I just accidentally came across a number of web pages about 'greening sacred spaces' (imagine gesture of putting finger in mouth to fake a choking experience...).

The objectives expressed are, quote:

That churches, motivated by love of God and love of neighbour, would become increasingly engaged in making Hamilton a flourishing, healthy, sustainable city by:

• Addressing issues of environmental abuse and injustice
• Exploring more ecologically responsible forms of community living
• Cultivating greater respect for God’s creation

I couldn't help thinking, "Yes, but since global warming, at least AGW, is a money sucking hoax, and since the whole green/eco bandwaggon is just a cultural trendy fad, wouldn't it be more worthwhile to hold evangelistic meetings and affect the vast majority of the population who don't know and don't love Jesus, so that we will live in a better, more loving, more caring society, because we have a fellowship of believers?"

Let me go through it blow by blow....

"That churches,"

I guess they mean all churches?

"....motivated by love of God...."
Well, you'd have to say that, even if your objective was to dress everyone in blue woollen scarves or blue suede shoes. So in that sense, its meaningless or its a given....

"....and love of neighbour...."
as above,

"would become increasingly engaged in making Hamilton a flourishing, healthy, sustainable city"
Well, I'd have to ask if that's really one of the prime objectives of the church. I think indirectly the fruit of a Christian community would be that. But we don't live in a Christian community, do we? So the objective for the Christians now, apparently, is to make it look Christian, not be Christian. That's the problem, I think. It seems a little twisted. You create the appearance of Christianity without creating the actual condition - people being Christians - which would generate the desired outcome as a normal consequence. (Of course, I'm being idealistic about Christian society, but then, I'm not the only one being idealistic here!)

"by:

• Addressing issues of environmental abuse and injustice"

First I think, is it addressing environmental issues, that will make us/the city flourish? Then I think, what is "injustice" in an environmental sense? Is injustice the right word? Seems a little out of place. Even when you think about the Plastimet fire, which was criminal, for sure, but the objectives are not on that level. I get the impression that injustice means things like putting out two bags of garbage instead of one, or leaving the lights on....

• "Exploring more ecologically responsible forms of community living"

But I don't want to... I want to eat McDonald's and have my coffee in a paper cup. I want to dry my clothes in a drier, not on a line. When I've finished eating my pot luck meal at church from a paper plate, I want to just toss it in the garbage.
Actually I don't, but I want to be able to. And the bigger picture is that we don't have enought space to stick all our garbage, so we need to recycle for that reason. Plus we want to be responsible, I guess, in using resources, but that's not how we save the planet.

• "Cultivating greater respect for God’s creation"

OK. Not a bad thing to do in a church setting, I guess. I'm part of God's creation too, after all. So I don't have to apologize for my existence inconveniencing the animals. And the trees. I'm in favour of that.