can we do in our own lives and communities to address environmental issues?

Immediately we asked ourselves who the “we” would be in this question: ourselves as individuals or as citizens of our communities or country?

As individuals, we thought it useful to each answer the question: “what progress have I made this year toward environmental awareness and practice? What do I now do differently?”

Answers:

-- Avoid taking plastic bags at the grocery store (or any store)

-- Eat more locally/buy from urban farms

-- As part of a green team, got residence to discourage taking out food in Styrofoam and saw to the placement of glass recycling bins

-- Eat vegan more often

-- Drive less and/or “hypermile” (drive more gently to increase mileage)

-- Try home gardening, especially growing perennial fruits and vegetables

-- Make sprouts

-- Give items to Freecycle

-- Considering geothermal heat pump

-- Keep awareness of impact of our actions constantly in mind

We see our country as articulating more of a vision and willingness to tackle environmental issues than was true in the past. However, national trends and policies aren’t always effective; for instance, the push to use ethanol, which is neither efficient nor sustainable. The attempt to restore the economy could go awry if it doesn’t help people avoid their old habit of overconsumption. Assuring people a comfortable life and at the same time encouraging them to conserve and pay attention to dwindling resources is a difficult task.

We feel that we can take measures to avoid exploiting the rest of creation by allowing ourselves time in the natural world and by encouraging others to do so. A lot of research shows that people, especially children, thrive better in many ways when they spend time in natural environments. Among other benefits, noticing the plants and animals even in the city reminds us that they were here first, by and large, and that we must take care to avoid further displacing them.

Margaret Atwood’s book, “The Year of the Flood” describes vividly the world as it might be if we don’t heed the signs of coming environmental degradation.

The inter-dependence of life can be reassuring. For instance, sad as we may be when the leaves fall, when they’re gone you can see the world beyond them.