The Bible says that God created the world and everything in it. That includes the land, water, air, plants, animals, and humans. Out of His Creation, the Lord picked mankind to watch over His other beings, placing His trust in us to protect and cherish everything He made. As His chosen caretakers of the Earth, we should accept the responsibility to tend and nourish nature instead of destroying and exploiting it for our own selfish intentions. One of the well-known methods for doing this is recycling. 

When we recycle, we’re following God’s mandate of taking care of His Creation. Recycling conserves resources, saves energy, reduces pollution, and helps mitigate climate change. It’s not only good for the environment, but it also has a spiritual component. By repurposing our waste and trash, we show respect for the world that the Lord entrusted to our care.

It’s easy to think of recycling as something that’s only good for the planet. But when we take a moment to consider how such effort affects the environment, we can see that it is actually an act of worship. It shows that we follow God’s will and we value the world that He has formed for us. We’re taking something that would otherwise be thrown away and giving it new life. We’re using less resources, and we’re producing less waste. As we sort through our recyclables, we can take a moment to reflect on our own consumption and consider ways we can reduce our negative impact on the planet.

So the next time you’re about to throw something away, think about whether or not it can still be recycled. Before you litter, may the scripture pinch your conscience.

John 6:12 NIV

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

Psalm 24:1 NIV

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it.

Genesis 2:15 NIV

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Revelation 11:18 NIV

The nations were angry,
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small —
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.

1 Timothy 6:18-19 NIV

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.