Thou shalt not litter or waste

If God were one of us, one thing’s for sure: His carbon footprint would be miniscule.

At least that’s what the world’s first bestseller, the Bible (Leviticus to be exact), seems to indicate with this passage: “Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”

And it’s what a growing movement of newly green followers like to think about the man upstairs. It’s called religious environmentalism: It’s inter-faith, tech savvy — and it’s growing fast.

Across the country, houses of worship including churches, synagogues, mosques and monasteries have applied for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Congregations can now even track energy use, efficiency and carbon footprints at www.coolcongregations.org.

Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, has jumped in as well, estimating that if each of the more than 300,000 U.S. houses of worship cut energy by 10 percent, it would eliminate emissions equal to 400,000 cars.

So how does this affect students? A UCLA study of 136 schools nationwide showed about 44 percent of college freshmen regularly attend religious services and about 42 percent “integrate spirituality” into their lives.

As anyone at UNC can see, there is a strong religious presence on campus, and I’m not just referring to the Pit Preacher. The University has about 40 registered religious organizations spanning a wide variety of faiths.

This is definitely a large and potentially influential group. Furthermore, many religious organizations combine service activities, volunteering and community initiatives with their overall mission. It would be a massive step if even a little of that spirit and energy were directed toward green issues.

Changes could be as small as using fair trade and recycled products at religious celebrations, or walking instead of driving to worship services. Furthermore, donations and projects could be directed more toward green causes, many of which happen to intersect with religious messages of service and generosity.

Some universities are integrating religious environmentalism into their academic core. Yale now offers a masters joint degree program in religion and ecology, allowing students to study at both the seemingly unrelated School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the Divinity School. Yale also offers courses like “Environmental Theologies.”

Even religious schools and seminaries are joining in: Claremont School of Theology now has a course titled “Eco-Process Theology.” Religion and Culture is a field of specialization in UNC’s religious studies department. At a University that often offers classes through two or more departments, why not offer a cross-listed course that marries environmentalism with religion?

I’m not here to tell you who or what created the Earth, how it was done or why it even happened. However, it’s certainly here now, and I will maintain that all of us have a responsibility to keep it that way.

Holly Beilin is a sophomore global studies major from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Contact her at hbeilin@live.com