Conserving is Good Housekeeping

Conservation is the foresighted utilization, preservation, and/or renewal of forest, waters, lands and minerals, for the greatest good of the greatest number for the longest time.  Gifford Pinchot

Ecology comes from the Greek work oikos meaning household.   Future prosperity is all about good housekeeping. A new environmental seed is sprouting that will uncover a cloak of darkness that befalls us now.  There is a silent war where increased consumption represents a form of terror.  Can we excel science and politics recapture the 11 billion tons of resources yearly Americans use, not including nuclear and hazardous waste? The renewal of the American spirit will happen when we demonstrate that recapturing resources illustrate that that non-violence works.   

 Let’s celebrate things that support life.  Clean renewable energy, efficient transportation, non-toxic production and measures that protect of our forests, oceans, grasslands and wetlands are all ways that will liberate us. As we show greater respect for people, places and things, we will feel better about our future.

David Orr cites that what is missing is love to engage the many polarized organizations to champion a relationship emulating the compassion of Greek God of nature, Pan.  Our ultimate question is when and how will religious and spiritual groups going to awaken a significant amount of humans toward collective action.  Can we as human invest in making our tomorrow more promising?  Finally we will need to pray together not on each other and ask for divine forgiveness since we may have trespassed upon something more grave then our final resting place.

The late Harvard Scientist and world expert, Stephen Jay Gould remarked that this battle to save the environment requires… forging an emotional/spiritual bond between nature and ourselves.

below is from U.N. Environmental Sabbath Program

"We join with the earth and with each other
To bring new life to the land
To restore the waters
To refresh the air

We join with the earth and with each other
To renew the forests
To care for the plants
To protect the creatures

We join with the earth and with each other
To celebrate the seas
To rejoice in the sunlight
To sing the songs of the stars

We join with the earth and with each other
To recreate the human community
To promote justice and peace
To remember our children

We join with the earth and with each other. We join together as many and diverse expressions of one loving memory: for the healing of the earth and the renewal of all life."

    


*David Orr, “For Love of Life,” Conservation Biology. December 1992, pg 486

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