Apples to Apples in the Dark: The Side Benefits of Earth Hour

Earth Hour just ended on the East Coast. Throughout the world today homes, businesses, and cities have turned out their lights from 8:30 to 9:30 PM wherever they are in the world. The purpose, of course, is to raise awareness of the need to reduce our energy usage so we can take better care of our planet. I'm not sure how effective this sort of thing is, but it feels good to participate in a global event.

Perhaps the best part of this was the opportunity to spend an hour playing a game with my family. Now that Earth Hour is over we have each gone on to our separate "activities" (computer, TV, etc.). For that hour, however, without the benefit of lights (and choosing not to use computers and watch TV) we let go of the usual distractions to have some fun together.

Maybe that's as good a lesson as any from this experience. The power that consumes precious and non-renewable resources on our planet can also consume time and energy that we might otherwise spend together as families and communities. Technology provides so much that is positive, and I would not want to give up any of it. But occasionally "fasting" from all of it provides the opportunity for simpler joys in life.

Candlelight and a game of Apples to Apples provided an hour of laughter, conversation, time together, and, I suspect, some good memories. That is worth an hour in the dark. Reducing our carbon footprint a tiny bit at the same time makes the experience all the better.

Thanks be to God!

Global Warming and God's Covenant with Creation

At Christ Church, one of our parish commitments for Lent both in 2008 and 2009 has been to look for ways that we can be better stewards of the environment. In my sermon on the First Sunday in Lent (March 1) I focused on Lent has a season in which we seek to renew the covenant God created not only with humanity but also with all living creatures. This covenant with all of creation is made clear in Genesis 9:8-17. Notice how many times in a few verses God refers to creatures other than humans.

God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

So, how do we renew this covenant and our interdependence with God's creation? At Christ Church we are collecting ideas for what individuals and families have done, continue to do, or will do to take better care of our planet. Understanding our stewardship for creation as a way of re-establishing our covenant with God helps us to understand that reducing our carbon footprint is not simply a social action to reduce global warming. It is also a faithful action of partnership with our Creator to bring wholeness to our home. Simple steps such as changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs, lowering your thermostat to save energy use in winter, walking instead of driving, reducing use of plastic bags, and increasing the amount you recycle become acts of love for creation.

Here's something else you can do. I just signed up to participate in Earth Hour on March 28. Earth Hour began in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses in Sydney, Australia turned off their lights for one hour. In 2008, the movement went global with 50 million homes and businesses in the world turning off their lights for one hour. This year, the goal is for 1 billion people to participate. Earth Hour this year will be on March 28 from 8:30-9:30 PM (in whatever time zone you are in, I believe).

Why not add your name to the list and participate? Go to www.earthhour.org for more information. It's a simple action, really, and it won't make a great deal of practical difference for global warming. But symbolically it is a way we can act globally to make a difference. This is one way we can stretch our community boundaries in order to work interdependently for a common good.

So, what are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint, to renew the divine covenant with God and all of creation? Or what action will you take for Lent and beyond? Leave a comment and share your ideas and actions. The more ideas we share the more we can learn from each other and the bigger difference we can make.