Thank you for committing to this 30 Day Christian Green Living Challenge with us! Each day as we step through our journey, I’ll share the challenge for the day then, depending on your green goals, I will share resources where you can learn more, dig deeper into the topic, or challenge yourself even more. We will do the challenge once *live* together, but you can participate anytime by joining in on the comments below and by using the hashtag #ChristianGreenLiving. So, when you’re ready, let’s Go Christian Green!
“Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years. Yet we are called to be instruments of God our Father, so that our planet might be what he desired when he created it and correspond with his plan for peace, beauty and fullness..” — Pope Francis, Laudato Si’
I love this quote from Laudato Si’, especially as we talk about recycling. For Christians, recycling is an opportunity to cooperate with God as his “instruments” for change. As his “hands and feet” we are able to do even small things, like recycling, for the glory of God. How motivating is that?
The United States is the largest trash generator with over 600,000 metric tons a day, followed by China at approximately 520,000 metric tons per day. Trash is a global problem. You can read this article from the LA Times for an infographic showing just how much trash is generated around the world. “The World’s Trash Crisis, And Why Many Americans are Oblivious.”
On Day 3 of our challenge, we talked about the great ocean garbage patches and how using reusable shopping bags can help reduce plastic trash. Reducing is the first (and in my option the most important) step, but sometimes plastic is unavoidable.
I took this photo outside our local shopping area. Plastic bags, bottles, and trash cover the whole side of the road, here in Ohio.
In addition to reducing the amount of plastic we use, we need to properly dispose of the plastics we can’t avoid, even if it means making a little extra effort sometimes.
Today’s Day 6 Challenge:
Recycling options and requirements are different depending on where you live, so it’s important to understand the different kinds of plastic in order to properly recycle them. Click HERE if you would like a copy of my helpful recycling guide to plastics.
Pray
Let’s pray for those who are innocent victims of plastic and trash pollution around the world. May God help us to listen to our conscience, to be good stewards, to avoid adding to the problem, and to make us leaders of change when opportunities are presented to us.
Act
Call or look up your trash provider and local recycling center to get to know your options. Do you have curbside pickup? Local drop off bins? What materials do they recycle? Get to know their expectations and rules for proper recycling, then make a recycling plan for your family.
Share
Comment below and/or use the hashtag #ChristianGreenLiving. Share your insights and let us know how you currently recycle (or intend to start). Does your community make it easy or do you have to hunt for recycling options?
Learn More~
- Plastics Recycling Guide —by DarleneGoesGreen
This is my downloadable and printable guide to the different types of plastics and how to recycle them.
- 5 Reasons Why People Don’t Recycle and 5 Reasons They Should —by Sean Cullen/Pulse/LinkedIn
A simple and true article if you need a little more motivation.
Click here to go to Day 7
Ready to pin? Thanks for sharing!
SaveSave
I need to be honest, when my children were younger I never “found the time” to recycle until a great friend/neighbor brought it to my attention as she would comment on my garbage pile…..At first, I need to be honest I was a little “put off” but her words somehow never left me and I began to recycle….slowly…….it was definitely a process for me….NOW, my recycle bin it twice as large as my garbage can…..I try my best to recycle EVERYTHING….and the funny thing is I find myself somewhat addicted…..I also feel very “excited” or happy if you will to see how far I have came especially knowing it’s helping our God given Earth! Have a great day!:)
That’s awesome! Great job at making your recycling bins fuller than your trash bins 🙂 That’s something I’m working towards myself.