ASP Principle 6—Care for the Environment
This is the sixth in a series of member perspectives on the American Solidarity Party Principles:
Cultivation and good stewardship ought to characterize the relationship between humanity and creation. The earth and its fruits are universally destined for the benefit of all people. Both government and civil society have a responsibility to protect natural resources, now and for future generations.
When was the last time you paused to marvel at the world around you? The delicate dance of pollinators, the towering forests, the life-giving soil beneath our feet—even the most elementary understanding of the wonder of our world elicits awe and gratitude. Just today I read an article discussing pollinators and the integral role that they play in the reproduction cycle of over 80% of all flowering plants. Those plants market themselves with showy colors and alluring fragrances, wooing the pollinators (from birds to bees) with sweet nectar. When they come to sample the goods, they also inadvertently pick up the genetic material in the pollen, which they later deposit on another flowery specimen. This is what is used to fertilize the seeds of the plant. It is an incredible system that showcases the creative ingenuity and attention to detail that God put into every aspect of our shared home. Pollinators don’t just benefit nature; they sustain our food supply. Yet, their populations are declining due to habitat loss and pesticides—challenges we must address.
Speaking of ingenuity, how about the monkeys in Madagascar that eat the fruit from the Strangler Fig tree? Once they move on and do their business elsewhere, the seeds of the tree are deposited, through those droppings, high up in the rainforest canopy. The new seedling begins to grow out from the tree it was deposited on. It drops down roots all the way to the forest floor and begins its parasitic relationship with the host tree, eventually killing it off as it establishes itself. Yet, as deforestation accelerates, the delicate balance of this ecosystem is under threat, endangering not just the Strangler Fig and its hosts, but countless species that depend on the rainforest for survival.
When we reflect on these intricate relationships, we recognize our role—not as bystanders, but as stewards of God’s creation. In Genesis we learn that we were put here to work and care for our environment. That obligation extends to each one of us individually, and to all of us collectively.
As we tend and care for the land, we reap the fruit of that work. The oats and corn for our cereal, the wool and the leather that we use for our fabrics, the paper we write on and the medicine we administer, the gas to heat our homes, the gold we use in our cathedrals, salt for keeping and clay for molding, the coffee we sip and the furniture we build...all of it is produce from the land that requires our stewardship. The Catholic Catechism reminds us in 2402 and 2403 that this fruit is for the good of all. It echoes the principle that the goods of the earth should serve the needs of every person, not merely those with money and means.
Inherent in this, for those of us surrounded by plenty, is the responsibility to curb our consumption. Because it has been made available does not mean it is necessary. To ensure that the earth is not abused and exhausted, and that each person has enough, it is our obligation to be responsible consumers. This is difficult for those of us living in economies that are dependent upon ever-increasing spending and consumption. We are surrounded by enticements and incentives to pursue anything and everything, regardless of the cost to the environment.
Individually, we can make wise choices as to what we truly need, and collectively, we can vote with our ballots and our dollars, making our priorities known to those seeking to govern. When it comes time to choose again, we do not need to take the lesser of two evils, there are leaders and organizations committed to environmental stewardship without compromising other core values. It’s up to us to support them. Speaking with our wallets is often the surest way to be heard, as that is so often the language used by those in power. When you refrain from spending on those things that are superfluous and/or harmful to the environment, you send a powerful economic message. Conversely, when you decide to spend your hard-earned money on a product that was produced in a sustainable way and leave the less environmentally friendly item on the shelf, you are part of the solution.
Our leaders need to be accountable for the policies they implement and the decisions that they make. We are all responsible for caring for and protecting our environment, and elected officials are duty bound to prioritize that goal. Our choices—big and small—shape the future of our planet. As stewards of creation, let’s ensure that future is one of abundance, not of depletion.