Updated April 26, 12 a.m.
Biola will be hosting a number of events this coming week to celebrate Earth Day. Opportunities will be available through Creation Stewardship Week to provide students with opportunities to learn about the concept of creation stewardship.
Mark McReynolds, the Creation Stewardship Committee chair and environmental science professor, has helped coordinate the week-long project that got its start last year.
“My hope for the entire week is that people will gain a fresh view of the importance of taking care of God’s creation in something he’s done for a really long time,” McReynolds said.
Creation Stewardship Week was organized by Biola’s Creation Stewardship Committee, which also received help from a number of different on-campus organizations, departments and clubs, including the AS Coalition for Social Action.
Sophomore Sarah Croswhite, CSA chair, is part of the committee and said planning for the week’s events has been in the works since the beginning of the semester.
Bon Appétit also worked with the committee to coordinate Low Carbon Day, which utilizes locally sourced foods, for Earth Day and Creation Stewardship Week. The event, which typically happens once a semester, took place in the Caf on April 19.
Educating students about stewardship
Croswhite hopes that the awareness week will act as a starting ground to get more students involved and educate the Biola community about stewardship.
“I think it’s been a good opportunity to stop and put together what we’re actually using and take the time to be intentional, to be aware of what we’re consuming and what we’re putting out,” said freshman Nicole Webber, an intercultural studies major.
Events throughout the week included a tour of Biola’s recycling area and organic garden, the Global Day of Prayer for Creation Care and a cleanup of the creek. On Tuesday night, “The Dark Side of Chocolate” was screened and on Thursday night, “No Impact Man” will be shown for chapel credit.
Sophomore Amanda Collins, a business administration major, attended the Tuesday night movie showing because she was interested in Africa. The turnout for the movie was small, and not many people seemed to know about the week’s events, according to Collins, who is taking an environmental science class from McReynolds.
Taking more interest in caring for God's creation
Senior Scott Klingbeil, a music major who toured Biola’s recycling center and power plant, also said he wished the events were better advertised.
“In Washington, [being environmentally conscious is] what you do. People are more aware of what’s being used and what is required,” said Webber, who is from Washington. “I was surprised to hear a lot of what they are doing, just things that I was unaware that they are doing. It’s cool to know that they’re further along than the general public is aware of.”
McReynolds shies away from using the term “going green,” as he believes it carries heavy political freight, but he says it ultimately comes down to the importance of taking care of God’s creation.
“The really big, big, big picture is that Jesus died for all of creation,” McReynolds said. “And if that’s the case, I think it’s appropriate for us to take an interest in creation care, since God has.”
Croswhite believes that part of the problem lies with many Americans being disconnected from the concept that their actions have an impact on the rest of the world. Caring for creation can be demonstrated in many ways and is an important commandment from God, according to Croswhite.
“There’s tangible things that when done, makes the world a better place,” Croswhite said. “So not only does God call us to do it, but there are actual results when we actually take care of the earth.”
