Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. ~ Ezekiel 47:9

When Earth was created, God entrusted us as its stewards and calls us to care for it and each other in all our actions. When we make environmentally-wise choices we are celebrating and respecting creation, giving thanks for Earth’s abundant resources, and being good stewards with what we’re given. Water is our source of life – quenching our thirst and the thirst of the plants and animals on which we depend for food. Water is also our source of spiritual life through baptism.

The Earth is blessed with a limited amount of water in our lakes, rivers, streams, and seas. Our life depends on protecting this water – using it wisely and keeping it clean. What can you do to protect our living waters?

Today, I can:

– Turn water off mid-task (washing dishes, brushing teeth, watering plants).
– Repair leaking faucets or running toilets in my house.
– Allow my lawn to go brown in the late summer (brown lawns are not dead, they are dormant– which is normal!)
– Reduce or stop using lawn fertilizer and pest killers. I will not use lawn chemicals before rain or heavy winds, which can carry chemicals to nearby water bodies or storm sewers.
– Use environmentally-safer cleaning and personal care products (shampoos and soaps) that might go down the drain.

In the future, I plan to:

– Replace parts or all of my lawn with native plants that do not require watering or fertilizer and provide good habitat for bees and butterflies.
– Collect rainwater in a rain barrel for all outdoor water needs.
– Install low-flow shower heads or toilets.

Source: Interfaith Creation Care of the South Metro is an organization of volunteers representing 15 faith communities in the South Metro. We collaborate to create content like this and to bring Creation-focused events and resources to all faith communities in the area.