Nature's Golden Rule

“Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.” Wendell Berry

When I read this quote the first time, I thought to myself, that's amazing! Why didn't I think of that? It's practical but also makes you think. One of the goals of backpacking is to minimize the impact we have on the wilderness we are enjoying. We call it "Leave No Trace" (LNT) and the goal is to leave the trail, campsites, rivers and lakes as we found them. I have always been a conscientious hiker and have tried to leave no evidence of my presence, except for foot prints.

But does the leave no trace philosophy apply in cities and towns where the goal is not to preserve the natural state of the land but to change it; to shape the landscape, build structures, and use the land for our purposes? Should we even be doing that? When I read the Bible I find God put Adam and Eve in a garden, which might make us question our desire to improve on God's design, but that's not the end of the story. God made humanity stewards of creation and almost immediately, we began building. In Revelation, heaven, our final destination, is described as a city. I find it interesting that heaven is not a return to a garden, but a city that God has specifically prepared for us.

I believe the overwhelming evidence of scripture is that the use of land and natural resources to build cities and the infrastructure needed to support them is biblical. What is not biblical is to live beyond the limits of what the land can support and to impact our neighbors and future generations by abusing the land. Extravagant living, choosing convenience over conservation and sustainability, the impact of consumerism and a disposable lifestyle; these are all examples of not being good stewards of creation. I want to live in such as way that as both a city dweller and a wilderness traveler, I am a good steward of all that God has given us. Who will join me? Here is a link to a website with some excellent tips on being a good steward of God' creation. Let's get started today!