We need to better stewards of the land

To the editor:

With the prospect of Pebble Mine looming on the horizon and some of our representatives in Washington pushing harder for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, I feel compelled to ask all Alaskans to recommit themselves to being good stewards of the amazing natural wonders around us.

Our biblical mandate is to be good stewards of the earth. I know that the Bible also says to go forth and have dominion over all living things, but to me, Pebble Mine is simply raping the land for the economic gain of only a few at the expense of many. It should not be allowed to be built, period.

I recently watched two documentaries I highly recommend. One is Ken Burns’ national parks series and the other is “Arctic Dream,” which covers early exploration of Alaska by Olaus and Mardy Murie and other naturalists, including John Muir. Muir wrote in 1890, “We need to see the necessity in all that is wild,” and “mountain parks and preserves are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” He called Alaska, “Nature’s own reservation and every lover of wilderness will rejoice with me that by kindly frost it is so well-preserved.”

Wallace Stegner, another naturalist, once urged “that we learn to respect the earth for something besides its economic value.”

The current disastrous oil spill happening in the Gulf will have long-lasting effects, and I pray that it is enough of a wake-up call for us to finally embrace more sustainable energy sources. Are you a good steward? If not, I urge you to take steps toward becoming one, for the sake of our children and our children’s children.

Barbara Bailey Brown

Palmer