And one called to another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory. ~ Isaiah 6:3
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. We aren’t limited to being conscientious about God’s bounty in our personal life. We can adopt habits and activities in our workplace that reflect our value of stewardship towards God’s bounty and set a good example for others.
You can make personal changes and advocate for organization-wide changes that will reduce your use of valuable resources and make your workspace healthier. What changes can you make at work to reduce energy consumption and waste?
Today, I can:
– Commit to printing less paper by emailing documents for meetings ahead of time and exploring digital project management options. When I do have to print paper, I will reuse it as scratch paper and recycle it.
– Bring my own lunch in reusable containers.
– Keep a reusable plate, cup, mug, silverware and napkin in my workspace to use for daily lunch or office parties.
– Turn off and unplug any electronics or small appliances while they aren’t in use and turn off battery-operated objects, like a computer mouse.
In the future, I plan to:
– Ask my employer about opportunities to telecommute, even occasionally, to reduce the miles I drive for my commute.
– Green my commute in other ways, like carpooling, taking public transit, or riding a bicycle; or pair my commute with other tasks that might require driving like grocery shopping to reduce the number of car trips I take in a day.
– Encourage my employer to adopt company- and/or facility-wide best practices like installing energy efficient lighting, a composting and recycling program, and providing the tools necessary for virtual meetings.
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.
