Keeping the Peace: Why America Has to Change
Nikita Simek
Specific Purpose: To transform the audience’s opinion so that they know that they can make changes in their lives that will comply with God’s will and work towards preserving resources to avoid war.
Central Idea: By making changes in our personal lives, we will be able to obey God and avoid war over resources.
Introduction
The Maumee River has signs along it that say, “Warning: Due to water pollution this area of the river is unsafe for swimming, skiing, other water activities, and fishing. Fish caught in this area maybe contaminated and unsafe to eat. – The Toledo District Health Department.”
It is apparent that we are already causing detrimental effects on the environment that are very close to us.
III. The way to make an impact on the earth for the better is to think about and change the small things in our lives.
IV. I have learned that living without ridiculous excess is the appropriate way to live, not just for the preservation of the earth, but also because it is the way we are instructed to live by God.
V. If we do not conserve resources, then it is likely that we will collectively cause war.
A conscientious approach to living is the only way to stop world-wide fighting over resources. I would first like to discuss how thoughtless and excessive use of resources will lead to war.
Body
The continued un-monitored and thoughtless use of natural resources will lead to war over who has control and use of them.
- The world has a capacity and the world population growth will soon overflow this capacity.
- Many of the most populated areas have the lowest standard of living conditions and have the least access to resources.
- Only twenty percent of the world is living at a generally adequate standard of living, or living where their needs are met and there is some money for pleasure, says J. Kenneth Smail, professor of anthropology at Kenyon College.
- Although the humanitarian in each of us wants the standard of living to be raised to at least this level for everyone, such high living is not sustainable.
- There is only so much water, gas, land, and food, and without lowering our personal standard of living everyone in the world will suffer.
Careless consumption of resources will lead to war. The way to assuage this war is to make personal changes to your everyday lifestyle.
To avoid war, we must conserve resources.
- Lowering our standard of living is not as much of a degrading proposition as it at first may seem.
- Americans are accustomed to living with large, gas-guzzling automobiles, leaving all appliances plugged in and running, and using as much water as they want.
- This way of living cannot be continued, and we must individually take responsibility to make our own lives ‘greener’.
- There are many ways to improve personal consumption levels of petroleum-based products.
- Buying a durable, refillable water bottle drastically decreases the amount of water bottles that are thrown away.
- Taking reusable grocery bags shopping also reduces the amount of plastic that is sent to the trash.
- Buying hybrid, gas-efficient cars and doing many errands on one trip can dramatically reduce gas consumption.
- Another seemingly small but truly significant change in behavior is to think about the clothing and shoes that we wear.
- EcoSNEAKS are a type of environmentally friendly shoe that is made by Simple.
- This shoe company is committed to making their shoes from sustainable materials.
- As of now, some of the materials they use are recycled tires, water-based glue, bamboo, cork, and organic cotton.
- Individuals will make a difference, because through reduction, reuse, and recycling, it is possible to lessen the impact you have on the earth.
Small changes in your daily life help to reduce waste, limit consumption, and use more recycled materials. However, being civically responsible is not the only reason that we have to conserve resources to prevent war. God also commands us to be environmentally responsible.
God is the ultimate authority on being environmentally conscious.
- Schumacher, author of Small is Beautiful, writes that, “The chance of mitigating the rate of resource depletion or of bringing harmony into the relationships between those in possession of wealth and power and those without is non-existent as long as there is no idea anywhere of enough being good and more than enough being evil.”
- Money and power is the number one priority for many people, but in our own lives we must remember that God commands us to put nothing before Him.
- By focusing on how much we can buy, how big our car is, how large and sharp our television quality is, and watering our lawns daily so that it is the greenest on the block we are putting worldly wealth, status, and power before God.
- God should be put first in our lives, and then all the material things that we need will come.
- Living a more modest lifestyle that encourages living with only what you need and environmentally conscientious puts God first, where He should be.
- The Bible also states that we should love our neighbors as ourselves.
- Each of us wants to have everything that we need, but when it goes beyond that to excess that is when we start to detract from others.
- Story about seeing people water their lawns as a child.
- All water that people use is fresh water, which is limited supply.
- Using water for unnecessary things like watering lawns and getting constant carwashes are two examples of how water is frequently used in excess.
- When using water it is essential that each person think of how their use will effect everyone else, and remember that you would not want your neighbor to use water in excess, so you should not either.
Putting God first and treating our neighbors as we would treat ourselves is the final and absolute validation for living and environmentally conscientious life.
Conclusion
- Using resources without thought will lead to war if we do not make a personal effort to conserve what we have.
- There are many personal choices we can make in our daily lives to make a positive impact on the environment.
- God is the ultimate authority, and so to live conscientiously we must put Him first and remember that we are not the only people who are on the planet.
- By changing small habits we can live in accordance with God’s will and avoid unnecessary war.
Bibliography
Books
Barton, Greg. American Environmentalism. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 2002.
Southwick, Charles H. Global Ecology in Human Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Sexton, Ken, et al. Better Environmental Decisions: Strategies for Governments, Businesses, and Communities. USA: Island Press, 1999.
Websites
“About Simple Shoes.” Simple: A Nice Little Shoe Company. 2008. Decker Outdoor Corporation. 25 March 2008. www.simpleshoes.com/about/index.aspx?g=about
