Page - 33 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

methane (CH4), and a few others such as NO2 and certain hydrofluorocarbons. TheEarth’s current temperature, hospitable to life as we know it, reflects an energy balance between the Sun and the Earth. Venus is an example of a planet where the equilibrium temperature reached by the planet to achieve an energybalancewith theSun ismuchhigher. 4.3 ENVIRONMENTANDRELIGION An interesting aspect of dealing with environmental issues is the emergence in recent years of academic disciplines studying the relationship between the environment and religion. This emergence reflects a growing understanding that ‘the environmental crisis is fundamentally a crisis of ‘values’’ (18) and that values derive largely from religious teachings. Some scholars traceWestern Society’s concern for the environment to the fundamental concept of Judaism and the Judeo-Christian tradition that God created the universe and that only God has absolute ownership over Creation. This is the theocentric worldview, as opposed to the anthropocentric viewpoint that emphasizes, as stated in Genesis I, that humans exercise ‘dominion’ over the Earth. Others point to the Deuteronomic commandment ‘bal tashchit’ in the Old Testament that is an injunction against unnecessary destruction. 4.3.1 The theocentricworldview In the theocentric, God-focused, worldview, the environmental implications are that humansmust realize that they do not have unrestricted freedom tomisuseCreation as it does not belong to them. Everything we own, everything we use, even ourselves, ultimately belongs to God.We are to be stewards of the Earth and the role ofmankind is to enhance theworld as ‘co-partners of God in the work of Creation.’ This implies that we must always consider our use of Creation with a view to the larger good in both time (i.e., responsibility to future generations) and Energyproductionand its consequences 33