Ok so this year abroad has taught me to be proud when called a tree hugger. It’s true, so I’m not going to deny it any longer.

As the lone Oregonian in the group, I’ve recieved a lot of slack about
being from the NW because that’s where all the “hippies” live. And for
awhile I fought it… saying, “No, we’re just ‘environmentally aware’
and actually care about God’s creation” but the other day I realized
just how proud of Birkenstocks and recycle bins I am.

My roomie and I were watching Channel 4 (a Saudi channel on ArabSat that broadcasts English programming)… when a cooking show called The Naked Chef came on. His British accent and amazing cooking abilities mesmerized me, and I decided that he should be my celebrity crush…
until the end of the show. He had made this elaborate and beautiful
meal and packed it up to take on a picnic with his neices … but once
they got to their destination he pulled out styrofoam plates and I
cringed – completely mortified. My 20min crush on him immediately
ended. How could he use a non-renewable, petroleum-based resource that
virtually never biodegrades?

My roomie, proving the Texan steretype to be true, started laughing
hysterically. It had never occured to her to think about the type of
disposable products she buys.

This incident has made me realize how different my views actually are
from many other people, both believers and non-believers.
I consider myself a conservationist and adhere to the stewardship
model – meaning that although God has given us the ability to use the
resources of the world, we are meant to be responsible with it.

It saddens me that historically Christians haven’t been the ones
fighting against pollution, water quality, animal rights, etc. Many
environmentalists have seen Christians in America as one of the groups
of people they have to fight against to get tighter legislation
because of the attitude and misconception of “having dominion over the
earth.”