Environmental issues as seen on TV or movies
I recently watched a BBC Natural History Program, the Blue Planet Documentary. The documentary focuses on narrating and illustrating how mankind has influenced the world’s greatest oceans through climate change and, more especially, pollution. The narrator explains the reductive and destructive nature of anthropogenic activities, giving a comparison of what the oceans looked like before pollution and how pollution has tampered with the natural state. Pollution not only affects the appearance of the ocean but critically harms the creatures that inhabit the ocean and depend on it for survival. The unfortunate part is that humans are not making any effort to mitigate the situation; some are ignorant and do not even attach any importance to the prevention of pollution and environmental degradation. The documentary’s overall message was that humans need to take immediate action and prevent pollution because it is the leading cause of climate change, which has caused the extinction of species and destruction of the ozone layer. According to the documentary, oceans maintain a balance in the ecosystem and sustains life on the planet.
Although to a large extent, media has impacted negatively on people’s worldviews, studies have shown that media plays a significant role in advocacy for environmental conservation. Numerous policies, such as climate change policies, have been created to protect the environment. Still, they have not been fully effective due to the persistence of urbanization, industrialization, and other harmful human activities. People’s ignorance and dismissal of warnings of the dangers of pollution is also a major contributor to the mass destruction of the environment. Research has established that most people are aware of the dangers of pollution but still engage in practices that pollute the environment. Pollution is the number one challenge facing the world today.1
It is, therefore, vital that human beings to take care of the environment and avoid pollution not only because it will adversely affect their wellbeing but because it is their whole duty as assigned by God. In the beginning, when God created mankind, he instructed that he manages and takes care of all creation.2
In the book of Genesis, the Bible quotes;
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.3
From this verse, it is evident that it is our duty to take care of God’s creation and should not take part in its destruction. Furthermore, the bible explains that we are but stewards and not owners of earth.3, 4 God has entrusted us to take care of the earth, and anything contrary to that is considered a sin. Therefore Christians should oppose policies and activities designed to harm the environment.
Therefore, in accordance with the documentary, anthropogenic activities have adverse effects on the environment, and this has compromised the wellbeing of many creatures. Research shows that pollution is the leading cause of climate change and the extinction of species. There is a great need for people to take care of the environment and respect nature by reducing pollution on not only the oceans but all the earth’s ecosystems. This is because environmental protection is the duty of man given by God, the creator of every creature on earth.
Reference List
- Shapiro K. Climate and coastal habitat change: A recipe for a dirtier ocean. Mar Pollut Bull. 2018;64(6):1079-1080. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.01.040Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition: Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant Wisdom on the Environment. Acton Institute. https://www.acton.org/public-policy/environmental-stewardship/theology-e/environmental-stewardship-judeo-christian-traditi. Published 2020, accessed October 14, 2020.
- Genesis 1: 26-28 (NKJV / New King James Version)
- Leviticus 25:23 (NKJV / New King James Version)