Caring for Creation

This week Ritz-Carlton announced that they are making a switch from plastic bottle water made from oil to plant based bottles. The move will significantly boast the Ritz's "green" image but not is bottom line. The "green" bottles will cost as much. This is a first of its kind move and could lead to other hotel chains following the Ritz's decision.

This is at least a step in the right direction. I was stunned when I discover the plastic waste dump that has form in the Pacific Ocean because of all the plastic that we have thrown away. If you are not away of what I am talking about google "sea of plastic pacific ocean" Plastic breaks into tiny pieces that drift with the currents. A Plastic Vortex has been created in all the major oceans from all the garbage, especially the plastic that we throw away. The Gulf Oil Spill receives all the press but this human-made continental size islands of plastic are created their own nightmare for plant life.

Carol and I do not intentionally purchase water in plastic bottles for that and other reasons. I cannot justify the transportation costs and the consumption of fuel that occurs simply because I can have my own individual water container. The water from the Detroit Public Water system is amazingly clean based upon the tests results that I have read. We have fallen into the trap that the secular culture has present which states that our personal convenience is more important than anything else. As a stewards of God's creation we are called to care for and tend the earth not consume resources for reasons of convenience.

This summer when the scorching sun drys out your mouth and you must replenish necessary body fluids, I would hope that you would consider the environmental impact of the water contain you are using. I am not saying that you are cursed if you use plastic water bottles but we must consider that God will ask us how we took care of his Creation. Did our lifestyle inflict excessive damage when other options were also available? Did we make good choices whenever we had the opportunity?