Protect Nature 1 | 10greencommitments

Protect Nature

Protect nature: Natural habitat is under threat from development. Many animals face the threat of extinction: elephant for their ivory and rhinoceros for their horn; the blue whale and Maui dolphin due to overfishing; and the Sumatran tiger and orang-utan from loss of habitat. Hunt and fish responsibly; stop deforestation and start replanting. We must take care of nature, not destroy it.

Being a protector 'means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world... It means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person... Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be "protectors" of creation.'

Pope Francis's Inauguration Homily, St Peter's Square 19 March 2013

There is no better time for us to hear and deeply appreciate St Francis of Assisi’s simple message of caring for God’s creation and it is no coincidence that our Argentinean Pope took Francis for his name. Genesis 1:28-30 needs to be reworded. It gives the wrong message that God intended humans to dominate fish, birds, every living creature, every seed-bearing plant and tree. God’s intention was for us to care for nature and not to take it for granted.

Again, Conversations with God (CWG) is instructive (1.2):

God: ‘Nothing, nothing is more gentle than Nature. And nothing, nothing has been more cruel to Nature than man. Yet you step aside from all involvement from this; deny all responsibility. . . You can choose to end the destruction of your rainforests tomorrow. You can choose to stop depleting the protective layer hovering over the planet. You can choose to discontinue the ongoing, onslaught of your earth’s ingenious ecosystem. You can seek to put the snowflake back together – or at least to halt its inexorable melting – but will you do it? ‘

Many animals, birds, fish and plants face extinction today. This is tragic and unnecessary, and much is due to man’s greed and cruelty. This greed has already caused New Zealand to lose much of its unique land and fresh water birds, 67% of its forests and 90% of its wetlands (14). *

* Many facts presented here relate to NZ; however the same trends are apparent in most countries today.

Myriads of creatures and plants, large and small, make up the interconnected eco systems that sustain all life. They are all important.