What’s All the Buzz About Earth Day?  

By Heather Merchant

Earth Day 1970: Unless you are old enough to remember, it's hard to believe today how impactful the first Earth Day was. Beyond the protests recycling centers were started, wastewater treatment plants were upgraded and meaningful, bipartisan legislation was passed that has changed dramatically how we treat the land and its creatures. Source: history.denverlibrary.org

You may already know that April is officially Earth Month. And you might even know April 22nd is Earth Day. But what do you know about the history of Earth Day and its significance? 

The first officially proclaimed Earth Day, April 22, 1970, was promoted by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. He, like many at the time, was appalled by environmental disasters like the river in Ohio that was so polluted it caught fire, parts of the Great Lakes literally dying, and air pollution shortening life spans and making breathing difficult. Over 20 million people turned out for the first Earth Day, prompting politicians of both parties to take notice and inspiring the birth of a new environmental movement.  

Earth Day prompted some of the most significant environmental laws ever enacted, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act (which helped turn around populations of many species then facing extinction, including brown pelicans, bald eagles, osprey, and timber wolves). In addition, President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 with the approval of Congress. Since then, Earth Day has evolved into a global movement with participants in more than 190 countries focused on a variety of environmental activities and events.

So, what does this have to do with us today, and in our role as Christians? A careful reading of Genesis reminds us that the very first thing God asked his humans to do was to care for the planet He created. So what place should Earth Day have in our daily walk with God?

Before we begin to answer that question, let’s consider these important biblical themes:  

This is our God’s world, and He has asked us to care for it. 
Like non-human animals and plants, humans were created from the dust of the ground. Yet men and women were given the sacred role of ruling over the creatures of the sea, the air, and the land (Genesis 1: 26-28). In Genesis 2:15 the Bible makes clear what that means when it says God put Adam into the garden explicitly to till it and care for it.  

We are to rejoice in the creation because “The whole earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). God himself delights in creation and declares it “very good” (Genesis 1). The psalmist declares, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (Psalm 104:24). 

The Earth has a problem – and it’s us! 
The prophets frequently linked Israel’s sin with environmental calamity. For example, Hosea 4:1-3 says, “Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel; for the Lord has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness, no love of God, and no knowledge of God in the land. Therefore, the land mourns and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing.”

In this passage, the people’s disobedience to God spirals sequentially into human and environmental violence. When humans turn from God and live in ways that dishonor him, the effects ripple throughout our human relationships and over our relationship with creation.  

Jesus Christ is the source of hope not only for people but for all creation. 
In Colossians (1:15-20) Paul writes, “It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, having made peace through the blood of his cross; whether things on earth or things in heaven.” God’s redemption and reconciliation are not just for humanity; they are cosmic in scope – they include all things.  

These three themes give us a broad biblical vision of care for Creation and inspire us to get to work!

Whether caring for our gardens, trying to reduce our carbon footprint, or recycling our trash, simple steps to do positive things for the environment demonstrate to our children and others what it means to be God’s image-bearers.  

The Creation Care Team at BCC wants to make it easier for you to be better creation stewards. For this reason, this Earth Day we are partnering with the City of Bellingham to host a Recycling Drop-off Event for hard-to-recycle items on Saturday, April 20th from 12-3 pm in the BCC parking lot. The event is for all Whatcom County residents, so consider inviting your friends and neighbors to join us.

What to bring:

  • Up to three grocery bags (or 2 banker boxes) of sensitive documents for shredding and recycling.

  • Old TVs, computer monitors, desktop and laptop computers, tablets, e-readers, portable DVD players

  • Single-use batteries (alkaline) AA, AAA, 9V, C, D, button & Lithium primary

  • Rechargeable batteries: Lithium ion, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, Nickel Zinc, Small Sealed Lead Acid 

  • Used athletic shoes & sneakers – any size or condition. 

NOT ACCEPTED:

  • NON-ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR OF ANY KIND. (Dress shoes, heels, sandals, wedges, water socks, rain boots, crocs, cleats, and non-athletic styles).  

As a bonus, the City is providing a free native tree for anyone who wants one. For more information about the event, visit https://cob.org/event/earthday-recycling.

Just as Advent reminds us of God’s amazing birth, Lent reminds us of his sacrificial gift and Easter reminds us of his glorious return, let’s celebrate this Earth Day as a time to rejoice in creation and hope in Christ, the great reconciler of all things. 

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