Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~ Romans 12:2
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. Being good stewards means not being wasteful with the resources it takes to make the products we buy and use every day. One of the easiest ways we can do that is to reuse and repair items like clothing or small appliances to extend their useful life. Did you know? Extending the life of an item of clothing cuts the carbon, water, and waste footprint of that item by 20% to 30%.
Not only are you protecting God’s bounty of natural resources, you can save money by not having to purchase new items. And, if you have some specialized repair skills, you can help others as well.
Today, I can:
– Put together a small sewing kit to make minor repairs to garment hems, lost buttons, or small holes.
– Find some online resources for repairing items, such as ifixit.com.
– Purchase reusable replacements for disposable items I use regularly, such as cloth napkins, mesh produce bags, fabric or silicone snack bags, and glass food storage containers.
– Save glass jars and other containers to reuse in the bulk section of my grocery store on my next shopping trip.
In the future, I plan to:
– Look up repair practices of companies before I purchase an item. For example, some shoe companies will re-sole or provide other repairs for a fraction of the cost of a new pair of shoes.
– Bring small appliances that stop working to a repair shop instead of throwing them away and replacing them. Some counties or organizations host fix-it clinics where volunteers will fix the items for free or a small donation.
– Learn how to make common repairs to clothing like changing hems, replacing buttons, and darning.
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.
