Thought for the Week 28 November

According to a news report space debris is still a major problem.  It seems that there are thousands of objects ranging for abandoned space craft to hand tools such as hammers and spanners which fell from the grasp of astronauts as they maintained their space craft’s travelling at high speed around the universe.   Estimates of 8000 tonnes of this redundant material is now causing concern as any collision by these objects with live craft could have disastrous results.  Action plans to ‘sweep’ these objects into safe areas to dispose is well on its way. It’s fascinating to think that there are already some space crafts which act like giant vacuum cleaners drawingthem to safety!

Space pollution can easily equate with the increasing threat of global warming.  President Trump has all but dismissed the whole question of increasing air pollution despite the increasing hurricanes and recurring Californian fires which have alarm bells ringing among American scientists.  A UK report this week gives an urgent warning that if we do not change our ways the consequences will be serious for those who follow us.  Future generations will then bear the brunt of our inaction with increasing sea levels and higher summer temperatures.  Mr Trump’s view that climatic change is beyond anything we can control is both worrying and flies in the face of most experts in the field.The majority of experts agree that our disregard for the good of the environment is causing great damage.  Increased emissions are destroying natural defenses and we hear again and again of melting glaciers and deteriorating air quality.   The natural order is under attack through the excesses of our lifestyles and there seems to be little appetite to deal with these concerns which are increasing year by year.

We do then have a responsibility in ensuring that we preserve and care for this planet earth.  ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ The Bible begins with the story of creation and God calling us to be ‘stewards’ for the time we are here.  This means we are responsible both collectively and individually to be as the Bible says ‘good stewards’ of his creation be that on land sea, air and now to the outer limits of space itself.   In this lies our commitment to modify our lifestyles to ensure that we leave for generations to come the beautiful and wonderful world which God has given to our care.