Dr. Sleeth's Top Three

Dr. Sleeth's Visit, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

So it's been over a week, and I haven't shared with anyone the top three dr. sleeth shared with us during the week of Another World Is Possible.

He was asked the top three things he thought people could do to be better stewards of God's creation. And here were his three responses.

1) Keep the Sabbath. He wasn't focusing in on a particular day; he was simply stating that as a culture we have forgotten how to rest. We are always going, going, going. In fact, he said it was one of his biggest personal challenges as he traveled from place to place speaking about the environment. He has been consistent to take a sabbath, but sometimes it is difficult to make it the same day each week. The key is to make sure you do it. I've blogged about it recently, you can read that blog entry here.

2) Cut consumption and waste production by 10% and give the money saved to Kingdom work. This could be as simple as turning off lights in your house when you aren't in a room. Or, maybe you could turn your thermostat down 2-3 degrees. It's kind of funny because many people want to run their thermostats at 70+ degrees in the winter, and for most of our human existence, we dwelt in homes that were significantly colder in the winter. Another thing you can do is eat out less, or buy locally grown food, or even share a meal with someone. Most of our restaurant portions are large enough for two people. As far as Kingdom work is concerned, there are a number of great organizations out there, and a few of them were part of our week of events at wvu.

3) Find a group of people to do these things with. Could you imagine what the effect would be if you and your small group, or some folks in your church began to cut back and observe a sabbath. Imagine how it would affect your interactions with one another. Imagine what you could do if 10 people cut their consumption by 10%. Just look at my group on the one billion bulbs website. Only 18 people have signed in as my friends and we have saved over $2000 simply by switching our bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs. You should consider switching and joining.

I think Dr. Sleeth's top three ideas are wonderful for a number of reasons. 1) They are doable. There isn't a single person I know who couldn't observe the sabbath, cut their consumption habits, and even find people to do that with. 2) They are able to be adapted by area. People in FL typically don't need to worry about cutting a gas bill for instance, but folks in WV do. People in FL, could cut down electrical use though. 3) He emphasizes community. We aren't meant to be alone in our endeavors, and it is helpful to be encouraged along the way by entering into a practice with others.

Will you make a commitment to these ecological three? Take the time to leave a comment and share what you are doing to work toward better environmental stewardship--maybe your idea can spark others.