Healthcare goes beyond governmental coverage.  Over the past few weeks of our discussions about the healthcare issue, it has strengthened my perspective to look at it through the eyes of Matthew 25.  So, thank you!

Similar to the obligation our country has to insure healthcare for its people, we the people have a moral obligation to care for the health of ourselves and our neighbors.  What responsibilities does this commitment hold us accountable for? We can look at this answer through many different lenses: social, religious, economical. But as I read environmental news every day I see more and more how related our environmental stewardship and healthcare are.  Lisa Jackson, who President Obama elected to head the EPA, recently reports about environmental justice and EPA’s pledge to renew it for minorities. It is fact that minorities and low-income people are victims of more pollution and riskier environmental degradation. Extensive exposures to pollutants cause these groups to fall ill with diseases like asthma and cancer and are a real threat to their health.  Every day there are reports about exposures to lead in neighborhoods where owners are too poor to replace paint, old pipes and other sources of the contaminant. Liver disease is linked to pollutants such as pesticides and heavy metals in our water and air. We are all held accountable for these pollutants; they are not exclusively generated within the boundaries of these neighborhoods but are carried universally from each emitter. What are we subjecting ourselves to?

Additionally, businesses that could provide jobs are leaving these areas of town.  Companies like coal plants and similar polluting manufacturers are coming into these neighborhoods where land is not as valuable. This challenges minorities’ quality of life and jeopardizes their healthcare. Chris Foreman, who is professor at University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, expressed threats to minorities’ neighborhoods that include filth, odors, dust, noise, congestion, and the absence of recreational and park facilities.

These neighborhoods are truly “the least of these.” This is our obligation as Matthew 25 believers. Jackson encourages, “we have to go to every community and show them that the issues of environmental protection are their issues and that our world is their world. That’s how we bring every voice to this discussion. That’s how we bring real change.” Environmental stewardship is where health care, true care for the health of our neighbors, begins.

Just what is the Christian-ness of the United States? Curious, I checked up on the 2009 American Religious Identification Survey. And yes, the number of Americans who claim no relationship to any religion almost doubled from 8% to 15% between 1990 and 2001 and has now increased to 15%. However, the percentage of Christians has decreased from 86% to 76% since 1990. What is more, a Newsweek poll showed the number of people who look at the United States as a “Christian nation” has gone down from 69% to 62% between 2008 and 2009. 68% of the public thinks that religion is losing its influence in US society. As Crystal asked and discussed last week, what do these statistics mean for American people, our “Christian nation,” and for church and state? 

This crisis is termed “post-Christian.” What?!  A nation that is less Christian does not mean “post-Christian.” God is present. He is just less of a force in US politics and culture. This scares people: that Christianity is losing its binding authority. 

Politics and religion are both implemented on how people see the world.  We need a fluid and proportionate mix of the two. So, maybe the decline of Christian America creates a more serene playing field for political and cultural environments; faith-based reasoning is just one constituent of all decisions. Take issues that have become strongly political, cultural, and religious: for instance, conservative Christians believe they have lost the battle over issues of abortion, prayer in schools, same-sex marriage. Now, I would be concerned for the survival of Christianity if these were the values that define the religion. But, they are not and should not be. 

No country is truly Christian, or Muslim, or Jewish.  Only people can be affiliated to one religion as they are affiliated to one nation. God is above nations and I think unconcerned with religion.  Our greatest challenge is to be in this world but not of it; do not be conformed.  His kingdom is not of this world and neither shall our hearts.  What are the values that do define Christianity? Concern yourself with those as God would. There is still love. 

Gods greatest commandment is to love Him and love your neighbor. Augustine defines a nation as “a multitude of rational beings in common agreement as to objects of their love.” I believe we can be Christians that simply love and in so doing remain a Christian nation.

