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Geneva faculty promote environmental stewardship
Water use, littering, recycling—what do these things have to do with Christianity? This semester has had Geneva’s campus teeming with discussion of environmental issues and what it means to care for God’s creation.
Last year, Associate Professor of History Dr. Jeffery Cole and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Rodney Austin created The Worth of Water, an environmental awareness course for Geneva students. Students study the nature, role and vital significance of water, and travel to southern Florida at the end of the semester for a first-hand look at this limited natural resource.
As students develop a deeper appreciation of water, Cole and Austin hope they will not only become more responsible consumers, but also better stewards of creation.
“Americans tend to live as if our planet has an endless supply of natural resources,” says Cole. “Of course it doesn't, and fresh water is one of the resources that is rapidly disappearing.”
Fellow professor and creation stewardship advocate is Professor of Biology Marjorie Tobias. Environmental stewardship is one calling of a Christian that she feels is often understated, and a few years ago she started a creation stewardship club for students at Geneva. Tobias wanted to increase awareness of environmental issues and knew that student voices could have a strong impact on fellow peers.
“We [Christians] should be the ones who care most about creation,” Tobias says, and as she explained to Geneva’s campus in a recent chapel message, “To take care of the environment is to take care of people, too.”
Looking for some practical ways to become a better steward of our world and its resources? These Geneva professors offer a few suggestions:
Dr. Cole: “Stop purchasing and using bottled water. The manufacture of the bottles consumes vast amount of petroleum, the transportation of the bottled water consumes energy…and it’s extremely overpriced. People should drink tap water in reusable bottles if they want bottled water.”
Professor Tobias: “Caring for God's creation doesn't have to be time consuming or difficult. Even simple things can make a difference: like recycling, printing on both sides of a sheet of paper and turning off lights and computers when not in use. When the little things become a part of our lifestyle and we learn to think like creation stewards, it becomes easier to make bigger changes. When we are faithful to our calling, others around us begin to catch on, too.”
Dr. Austin: “In the home, individuals can take steps such as installing low-flow showers and toilets, collecting rain-water to use in gardens, and reducing the amount of time they shower. These simple steps can reduce stress on the local water resources, plus save money.”
–Caitlin Zeiset '10