Later this word, acquired other
meanings like custom,
1.INTRODUCTION:
Nature is something God calls in to existence freely
and lovingly. Nature is God’s creation and it has to
be well maintained. Man is not to dominate, but to
serve the nature.1 The environment is the part and
parcel of our life. We can’t live independently
without nature because we use and depend on
minerals, plants, animals etc. Therefore, we depend
totally on this earth. Man is responsible for nature,
human exploitation and destructive technology,
problems of modern science, nuclear hazards and so
on. This creates many ecological issues and
problems. The reflection on those ethical issues is
called eco-ethics. In this presentation now I am
going to address the ecological problems and give
ethical reflections.
2. TERMINOLOGY
The word ‘eco-ethics’ is formed from two
words ecology and ethics.
A. Ecology:
It is a very popular term and it is used in both
secular and religious debates. The word ecology
first appeared in the English language in 1873.
“Ecology”, Economics and Ecumenics have the
common Greek root. That is Oikos (Oikoi).
Meaning of this word is ‘household’ or
‘environment.’ It deals with relationships between
organisms and its environment.2
B. Ethics:
Etymologically, the word ‘ethics’, is derived from
the Greek word, Ethos, which originally means ‘a
location,’ ‘a place where people live together.’
1
Jack Messenger, Mission in context: Transformation,
reconciliation, empowerment.(Switzerland,Geneva,2004) 53.
2
Joseph Constantine Manalel, Jeevadhara. (Kottayam: Kerala,
1988) 2.
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temperament, character and the way
of thinking of men, in the course of their co-
existence. 3
3. ORIGIN OF ECOLOGICAL ETHICS
We are glad that we are enjoying the fast changes
and development-taking place in the world by using
all types of resources. Earth has very limited
resources compared with the need of future
generations. We can see the affluent and powerful
countries like USA, England, Japan, etc. These
countries are using and consuming the scarce
resources of the Earth to increase through greed
their own affluence to the detriment of justice to the
third world countries, and they are also polluting
excessively the
environment and the habitat of all mankind and all
life. 4
For example, a good developed country like
America throws away every year 7 million cars, 48
billion cows, 20 million tons of paper. They pollute
the environment by pouring out 160 million tons of
waste and 172 million tons
of smoke and fumes into space in a year. This
country alone was responsible for 50% of world’s
industrial pollution 15
Years ago. This was the main reason in the world
for ecological concerns and ethics.
4. DEFORESTATION:
The forests are the main resources on earth. We
can’t reckon the value of forests. It is depleted by
commercial, industrial and revenue uses, resulting
in the over exploitation of forest resources, flood
droughts, sedimentation and other ecological
damage the forest.
Deforestation is the long-term removal of
trees from an area because of changes in land use.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
by photosynthesis, helping to regulate the
greenhouse effect. Deforestation releases significant
amount of CO2 into the atmosphere because of soil
disturbance, burning, and removal of above ground
biomass from the ecosystem. This refers to the loss
of forest.
The adverse effects of deforestation include:
the loss of habitat for countless animal and plant
3
V.L. Bakshtanousky, Ethics (Mucow: Progress Publishers,
1986) 5.
4
Joseph Constantine, OP.CIT; 32.
1
species; the destruction of the homes and
livelihoods of native tribes; providing an easy path
for soils to wash away and rain to flood valleys
below; and the addition of carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere.
Deforestation is the conversion of forested
areas to non-forest. Deforestation is an important
cause of habitat destruction and is accompanied by
some degree of waterlessness, the gradual reduction
of water resources in a deforested region;
desertification is an extreme result.
5. POLLUTION: THE MAJOR ECOLOGICAL
CRISIS:
It is a global concern. The environment destruction
is our way of life. Mathew George says, “The root
cause of present ecological crisis is the greediness
of humans.”5
A major issue is the nuclear tests and
dumping of nuclear waste that results in the
destruction of the environment. Every country
wants to become physically strong, hence everyone
makes nuclear bombs and test them The waste of
such tests are thrown into sea which results in many
people being born deformed and have genetical
problems. If this continues every birth will be
abnormal. Then it is a threat to the existence of
mankind.
Several fumes and gases that modern
industries and chemical plants emit are poisonous
and damage the atmosphere. Then it affects mainly
the climate. According to scientists, the flash news
is that it will cause global warming and green house
affect.6 It means it leads to melt glaciers, fatal
consequences for inhabitants, vegetation for
agriculture. These gases are also causing the
excessive UV radiation that damages the genetics
material.
The ground water is contaminated by
pesticides and by chemical fertilizer etc. The major
water pollution is organic nutrients (comes from
feedlots, human and animal waste, sewage
treatment plants and industries) about half of the oil
that contaminate the ocean comes from the human
source-oil well blowouts, inland disposal of oils.7
5
George Mathew Nalunnakal. New beings and New
Communities: Theological Reflections in a post-modern
context. (Thiruvalla: KCCEDTP. 1998) 70.
6
P.J. Sanjeevaraj, “Ecological Predicaments of the
Humankind”, Ecology- A Theological Response.
(Madras: Gurukul Institute, 1993) 38.
7
Daniel D. Chiras. Environment Science-A Framework
Decision making. (California: The Benjamin Cummings Pub.
co.; 1989) 384.
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The common waste from electrical and
electronic components is called as E-waste. The
important thing to note here is the comparatively
limited useful time span for an electrical/electronic
component. When the product is finally discarded
as the life span is over, the components, which
make up the desired equipment does have still life
in it and poses threat to ecology. The 130 million
mobile phones weight approx 65,000 tones would
be retired in U.S.A. in India 1.38 million personal
computers will become obsolete from business
sectors and household.
There are two kinds of problems in India:
 Those arising as negative effects of very process
of development.
 Those arising from conditions of poverty and
underdevelopment.
These are the main crisis and Ecological
problems in the world.
6. AN EXAMPLE OF THE ECOLOGICAL
PROBLEMS:
In Machilipatnam (A.P) there are many
small-scale industries. Recently they released waste
called effluents (industrial waste). They released it
into river Krishna, with out proper treatment. The
water became contaminate, which serves as main
source of drinking water for Hyderabad,
Vijayawada, Guntur and the surrounding districts.
Another irony scene here is that Pollution Control
Board (P.C.B) of the district who supposed to take
stringent measures to prevent such things and
punish any offenders kept quiet.
According to the government rules they
should build a tank with purifying machine and then
release the unpoisonous waste or they should shut
down the industry.
7. NEW ECOLOGICAL CONCEPT:
We must develop a new ecological concept that
promotes a new relation with creation. The Bible
never promotes exploitation of one creature over
other. To bring economy with in ecological
principle, we need to create some interest for
general well being. It means we have to bring back
ethics for sustainable development. The pattern of
ecology in order to maintain the integrity of the
earth, we keep it natural, beautiful and healthy as
God’s reflected image.
 A Suggestion:
2
we are part of nature. So we should live according
to the rules of natures and we should cooperate with
nature. Because we are not superior to nature. So,
we should keep in mind about the resources of
earth. The earth has limited resources. Hence we
should use resources not by our mind of greediness
but we should keep poor people in mind and we
should follow eco- justice.
8. BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE:
had inaugurated a program called “clean and
green”. In this program he took care of greenery
and he had taken many measures to avoid pollution
by this program. So why can’t the church play a
major role in creating the awareness of eco-ethical
concerns among youth and children, who will one
day inherit this country. Therefore, it’s our
challenge to respond to this ethical movement in
order to stop the ecological destructions.

