A window of love for our neighbor, Earth

BY GEORGIANNA PFOST

As another Earth Day has rolled around, the United States and other countries have begun to focus more on global warming and its potential longterm effects on the planet. Reports of dying coral reefs, extreme weather, and serious threats to honeybees, which are vital to the pollination of vegetables and fruits, are among other environmental concerns.

Ecological problems are inherently multifaceted and interconnected, and it can be difficult to see where to begin in attempting to address them. At times, the problems may just seem overwhelming. Atmospheric warming, for example, triggered by increased carbon dioxide emissions, can affect ocean temperatures, weather patterns, plants' growing seasons, and food and water supplies for humans and animals alike.

Considering the enormity and complexity of global environmental problems, one may feel it's too late to take any meaningful steps to help. But there is an effective place to start: by loving Earth and praying about these issues from that standpoint. This is neither an abstract concept nor simplistic bumper sticker theology. Love focuses and aligns thought with God—the one, infinite, divine Love—and reveals effective ideas and actions.