The Sacred Commons of Water, Air, and Soil

In the specific and often technical analyses of Earth's declining ecosystems, what is often overlooked is the underlying assumption of our industrialized civilization: that the earth is basically an inherited storehouse of "resources' that is literally at our disposal. Therefore, the argument between the agents of extraction and pollution and environmental protection groups (both private and governmental) tends to come down to the question, "How long do we intend for this bonanza to last?".

However, many QEW supporters and other activists around the world are challenging this materialistic assumption, maintaining that the earth's ecosystems can thrive only when understood as part of a sacred whole. Since we are all members of the human family, as well as of the entire creatively evolving community of life, there is no justification for the claim of ownership that many humans have asserted. Indeed, we must repudiate such a claim if we are to effectively address the underlying causes of the relentless assault on water, air, soil, and other "vital organs" of the living Earth.

Since the machines of exploitation are under the control of powerful corporate forces (who have neither eyes to see the destruction they are bringing about, nor ears to hear the cries of suffering they are causing) Earth itself is rising up, in the form of countless grassroots organizations rallying around protection of the "sacred commons," particularly fresh water. (Many QEW supporters identify more with these popular movements than they do with mainstream environmentalism.)

We offer here three sets of related articles reprinted from the QEW book, Earthcare for Friends, a Study Guide for Individuals and Faith Communities, (which can be ordered from the QEW Publications catalog):

Care for Water

• "Water in God's Design"
• "The Worldwide Water Crisis"
• "Whose Water Is It?"

The Divine Gift of Good Soil

• "The Earth Beneath Our Feet: Explorations in Community"
• "The Cleansing and Organizing Processes of the Earth"
• "The Heaven Under Our Feet"
• "A Land Ethic"
• "Land Conservation from a Christian Perspective"

Protecting the Sacred Gift of Air

• "Life-giving Breath of God"

We also recommend:

• Earth For Sale, by Brian Tokar (South End Press, 1997)
• ¡Cochabamba! Water War in Bolivia, by Oscar Olivera (South End Press, 2004)
• Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey (Simon & Schuster, 1968)
• Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit, by Vandana Shiva (South End Press, 2002)

<< Back to list of Other Areas Being Explored