These days, you hear a lot about “going green” and “being green.” But what does it all mean? And why is it so popular now?

Well, here in the United States, we are finally waking up to the fact that all of that stuff we consume is coming from somewhere and that it takes a whole lot of resources to create it.

Not only that, but we are realizing that our stuff has to go somewhere-either to landfills in our own country or landfills in Third World countries. We are beginning to open our eyes to see the destruction we are causing.

However, this “go green” movement is nothing new. Many cultures and religions celebrate the earth as sacred; humans could not exist without the non-human elements of creation, like water. In the United States, the environmental movement really began to gain momentum in 1970 with the first Earth Day on April 22.

That same year, the Environmental Protection Agency was founded, and the United States began to realize that it had to do something to improve the sad state of its environment at that time. We have made great strides since then, but we have a long way to go, especially as our dependence on oil and the pollution we cause do not appear to be decreasing.

In my years at Saint Louis University, I have begun to learn how essential it is to take small, but significant, steps toward living a sustainable lifestyle. Living sustainably means living in a way that the earth can sustain for a long period of time, which translates to decreasing what you take from the earth and increasing what you give back. This can include buying less and recycling more, eating less meat and cultivating more vegetables, driving less and walking more. As I have begun to live this way, I feel more at peace with myself and with the earth.

As a theology major, I have also been able to take the time to reflect on what it means to live as a part of creation and not just a part of the human race.

In the first book of the Bible, we are called to be stewards of creation. Some interpret this as meaning that we are in control of creation so that we can do whatever we please with the resources the earth provides.

However, we must revisit this passage in light of effects on our environment, as we ignore the lasting consequences of our actions.

Mountaintop removal mining is one example of how we are taking shortcuts that increase profits without any consideration for how we are exploiting our earth. Instead of mining within the mountain for coal, companies are blowing up the tops of mountains to get the coal they want, disposing of the waste in valleys and then just leaving the mountain bare. This is not only causing pollution in many streams and rivers, but the mountain culture of the Appalachian region is also being destroyed.

This is not only an issue for the people who live in the Appalachian region.

As Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We must not only stand in solidarity with the earth, but also with our brothers and sisters, who suffer the consequences of disregard for the goodness of creation.

This Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, I encourage you to take the time to think about your relationship with the earth, how you use her and abuse her. This is not just an issue for tree-huggers or hippies, anymore. We must learn to be aware, not only the impact we have on one another, but of our impact on the earth.

Gina Meyer is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.