Today, energy, sustainability, going green, even the word “environment” itself are all buzz words all the way from the environmental sector into peoples homes. These words trigger excitement, encouragement, fear, boredom, confusion within our daily lives. With all the political, economical, religious, and social perceptions of our environmental issues at hand, it is difficult as citizens of this Earth to grasp a solution that is communicative.  I am a strong believer in living simply, without living in denial or naiveté. So, as I delve into the morning newspaper, search the Internet for answers and for knowledge, my mind is somewhat overwhelmed and congested. Until I come across an article in the New York Times titled, Toilet Paper and Other Moral Choices. Is switching to less fluffy, more rough, recycled toilet paper woth it?

I am also a strong believer in the small things making a big difference. Though this is optimistic today, and I am oftentimes discouraged realizing what is important to me is not important to others, but, I would like to offer some options to turn our environmental degradation process around.  At this time, we cannot all switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles or install solar panels on our roofs. However, there are things we adopt daily, simplifying the big picture into something more tangible, that I believe can offer answers.

Eat less meat. Livestock production produces 18% of global greenhouse gases today. Animals feed on large quantities of grain, which is energy-intensive to produce. Also, they emit methane, a particularly pungent greenhouse gas that stays in the atmosphere beyond that of CO2. What’s more, livestock facilities cover 30% of the world’s non-ice landscape and damanges our soil and water resources. We consume roughly 75 grams of protein a day from animals, including dairy, and 110 grams total; the government recommends only 50 grams a day. Vegetarianisn is not a change that is widely accepted in America; I am not one. But it is a pivotal part of a transforming our nation into a healthy, sustainable economyand environment  for humans and the planet. If everyone would just cut back.

If you can, drive less. It saves you money and helps fight climate change. Climate change being another buzz word, I will say that driving less will simply emit less pollutants in general. If I could have it my way I would design all cities around being able to ride your bike conveniently, and without fear of getting hit by the bigger better SUV’s of America. Living in Fort Collins, CO for part of 2008, I loved not only the convenience and joy of riding my bike everwhere but also the money I saved on gas. Unfortunately, biking is neither ideal or safe in a lot of cities. However, find ways to drive less: shop online, bundle your errands, telecommute once a week. Also, smart drive: do not idle, carry extra weight, or speed.

As in the grocery bag debate (using cloth bags or recycling used ones), will “green choices” amount to much. Either its benefits do not really outweigh its costs, because few people will adopt it, or broad adoption will consequentially be trivial in the grand scheme of things. Stewardship is not necessarily sacrifice; sacrifice means the giving up of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.  So, I suppose it depends on where your values lie; what is more pressing to you?  If it is in the Earth, giving up meat won’t be too big of a sacrifice. Stewardship is mostly responsibility, generosity, humility, prudence, and kindness in our daily decisions.

Never that interested in the auto industry before, I have recently been watching it closely in the news as plans for environmental and energy goals surface. On the Obama timeline, he implemented the Emission Standards bill during his first week as president. The bill directed the Environmental Protection Agency to re-evaluate their past rejection of California’s rigid greenhouse gas emissions from cars. California, among some 13 other states, wants to set their own, more strict, air pollution standards on automobiles to improve their air quality.

However, during this economic downturn, it is difficult for the auto industry to retool and balance the challenge of new standards. The California law requires automakers to cut emissions by a third by 2016, four years ahead of the national agenda. They will have to quickly produce and sell cars that get higher mileage, from the current average of 27 miles per gallon to roughly 35 miles – but only for these certain states? Even though the technology is ready in California, can automakers meet the expectations without handicapping the industry, and without suffering job loss? If so, Obama will order regulations to be complete soon so automakers have time to renovate for vehicles sold in 2011 and not lose a year.

I believe global warming is not a state-by-state issue and there should not by different standards for different states. I do applaud California for their initiatives.  But, in addition, applying standards to only California creates confusing manufacturing models that are not consistent across the country, not something automakers need to complicate their work. California has said they will not accept a standard lower than their state’s; hopefully there is a federal standard that will be best for all states. Obama has also called on the Department of Transportation to raise national fuel efficiency standards.

