the one with zero waste from a Christian's perspective

My recent trip to Iceland has truly changed my way of thinking when it comes to stewardship of our earth.

This change of mind was partially due to the beauty of Iceland, and how they manage their waste/resources.

It was also due to conversations I had with my dear friend, Megan.

And most importantly, this change of mind came from the Lord.

As a conservative + a Christian, being environmentally conscious is typically looked at negatively.

The verse that immediately comes to my mind is Romans 1:25 - "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever."

A lot of times, if you show a certain level of care towards the environment, you're labeled a leftist-tree-hugging-hippie. Honestly, I completely understand where this stereotype comes from, especially being from Colorado.

Many people who are environmentally conscious are also extremely liberal in view, they place creation above the Creator, and they place more value on animals than they do unborn babies.

This is wrong. Completely, absolutely wrong.

However, I'd like to share with you, from a Christian's perspective, what God has done in my heart about living a more zero waste or sustainable lifestyle.

As the Lord began working on me about this, He started to bring different passages to mind.

1. "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." Genesis 2:15

"Keep" here in Genesis meaning to guard or to protect.

The Lord could have easily kept the garden of Eden himself, however he placed the responsibility on Adam.

This really got me thinking. Despite the reputation that most environmentally conscious people have, the Lord here is directly placing responsibility on man to take care of their environment.

2. “When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:12

This was the miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Though I think the Lord wanted to show his greatness in the 12 baskets full of leftover fragments, I believe there is also a simple principle here about not being wasteful that we can also learn from.

3. "And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?" Luke 12:42

The Bible teaches us that we are to be good stewards of all that the Lord has given to us, and I personally believe that this also includes the earth.

This was enough to convince me that the Lord wanted me to make some changes in my life to be a better steward of His creation. And not only that, but to share these changes with others.

That is why I've decided to start the transition into zero waste or sustainable living from a Christian perspective.

So, what is "zero waste"? What is "sustainable living"?

Zero waste - to wipe waste out of existence

Sustainable living - a lifestyle that uses as few resources as possible and causes the least amount of environmental damage for future generations to deal with

Because plastic can only be recycled a handful of times before it gets sent to a landfill, eliminating the use of plastic is one of the main goals of zero waste.

Did you know that it takes 450 years for plastic bottles break down in a landfill? Some plastic objects can take up to 1,000 years to fully decompose!

That's why one of the very first and easiest things you can do is get reusable water bottle + take it with you wherever you go. Ditch the plastic water bottles for good! Plus, how cute is this guy! I'd definitely recommend getting a water bottle that you will love. Investing in a nice water bottle (for a girl anyways) will definitely make you more motivated to keep it on you at all times.

My current goal is to make 1-2 zero waste swaps each month.

I've already made a few swaps, and so far have loved each one. I'll definitely be sharing those with you all in the near future.

As some have already asked, what does Isaac think about all this? He is totally onboard and happy about it (which makes me even more excited).

Though he and my mom have already started calling me a hippie. It's fine.

Psalms 24:1 - "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."