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Letter: Don’t treat our earth like dirt: Set an example
Op-Ed · April 13, 2017
Our earth is water, air, soil, rock, trees and all other kinds of living organisms.
It’s our home so why would we treat it like dirt, or allow others to do so? The farmers I know certainly don’t treat their soil like dirt.
None of us want our air and water treated like dirt and surely we value our trees, plants and all our fellow living organisms. Protecting all these things protects our planet, our home.
I’ve always been fascinated by Native American sayings regarding the earth. One of my favorites is from the Cree Indians, “When the last tree is cut down, the last river poisoned, the last fish caught, only then will man realize he cannot eat money.” Another Native American proverb is, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
The condition in which we leave this earth for our children and grandchildren will depend on the little things we can each do every day, but more importantly, will depend on the big things we can do collectively through our elected leaders. This earth is a great treasure, a gift for mankind. How can any of us, especially those who identify themselves as Christians and worship God as the creator of our earth, tolerate and support actions which desecrate and endanger the earth?
We can make a difference by setting an example for our children with the actions we take, so why not start now? Hopefully we will display as much wisdom as the Native Americans have done so our descendants will be grateful that we cared for our earth.
One last saying from an Oglala Lakota, John Hollow Horn, “Some day the earth will weep, she will beg for her life, she will cry with tears of blood. You will make a choice if you will help her or let her die, and when she dies, then you will die too.”
Larry Hodgden
Tipton
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