March 74, 2001 - Sometime last fall, the human population exceeded six billion. No other species, even ones with much higher population numbers, have had as much impact on the environment as man. It has been estimated by scientists that the rate of extinction of species due to man's activities is as much as a thousand times greater than during most of the history of the earth. Only during catastrophic events, such as a giant meteor impacting the surface of the earth, is it thought that more species have disappeared from the planet.
As an indication of the impact man is having, about 3000-5000 acres of trees in the tropical rain forests are being cut down every hour. This is equivalent to completely clear-cutting an area larger than Tennessee each year. If this rate of destruction is allowed to continue, we could lose all of our tropical rain forests in at little as 30 to 50 years. The tropical rain forests contain the highest diversity of plant and animal species of any terrestrial habitat on the planet. Because of this, it has been estimated that the destruction of the tropical rain forests could result in as many as half of the plant and animal species on this planet becoming extinct before scientists have had a chance to observe and name them.
If this continues what will we have lost? A great deal will be lost, including income to the locals after the resource is gone, the thin layer of topsoil as the torrential rains of the tropics wash it away, the production of oxygen by the plants, the moderation of climate by the forests, the potential cures for cancer and other diseases that might have been discovered in the tropical plants, and the pure aesthetics of these forests.
We are also damaging the ecosystem by the introduction of chemicals into the environment. Some of them are naturally occurring chemicals, but are being released in unprecedented quantities. For example, in the Exxon Valdez oil spill, nearly 11 million gallons of oil were spilled into the waters of Prince William Sound. Many other chemicals are synthetic, never having existed naturally on this planet. These chemicals are causing myriad problems in the environment. They include the enhanced green house effect (global warming), acid rain, depletion of the ozone layer, and disruption of reproduction in animals and, probably, in humans. We almost lost our national symbol, the bald eagle, due to reproductive failure from the uptake of the industrial chemicals, DDT and PCB.
There has been an increasing awareness and understanding on the part of scientists of the kinds of damages that man is inflicting on the environment in recent years. But, how extensive is this damage? And, how much time do we have to rectify the situation? Most scientists now believe that the situation is becoming critical. A few years ago, in a United Nations study, a panel of scientists concluded that we probably have 30 years or less to correct some of the damages we have inflicted on the environment, or irreparable damage will be done and there will be a "population die-off."
In recent years, ethicists and theologians have also become increasingly involved in a dialog on our obligations for taking care of the environment. What are the ethical issues involved? Is it ethical to feed people if they don't control their population, creating even more starving people in the next generation? Should a logger be put out of a job to save the spotted owl? Should animals be afforded the same rights as humans? How does Albert Schweitzer's concept of "reverence for life" relate to environmental issues? How does the ethical principle of "do no harm" enter into this discussion? To what extent are we still influenced by the Victorians with their mindset of reshaping nature and "creating order out of Chaos"?
And, what as Christians is our responsibility to the environment? Is there a biblical basis for environmental stewardship? Many people feel that the Bible has little to say on this subject. Others feel that the Bible is replete with insight on the stewardship of creation. Over the last few decades, many Christians have looked askance at the environmental movement. Because Earth Day and other environmental activities arose during the sixties, a period when many of society's conventions were challenged, many have come to the conclusion that these movements are anti-Christian in nature. They are often associated with earth worship and new age philosophies that are more allied with Eastern mysticism than Christianity.
However, is this the appropriate response for a Christian? In Genesis, we are repeatedly told that God looked at his creation and saw that it was good. In Genesis 1:28 we are told that we have been given the privilege of dominion over all other living things on this planet. However, we are told that along with this privilege comes responsibility. We are also admonished to "replenish" the earth. If God saw value in his Creation and placed us in charge of it, don't we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of that creation?
Dr. Wayne Wofford is professor of biology at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. You may contact him at 1050 Union University Drive, Jackson, TN, 38305.