AS THE LORD KEEPS AND SUSTAINS US, SO MUST

WE KEEP AND SUSTAIN OUR LORD'S CREATION.

Genesis 2:15 God expects Adam and his

descendants to serve and keep the garden.

Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 require that one

day in seven be set aside as a day of rest for people
and for animals. As human beings and animals are
to be given their times of Sabbath rest, so also for
the land. Practice this law so that your land will be
fruitful. God says, “I will send you rain in its
season, and the ground will yield its crops and the
trees of the field their fruit".
Christ in the New Testament clearly teaches that
the Sabbath is made for the ones served by it-- not
the other way around. Thus, the Sabbath year is
given to protect the land from relentless
exploitation, to help the land rejuvenate, to help it
get things together again;
The Bible warns in Leviticus 26 that, if you
will not listen to me then the land will rest and
enjoy its Sabbaths.
WE SHOULD ENJOY, BUT MUST NOT
DESTROY, CREATION'S FRUITFULNESS.
Thus, while expected to enjoy creation,
while expected to partake of creation's fruit, we may
not destroy the fruitfulness upon which creation's
fullness depends. We must, with Noah, save the
species whose interactions with each other, and with
land and water, form the fabric of the biosphere. We
should let the profound admonition of Ezekiel 34:18
teach us in this regard.
10. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
 Messenger, Jack. Mission in context:
Transformation, reconciliation, and
empowerment. Switzerland: Geneva, 2004.
 Constantine Manalel, Joseph. Jeevadhara.
Kottayam: Kerala, 1988.
 Bakshtanousky, V.I. Ethics. Moscow: Progress
pub; 1986.
 Nalunnakal, Matthew George. New beings and
new communities: theological reflection in
postmodern context. Thiruvalla: KCC, 1998.
 Sanjeeva Raj, P.J. Ecological predicaments of the
humankind. Ecology- a theological response.
Madras: Gurukul Institute, 1993.
 Chiras, Daniel D. Environment Science- a
framework decision-making. California: The
Benjamin Cummings Pub, 1988.

9. CONCLUSION:

In fact the ecological problems are not caused by

science and technology, but by the selfish motives
of man and his wrong choices. As Christians, it is
our responsibility to protect and guard the
environment and also be eco-centered to develop
the ecology. Chandrababu, ex-chief minister of A.P,

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