At a sustainability conference in Florianópolis, Brazil, on Friday, leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke of efforts to care for the Earth and its inhabitants.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé spoke at the Seminario SUD Americano 2023, which was hosted by the non-profit Roble del Sur Foundation, per a church release.
The four-day conference’s theme was “Our Stewardship of God’s Creations.”
“In all aspects of our earthly stewardships, our love of God and our discipleship of Jesus Christ will be a sure guide, and surely, we will do real good in the world,” said Elder Christofferson. “May each of you be an instrument in the hand of God, and may your life be a blessing to past, present and future generations.”
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What is the church’s position on environmental stewardship and conservation?
The church has published a topics page on Environmental Stewardship and Conservation, calling humans “stewards over the earth” who should “gratefully use what God has given” by avoiding wastefulness and helping the poor.
The statement said, “Making the earth ugly offends” God.
Bishop Caussé focused on why the Earth was created.
“The creation of this marvelous world in which we live is not an end in itself; it is the means by which our Heavenly Father’s eternal designs can be accomplished,” Bishop Caussé said. “This earth and everything in it — the towering mountains; the vast oceans; the fertile plains; the green valleys; the meandering rivers; the arid deserts; the innumerable variety of plants, insects, birds and animals — everything, absolutely everything, was created for one purpose: to enable His sons and daughters to inherit exaltation and immorality in eternal family units.”
Elder Christofferson said that “caring for our bodies, protecting the sacredness of life, and promoting political and religious participation are all elements of our stewardship of God’s creations.”
“His greatest creation is, of course, His children — you and I and all our brothers and sisters in the family of our Heavenly Father.”
He quoted Doctrine and Covenants 2:3 by saying that “without the formation of eternal families through all their generations, the earth’s creation would be ‘utterly wasted.’ We do not worship God’s creations; we worship God, the Creator. Therefore, we use what He has given us to honor Him and accomplish His will.”
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What is the church’s response to environmental issues?
Bishop Caussé noted six specific ways the church as an organization is working to reduce waste, including:
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Using more energy-efficient materials and renewable resources, including solar energy.
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Conserving drinking water through waterwise landscaping with temples and other church buildings, smart technology use and water management projects.
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Sacrament cups will now be made with 100% recyclable material at the beginning of 2024, reducing waste and the church’s carbon footprint.
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Updating and improving fuel efficiency of the church’s vehicles to work towards cleaner air.
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Encourage and use sustainable farming and ranching techniques, including the use of cover crops, crop rotation, no-till farming, grazing management etc.
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Practicing sustainable building techniques and being mindful of resources, site selection and long-term support.
He concluded with a sincere invitation to “consider ways that you can bless your family, your community, the country in which you live and ultimately the people in need all around the world.”
“I hope you will care for your natural environment and adopt personal lifestyles and behaviors that respect, preserve and beautify God’s wonderful creations,” said Bishop Caussé.
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