refuse

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. These basic actions are commonly discussed, analyzed, and evaluated, yet my experiences reveal a generic lack of practicing these actions that were exhaustively learned in elementary school. Synthetic materials unnecessarily clog our soil, recyclable waste still largely escapes the blue bins laid out on the curb, and pristine commodities are easily rejected to be replaced by bigger and apparently better things. Allow me to introduce a fourth R, and arguably more critical, that would actually limit our need to practice the three R's: refuse.

Instead of spontaneously purchasing one more pair of pants, shoes, cookie bag, gasoline fuel, [. . .], say no. Avoid the sin of gluttony, of possessing too much, of loving money, of loving material possession by refusing to be tempted. While I recognize, appreciate, practice, and approve of reducing, reusing, and recycling, I believe we must refuse. By refusing to indulge our human senses and desires, we begin to practice environmental stewardship. Consciously limiting our impact on the environment consequently produces a healthier environment and appropriately reflects our relationship to that which is entrusted to us by God.

Ironically, the large, obtrusive, grey buildings that sit isolated near the edges of our cities and towns help to perpetuate the problem they have been created to solve. Waste management facilities seek to safely destroy human-produced wastes. Yet perhaps the erection of these buildings satisfies the human desire to consume and dispose. Instead of analyzing how to properly get rid off waste, perhaps our energy needs to focus on how to eliminate the problem of getting rid of waste. In other words, refusal to consume would easily lessen the burden of waste management facilities simply because there would be less waste to stack, less toxins to burn, less pollution emitted from the rotting waste, and less land degradation.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Refuse.