What does being 'green' really mean?

Cheryl and I were camping on the banks of the Darling River outside Bourke in NSW some years ago. The flats beyond the river form stunning carpets of low grasses and wildflowers dotted with the most stunning river gums, some centuries old and metres in diameter.As we relaxed there watching and listening to the myriad of bird species darting and flitting about, a group of young locals arrived in their clapped-out, noisy farm ute. For some reason they set up less than 50 metres away when there were miles of river plains to choose from. On went the music, out came the bourbon ..... and the rifles. They started blasting birds, tree branches and who knows what else? We kept our heads down.It's amazing how, when people enter the natural environment, some see exploitation, violence and destruction as the expected way to behave. Why do little  boys and girls think insects with wings are given for the sole purpose of ‘wing removal’!?In my experience, Christians show no greater sympathy to their lived in environment than anyone else. Somehow we have become disconnected from the fact that what God created was ‘good’. Christians often pronounce proudly, "I'm no Greeny!" as though to have a concern for the things of this earth is to oppose Jesus' coming to seek and save.The fact is, the bible teaches a very real responsibility to be stewards of the earth God has gifted us. Yes, we are to use it for sustenance and pleasure but we are also charged to be stewards of it. Part of what it means to be ‘in Christ’ is to be the steward of what be has gifted us. Stewards don't use and abuse, they care. When Jesus returns he will restore the earth in the new creation. We will live on the new earth. This place matters now.As we wondered what to do about our bourbon-drinking, gun-toting friends we noticed that their campfire was growing. They had lit their camp fire in the hollow of the base of an ancient river gum. The hollow of the tree was acting as a chimney and the inside of the tree was now on fire. As well as spoiling our experience, blasting the natural environment and leaving their cans and rubbish behind, they also managed to destroy a tree hundreds of years old. And all in one night.We didn't approach them! The guns really put us off. We didn't want to antagonise them. But we should have! Why should we have? Because we discovered that the gang of yobos boozing, shooting and burning were actually members of a church youth ministry.It makes you think and it made me sad.Malcolm