Fallen Into Knowledge

Environmentalism, in its origin, and taken to it logical conclusions is deeply subversive for capitalism and consumerism.

Environmentalism, in its popularized form seeks to satiate the guilt-complexes that it produces in people through consumerism.

Example #1

Buying Carbon-Offsets.

Carbon offsets are the prime example of this: that we might allay the effects of our consumption by further consumption. in effect, by buying carbon offsets, we are not changing our relationship to the environment, but further enmeshing us in our current relationship with it. The consumer is lead to believe (and here pop environmentalism parallels the dieting obsession) that one can become “environmentally responsible” without significantly altering their lives. Or, that environmentally responsibility is mainly about managing consumption rather than by subverting it.

Example #2

Recycling. Recycling functions is a similar way for us: the activity of recycling serves for us a metaphor of continual consumption that is almost theological: the thing is always made new, and can always be made new. As such, we are freed to continue consuming because the consequences of our consumption, the waste, is perpetually redeemed. Again, our environmentally motivated action is further consumption.

Pop environmentalism, as described here exemplifies the way in which capitalism subsumes any criticism of it. Capitalism creates in any counter-capitalist movement another opportunity for consumption: Do you want to simplify your life? Then buy this book, or go to the container store where they have the solution to your clutter for a low price! Again, environmentalism taken to its conclusion is deeply inimical to capitalism: truly the only way to change our current destructive relationship to the environment is by (or includes as a necessary condition for success) our consuming less.

A Last Example

Organically grown produce: Standing in the supermarket isle we are shielded from the origin of the produce before us, and therefore for us the option is: buy organic or not. However, in all likelihood the significant environmental choice pertains to how far the produce has traveled in reaching the store: an organically grown apple that had to be flown in from chile fails us in the environmental responsibility department. The organic food movement has been a boon to capitalism, however, because it obscures the fact that if we commit to eating regional foods our diet would include less variety. We might not notice too much here in the Pacific Northwest, but even for us orange juice would be straight out. “Buy Organic” still places the emphasis on the “buy.”

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subject to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

The center point of a Christian Ecology is the recognition that (1) the creation itself experienced fracturing effects of the Fall and (2) that the reconciliatory sacrifice of Jesus also extends - through the church - to creation. As a result of this the Church, which acts as God’s agent in the world (ministers of the message of reconciliation) for reconciliation, takes up the prelapsarian role of caring for Creation and thus demonstrating God’s own care and creativity.
Thus, a Christian Ecology must move beyond contemporary concerns for humankind’s impact on the earth (while not ignoring those concerns); such concerns, while valid, fall short of imagining a restored relationship to the earth. Rather, a Christian Ecology must imagine and enact - for its own sake and for others’ - living on the land as if it were God’s own cherished possession - as indeed, it is.

Leviticus is unrelenting. There are a total of five sentences of narrative in the book (24:10-12, 23), the rest is entirely taken up in laws. Dr. Sailhamer once mentioned that he thought that the experience reading the laws reflects the oppression of living under them.

I was struck again by how concerned God is that the land itself enjoy a sabbath rest - in chapter 26, amidst a list of curses that God will bring upon an unrepentant Israel, and after Israel is driven from the land, it reads,

Then the land shall enjoy its sabbath years as long as it lies desolate, while you are in the land of your enemies; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its sabbath years. As long as it lies desolate, it shall have the rest it did not have on your sabbaths when you were living on it. (vs.34-35)

(more…)

Call them plans, really. I’m not huge on suddenly deciding to make a big change on New Year’s day: History suggests that those types of plans rarely work out. But, here’s mine anyway. Hold me to it.
To be completely honest, I have been thinking about this for a a few months. In a sense I have dreamed of doing this for years and years.
Within one year I want to be ready to buy, or to have just purchased land. I am looking for 20-40 acres to the northwest of Portland between the city and the coast. I am aiming at no more than an hour (or so) drive to downtown.

Then, sometime Spring ‘09, I want to break ground on a house. I want to do most if not all of the work myself, both to save money, and also because I have pretty specific ideas on what I want in a house. It will be a small house, not more than 1000 sq. ft. That way I will be able to afford to lavish attention on the details: I will be able to build my own cabinets, the doors, and built-ins. I want to build a small house like its a piece of furniture. I also want the house to be small so I can make it efficient: I want it to make a small ecological footprint, rather than a large one.
So that’s the plan.

So Finals week is almost over for me; my last project is due Thurs. by 5pm. But this afternoon I needed a break - to get outside and breathe some. So I decided to ride down to Powells and use the gift card that someone so kindly gave to me. I just happened to be trying to cross the Steel bridge when the first of the ships came in for the Rose Festival, a fun coincidence. An enjoyable bike ride. And a successful trip to the bookstore (books by Jameson and Wendell Berry). It worked.
Also, while fixing dinner I heard the good news that Portland has met the first goal of the Kyoto Protocal. Portland is the only city (hopefully just the first) in America to do so. It makes me proud to live in Portland knowing that this city is taking the Prorocal and global warming seriously, even though the nation is not.
Okay, Back to the school work.

Amongst all the other great articles on Sojourner’s website, William T. Cavanaugh has written, “when enough is enough,” about Christians and consumerism.
I hear some definite Marxist overtones - which isn’t a bad thing.
(and yes I am aware of the irony in posting about the evils of consumerism after posting about how much I like my new computer.  Deal with it)

Today, instead of doing school-reading like I should have, I read “This Place on Earth,” which is about Northwest ecology, both what has been done, and also what could be / needs to be done.
Here is a nugget of wisdom:

Community, I am beginning to understand, is made through a skill I have never learned or valued: the ability to pass time with people you do not know or will not know well, talking about nothing in particular, with no end in mind, just to build trust, just to be sure of each other, just to be neighborly. A community is not something you have, like a camcorder or a breakfast nook. No, it is something you do. And you have to do it all the time.

As many of you know I have been thinking alot about social justice issues as well as ecological issues. It looks like I will be sharing (teaching) some of those thoughts for Imago Dei as a part of their School of Theology. If you want information on the Class go here: christian ecology

The class is Monday nights from 7-9 starting Jan 24. and its free.
come one, come all!