I don't worship the environment or believe I can save it. I know that this earth will one day perish and God will create new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). But I do believe we're called to be good stewards of what God has given us (1 Peter 4:10). I believe there are higher goods than creation, most notably health and wellness and ability to serve others. I was vegetarian for a time, but it didn't work for me. I feel better physically and mentally when I eat meat. Yes, I rode the light rail to work for a time. Yes, I appreciated its efficiency and clean energy use. But the commute was detrimental to my time management and mental health, so I stopped.
So on that note, here are a few things I do to be a good steward, without (hopefully) going overboard and making myself crazy:
1) Skip the receipt (gas pumps, pop-up shops, etc.). I have the blessing of owning a smart phones and can either record our purchases in notes, or get the receipt e-mailed to me. I really don't need the paper.
2) Shop using reusable bags. My best friend got me mesh reusable bags, and they are great for produce. Most stores sell bags for the bulk of the other goods. (Note: I still use plastic sacks for meats. No use being unsanitary and getting sick because of trying to be eco-friendly.)
3) Buy from the bulk bins. Save money and save plastic (bagging with reusable bags above). Stores like Basha's,Fry's, Sprout's, Whole Foods, Win-Co, and more have bulk bins.
4) Re-use what plastic bags we have. Use plastic grocery sacks as trash liners. Only change the trash liner when needed. (We consolidate trash in the kitchen trash sack, and dump that for the week. No need to throw away a trash liner when all it held was office paper or cleaned out recyclables.)
5) Use dryer sheets at least twice. We aren't to the point of dryer balls yet, but we can still use a sheet several times.
6) Clean with micro-fiber. We generally only use paper towels for really nasty stuff, or when we don't have access to anything else in one of those "panic" moments.
7) Buy juice concentrate. Yes, the concentrate comes in plastic, but there is less plastic than buying juice in bottles all the time. (Plus, mixing up our own juice from concentrate is cheaper for the most part.)
8) Wash Ziploc bags. Yes, we still use them. But we wash and re-use them until they're not usable anymore. (Balance, people!) We also use silicone bags where we can.
9) Pack lunches. This saves times and money and throw away paper goods and plastics from eating out. (Yes, this is a source of and use for washed Ziplocs.)
10) Recycle. Our city does not recycle a lot, but we take advantage of what it does. Baby steps....
Being a good steward seems so all-consuming sometimes. There is so much publicity about the "right way" to live. But really the right way to live is 1) in alignment with God's will, as expressed through his word, and 2)in alignment with our own values and priorities (which vary from person to person). There are lots of ways to cut back and save and do better for the environment. You do you.**
*If you are vegan or vegetarian for the environment's sake and it works for you, great! But if your overall health is struggling because you are making choices to honor the environment that don't feel good in your body, here a few articles with helpful information:
https://www.sarahberneche.com/blog/2020/1/23/can-intuitive-eating-co-exist-with-a-plant-based-diet
https://www.blogilates.com/i-went-meatless-for-20-days-and-this-is-what-happened/
**Explore other ways to live responsibly by reviewing these resources:
https://www.curbed.com/a/how-to-live-sustainably
https://www.thehealthymaven.com/sustainable-living/
This is such a great framework for moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle with intention and mindfulness - I love it, and appreciate your research and references!
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