Earth Day From A Christian Perspective And Being Green All Year

I love holidays like Earth Day. It's a great reminder for us to take care of the Earth! As a Christian, it is very important for us to take care of this beautiful planet that we have been given. It's part of our job on Earth! If you want Biblical evidence that it is our job to take care of the Earth, I have it for you.

• "Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” -Genesis 1:26
• “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young." Deuteronomy 22:6
• "Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel." Proverbs 12:10
• "You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy." Psalm 65:9-13

This is just a small sampling of what the Bible says about being good stewards of the Earth. To litter, hurt animals, and defile the Earth is to disrespect God and what he has created. As a Christian, I think it is important to take care of the Earth. It is good stewardship. Here are a few things you can do to take care of the earth all year long.

• First, it's important to be kind to animals always. Don't hurt an animal just because it is a stray. I've seen people kick at animals they don't like and that's so wrong!
•  If you hunt, stay within hunting laws and don't hunt for the trophy. Use as much of the animal as you can in practical ways. Don't be wasteful!
• Take your trash with you. If you are out in public or somewhere where there is no trash can, carry your trash with you and throw it away when you can. Don't just throw it on the ground. Not only is it harmful to the environment but it also makes the landscape ugly and not as enjoyable for other people.
• Use reusable products as much as you can. Carry a reusable water bottle with you instead of buying bottled water. Carry your lunch in glass containers instead of buying plastic packaged convenience food. It's cheaper anyway. Try not to use straws.
• Leave a place better than you found it. If you go camping, make the campsite look pristine before you leave even if it wasn't when you arrived. It's just a nice thing to do for the next person who comes along.
• If you have a garden plant wildflowers and plants that attract honey bees. They are an endangered species and important to life on this Earth so it's good to attract them and give them a nice yard to buzz around in. I know a lot of people don't like bees but honey bees typically aren't aggressive and will leave you alone. 
• Educate others about being green. When others notice you carry reusable products or are planting honeybee-friendly plants, tell them about it. Explain to them how it helps the Earth. You'll be surprised how many people want to be green but just don't know how to.

I hope this helps you to be green all year long and gives you a new perspective on why it's important to take care of the Earth. Do you have any tips for being green? I'd love to hear from you.