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Morality of using up limited resources - 4/15/2008 8:19:04 AM
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ianz
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Something I'm interested in is a Christian point of view on the irreversible use of limited resources. Such as oil. Putting aside whether or not you believe this has climate change consequences - is there a justification for using up resources like oil, which once used, can't be re-used? (Well, not in any practical sense.)
Something that worries me about the notion that God created the world and the second coming etc: does this make it possible to excuse use of resources without consideration for the future, because God will come again sometime and fix it all up?
Forgive me if I present a naive understanding. I'm curious though, as I would expect that morally we should be encouraged to use resources carefully to protect future generations, but I rarely hear that put forward by religious groups.
Regards, Ian
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RE: Morality of using up limited resources - 4/15/2008 9:16:43 AM
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GroupW
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An excellent question. I'm often surprised by the lack of seriousness with which we Christians take our responsibility to be caretakers of God's creation.
Seems to me we haven't done a stellar job of that. I think you're seeing a bit of a change there though with an increasing focus on environmental responsibility among Christians.
BT
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RE: Morality of using up limited resources - 4/15/2008 12:32:05 PM
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DanJames
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We're never going to run out of oil. It will become too expensive to mine and process long before we run out of it. We're really only using the grade A really good oil that's easy to process right now. If we run out of that, we'll have to jack up the prices or find a substitute. I'm all about protecting the environment, but I'm not going to take any environmental group seriously if they aren't interested in nuclear power, and I know of no such environmental group, though I would be glad to support one if you know of one.
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RE: Morality of using up limited resources - 4/15/2008 12:51:10 PM
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Jhud
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We have in human history used 'limited resources' for two primary reasons - it is cheaper, and it works better than the alternatives.
In the case of many limited resources, like iron, copper, various metals used for electronics, etc, we have used them because they work better than their renewable alternatives; it would be rather difficult for example to build a car or train out of wood, and the amount of wood needed would devastate lumber supplies. So by comparison, the resource is cheaper and more abundant - not to mention it can be recycled.
In the cases of fuels, we continue to use oil, gas, and coal because they are relatively cheap and available compared to the alternatives.
Indeed, as we develop 'alternate' fuels, like ethanol, which is renewable, we again run into these limitations - as the demand for corn goes up, so to do the prices, not only as a fuel source but also as a critical component of our food supply. While corn seed may not be limited, the land to grow it on, and the water and fertilizer required for such growth, is.
So no easy answers here, and no reason not to let the market drive solutions.
What I think Christians can offer in terms of this arena really has more to do with lifestyle; because our current energy and resource woes have more to do with how we live than which fuels we use.
A selfish and materialistic culture will never have enough fuel to sustain itself.
Broken families, materialistically ambitious living, communities broken by secularism and apathy all effect our consumption habits, and Christians dedicated to living simply, living in community, and living unselfishly can have a great impact here as they provide a model for sustainable living to our society.
_____________________________
Jack
“I mean to live my life an obedient man, but obedient to God, subservient to the wisdom of my ancestors; never to the authority of political truths arrived at yesterday at the voting booth”
William F. Buckley Jr. 1925-200
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RE: Morality of using up limited resources - 4/16/2008 12:11:39 PM
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unclemonkey
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ORIGINAL:ianzquote:
Something I'm interested in is a Christian point of view on the irreversible use of limited resources. Such as oil.
Christians should be good stewards of the resources God has provided us with. That means that Christians should not be wasteful. It also means that we, as Christians, should not be afraid to properly utilize those resources.
The mention of oil as a “limited” (i.e. non-renewable) resource brings to mind an interesting controversy. Here are links to both sides of the controversy.
http://www.energybulletin.net/2423.html
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/davemcgowanstalinandabioticoil05mar05.shtml
_____________________________
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Also consider Life's Most Important Queston
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RE: Morality of using up limited resources - 4/19/2008 6:29:32 AM
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ianz
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DanJames
We're never going to run out of oil. It will become too expensive to mine and process long before we run out of it. We're really only using the grade A really good oil that's easy to process right now. If we run out of that, we'll have to jack up the prices or find a substitute. I'm all about protecting the environment, but I'm not going to take any environmental group seriously if they aren't interested in nuclear power, and I know of no such environmental group, though I would be glad to support one if you know of one.
Thanks (and for all other responses too). I'm encouraged. I appreciate that nuclear power generation has come a long way in terms of safety, but I still have serious reservations about consciously creating waste which will pollute the area where it is stored for millenia to come. There is a huge amount we could do to reduce power usage in the first place, and I for
Regards, Ian
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