In general, the church has not widely encouraged people to be more aware of environmental issues. It is only in resent decades that Christians have been aware of the damage to the world that we could be responsible for; issues such as the disintegration of the ozone layer and global warming. It is for this reason that charities have been set up to try and preserve the integrity of the world around us. They oppose the use of motorised petrol vehicles, destruction of the rainforest and dumping of nuclear waste. This, in its most extreme form, is based on the Christian idea of stewardship. Humans have a duty to take better care of the world around them. This may involve joining campaigns such as the ‘Worldwide Fund for Nature’ or protesting against pollution and animal testing.
A small proportion of Christians – extreme conservationists - often protest against the destruction of any nature by chaining themselves to trees or burrowing deep tunnels underground, preferring to protect the environment rather than have regard for their own life. However, it is important not to generalise all Christians as having this extreme notion. Many Christians are concerned with the condition of Planet Earth at the moment but feel they do not have the necessary power to affect the environment greatly in a positive manner. Many governments throughout the world, in 1997, signed the ‘Kyoto Treaties’ aiming to cut down the world’s industrial emissions and help to reduce pollution. However, amidst much controversy, George W Bush (a Christian) pulled the United States of America out of the treaty in 2001 stating he would reduce pollution in his own way. This worries people because America produces ¼ of the worlds CO2 emissions but has only 4% of the population.
Another issue that Christians are concerned with is the conditions of the third world countries and the starvation and suffering of the people there. Christian Aid tries to help people to help themselves by providing them with tools and water wells. Their motto “We believe in life before death” means that they may not promise a perfect afterlife but will do everything within their power to improve the lives of others now. 52% of Christian Aid funds are spent in this way helping to develop small communities.
Although there are many Christians who belong to these charities, dedicated to improving the world, the sinister truth is that there are over 5 billion people in the world and that is rising drastically. The higher the population, the higher the strain on the environment; more people use more natural resources and produce more waste. This affects not only our ability to meet the basic needs that we all have but also can affect the quality of life. This means that we all need to put in an effort to save the planet. Christians believe we are all stewards of this planet; therefore it is our responsibility, collectively, to improve the condition of the world and deal with environmental issues together. Here, it can be seen, that the virtues of adhering to either a religious or secular view of the world come together.