Green, white and blue:
creatures and plants
from mammoths to ants
of every hue.
Pleasing the eye,
achieving its goals,
and lifting our souls
on high.

Stage for God's fight.
Place of his loss
by death on a cross
to_address our plight.
Killed in our place
that we may believe
and come to receive
his grace.

Smoke fills the morn.
How have our nations
let God's creation
be so torn?
Help us arise
and strengthen our hand
to rescue our land
and skies.

Ours to enjoy,
ours to take care
and cherish and share,
and not destroy.
Help us repair:
may our generation
show your creation
care.

Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2006.
You can find the tune on our web site.

Yes, I believe so. People used to blame Genesis 1:28 “Fill the earth and subdue it” for the West’s exploitation which began with the rise of the industrial age, but I don’t think that’s fair. On the contrary, the idea in Genesis is really stewardship: God put man in the garden “to take care of it” (2:15).

It’s possible for all of us to recycle plastic but never ask ourselves how our nation can cut down on plastic production. And it’s possible to despair of ever changing the big industries of our land, and wring our hands and do nothing. And we can also lament that climate change is now inevitable and we’ll never get the earth back to the way it was and should be.

But I think the way ahead is both individual action and political change. It is worth recycling, and it’s also worth shouting to try and bring about change. Action is better than despair. I hope it’s not to late. I hope the “Earth Care” day will help with some practical ideas about how we can do our bit to save the planet.

* Bradford Diocese's Earth Care Group are holding an "Earth Care" day at the Cathedral on 3rd June 2006.