Car makers worldwide should reduce emissions. The Global Fuel Economy Initiative is aimed at reducing fuel expenditures per kilometer by 50% by 2050 (coined 50 by 50). New to mass-market commercialization are battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and perhaps hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Though not necessary to achieving the 50% decrease, these highly developed technologies will complimentarily reduce CO2 and further oil savings, not to mention craft a new market for employees who have been laid off the past months. This way support for auto industry during a time of economic recession is combined with achieving environmental and energy goals.

Listening to NPR Sunday night I learned the Chinese origin for the word “crisis,” which I think offers hope and a new perspective on our current financial, social, political situation.  The Chinese word for “crisis” is weiji, which is composed of two characters, one representing “danger” and the other representing “oppotunity.”  Since then I have read that the character “ji” alone has many different meanings, not necessarily related to opportunity. This interpretation is debatable as foreigners try to assign timeless insight.  However, upon first hearing this translation spoken from a Chinese over the radio, my thinking was opened to a more optimistic approach to the crisis we are now in.

The energy industry, among everyone else interested in gathering, has joined at the Cambridge Energy Research Associates conference, known as CERAWeek, at the Galleria in Houston, TX this week.  It began Sunday an concluded today.  Attendees and speakers included chief executives and leading thinkers of the energy world, heads of national oil industries, oil ministers, instrumental government officials, policymakers, and top financial executives.  In recent years the conference’s tone has been excitement because prices in crude oil were on the rise.  As these prices rose, doors opened to oil and gas operations to invest in renewable and alternatives.  Great!  However, this week: a much more solemn view of how to simply manage during the economic downturn will dominate discussions.  For reference, oil prices plummeted from triple digits to $40-a-barrel last year.  With this recession, demand is down.  Now, with economists influencing the agenda and environmentalists as a backdrop at the conference, they focused on this fall.  Is it entirely tied to the recession? Or does the fall reflect a more permanent shift to conservation and energy efficiency? How does awareness of environmental and economic footprint of coal in the US play a role on our daily actions to demand oil?  

Outside of the conference, I read a very amusing and interesting retaliation to promoting this awareness.  Environmental Minister of Northern Ireland, Sammy Wilson, banned local broadcast ads on climate change.  He discredited the message as “insidious propaganda.” He argues that global patterns are naturally cooling, not warming.  He says too many people are under the impression that if they drive less, or turn off the standby light on their TV for instance, they are saving the world from melting glaciers. He pinpoints the climate change as “God-driven” and says “humanity should invest in coping with it,” as opposed to trying to slow down the problem

What if Wilson were to speak at CERAWeek. I would have to disagree with him.  He is writing off excuses for humanity; that we do not need to take responsibility for the condition of our planet. God-created, I believe so.  Intended for stripping our earth of nonrenewable resources so we can live more comfortably, quickly, glamorously?  For what ever purpose you burn fossil fuels, to that extent, I believe was not a part of the design.

I like mine harvested with synthetic fertilizers, hormone-induced cream, and a heavy metal Twinkie on the side.

We are warned and should know that there are dangerous toxins in our environment. Environmental Health’s new study (well, an old study that has recently been published) shows correlation between processed foods containing high fructose corn syrup and mercury contamination. These HFCS foods are highly processed, abundantly subsidized, and nutritionally deficient, but now are toxic?! Mercury is said to cause impaired mental development, impacting memory, language, and disturbing our senses. So, we’re scared and vow never to eat Pop Tarts again, right?

A few days later scientific consulting firm, ChemRisk, releases a report that this report and its research provide empty data and misleading conclusions. Distinctions between forms of mercury and their implications for human health are ignored. Findings were irresponsible and extremely limited. There was no comparison between levels of mercury in HFCS foods and other sources, such as fish and even water consumption. We all have traces of different types and levels of mercury in our tissue due to this element accumulating in our air, soil, etc. So, I’ll dunk my Twinkie in my coffee and chase it with a soda pop. Then concern myself with cleaning up coal burning power plants that supply over 40% of mercury to our environment.

But, I also take my coffee as a grain of salt.