Caring for the Poor by Caring for the Earth
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As a ministry, we realize that how we live here in the United States affects our brothers and sisters all over the world. We all share limited natural resources and thus have a responsibility to be good stewards of what God has given us. Compassion takes seriously the biblical mandate to care for God's creation.
What are the facts?
- More than one-quarter of the world's population lives in extreme poverty with a lifestyle that is extremely vulnerable to the changing environment.
- We are losing one and a half acres of rainforest every second. At this rate, it will all disappear within 40 to 50 years.
- The Amazon rainforest is called "the lungs of the earth." It contributes 20 percent of the world's oxygen.
- The rain clouds that make life viable in Africa come all the way across the Atlantic from the rainforests of South America. Deforestation in Latin America means starvation for millions in Africa.
- Eleven of the last 12 years (1995-2006) rank among the 12 warmest years ever recorded.
- A global temperature rise of over 2 percent would be catastrophic, especially for the poor.
What is Compassion doing?
- Compassion's programs in Africa have planted more than 10,000 trees.
- In Haiti, Compassion-assisted children are learning about global deforestation and how that affects the environment.
- Through our hydroponics programs, we are teaching children how to grow plants in water and how to be good stewards of this limited natural resource.
- As a part of our Child Survival Program, we are teaching mothers about proper waste disposal and how to compost their garden waste.
- Students in our Leadership Development Program are earning degrees in:
- Civil & Structural Engineering
- Water & Environmental Engineering
- Natural Resource Management
- Agro Industry Engineering
- Agronomy (the science of soil management and the production of field crops)
- Land Use & Management
What can you do?
- Learn ways to save energy and money at home.
- Use energy-saving light bulbs.
- Take public tranportation to work or join a carpool.
- Ride your bike or walk to work.
- Use cloth bags at the grocery store. Many grocery stores have rebate programs where you receive money back per bag each time you shop.
- Bring your own utensils and water bottle to work.
Scriptures about caring for the environment
- Genesis 1:31, 2:15, 8:31
- Psalm 21:1, 104
- Isaiah 43:19
- Luke 4:14
- John 3:16, 17
- Romans 8:19–23
- Colossians 1:19–20
- Revelation 21:5
Reference Web sites
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