Posted by: Chelsea Badeau on Mon, Apr 11, 2011

Joy Bergey of the National Council of Churches/Environmental Justice Issues and a member of Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church addressed members of Summit’s Stewardship of Creation Committee and the church on March 20th, and Elder Diner on March 29th. She said the issue of environmental degradation ultimately is about whether we will accept Deuteronomy’s call to choose life. Click to read more.

Choosing Life 

By Marguerite Spencer, Chair, Stewardship of Creation Committee

Deuteronomy 30:19

Joy Bergey of the  National Council of Churches/Environmental Justice Issues and a member of Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church addressed members of Summit’s Stewardship of Creation Committee and the church on  March 20th, and Elder Diner on March 29th.  She said the issue of environmental degradation ultimately is about whether we will accept Deuteronomy’s call to choose life.

Under the theme “Toxic chemicals in our Environment: A Way for us to Choose Life,” Ms Bergey shared that 84,000 industrial chemicals are used in products in the U.S. but because there is no routine testing, only 200 have been safety tested. The EPA can only call for testing after a particular chemical has already been found to be dangerous.

 She cited as an example Bisphenol-A(BPA) that lines cans of food to keep the product fresh, but eventually leaches dangerously  into the food itself.  Ms. Bergey also brought helpful advice.  Choose unscented deodorants, she said, and don’t keep tinned food for more than two or three months. Also, we should support calls for Congress to update the “Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976.”  

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