The 3^rd king of Israel was King Solomon. He is probably best known for his incredible wisdom, his vast wealth and his 700 wives and 300 concubines. But there is more about this man. Solomon was a student of the natural world.

1 Kings 4:29-34 says, “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt…He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.”

Solomon was a…

• Botanist, he studied plants.
• Zoologist, he studied animals.
• Ornithologist, he studied birds.
• Herpetologist, he studied reptiles.
• Ichthyologist, he studied fish.

What we know today that Solomon probably didn’t know was there are:

• 270,000 different species of plants
• 1.3 million different species of animals
• 9,700 different species of birds
• 6,800 different species of reptiles
• 32,000 different species of fish

Some ‘fun facts’ that Solomon may or may not have known:

• The largest animal in the world is the Blue whale. Blue whales can reach up to 110 feet in length and weigh 190 tons. Its tongue weighs as much as an elephant and it eats 8,000 pounds of food every day.
• The smallest animal in the world is the, Hog-nosed Bat. This little guy is only a little over an inch long and weighs half an ounce.
• The fastest animal in the world is the cheetah; it can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
• The slowest mammal on earth is the tree sloth. It only moves at a speed of 6 feet per minute.
• The strongest animal in the world, relative to its size, is the rhinoceros beetle. It is only a couple of inches long and weighs less than an ounce, but it can lift 850 times its own weight. That would be equivalent to a 200 pound man carrying 85 tons!

Some other interesting facts from the animal world:

• Beavers can hold their breath for 45 minutes under water.
• Elephants are the only animal that can’t jump.
• Polar bears are left handed.
• A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
• A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
• A woodpecker can peck 20 times per second and they don’t get headaches from all that pecking because their skulls have air pockets to cushion the brain.
• Butterflies have taste sensors are in their feet. They taste their food by standing on it

Is God creative or what?

Psalm 104:24 says, “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” How true!

And here is my encouragement to you: Enjoy God’s creation!

You and I don’t have to take it as seriously as Solomon. We don’t have to become botanists, zoologists, ornithologists, herpetologists or ichthyologists

And none of us have to enjoy it in the same way! There are hundreds of ways to enjoy the beauty and wonder of the natural world:

• For me, our land in Michigan has been a great way to learn about and enjoy creation. I have learned a lot about trees and the way a woods ‘works’.
• Gloria, my wife, has a beautiful herb garden in our back yard that she loves.
• Maybe it’s through the enjoyment of a pet dog, cat, bird, or a bird feeder or aquarium.
• Maybe you enjoy visiting the zoo.
• Maybe some of your vacations are to national parks, like The Grand Canyon, or the Great Smokey Mountains.
• Maybe it’s by enjoying the night sky through a telescope or going to the Hubble website to view the pictures taken from the space telescope.

Whatever your ways are, I want to encourage you to enjoy God’s creation! It is truly magnificent.

Next, I want to encourage you to do things to care for God’s creation.

Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and care for it.”

Caring for His creation was an original mandate to humanity. Evidently God wanted us to take care of what he had made. Now I know this can get ‘political’ real fast and I don’t want it to. I am not going to get into ‘global warming’ debate. I am not going to tell you what you should or should not be driving. I have one little car and one big SUV, so I can’t. But as followers of the Creator, we should all do our part or some part to care for his creation. We will not all do the same things, but we all should be doing some things.

Here is a sampling of things that people are doing to help the environment. Maybe something on the list will appeal to you:

Bike Instead Of Ride.
Riding your bike instead of riding in a car saves energy and reduces pollution, of course.  But it is also fun!  That makes it a double benefit.

Buy Products Made Of Recycled Paper.
How can you tell if a package is recycled?  Look right on the package.  Many have specific claims, such as “made of 100 percent recycled material.”  However, some recycled packages don’t advertise this fact, although there are ways you can find out for yourself.  For example, when shopping for cereal, cookies, crackers, and other groceries packaged in cardboard boxes, make sure boxes are made from recycled paper.  If the underside is gray or dark brown, the cardboard is made of recycled material.  If it’s white, it is made of un-recycled material.

Change A Light Bulb.
By replacing a standard bulb with a compact fluorescent one you will get more light for less money and save a lot of energy.

Clean Up A Stream Or Park.
Get a group of people together and find a stream or park that needs some tender loving care.  Arrange for everyone to meet at a specific time to pick up the trash, weed, perhaps even plant some flowers.  Ask local business to donate money, tools, or other supplies you’ll need for the task.  You also should invite a newspaper reporter or TV news team to come along and report on the event.  Make sure to check with the proper local authority in charge of the stream or park to get permission so you are sure not to break any laws.

Collect Aluminum Cans.
You might raise a lot of money in the process.  The best thing is to combine this with your stream or park cleanup (see above).  Sell the cans you collect to a local aluminum recycler and use the money for something fun!  Or donate the money to a worthy environmental organization (see below).

Create A Compost Pile.
It’s easy to do.  Find a corner of the yard that’s out of the way.  Carefully throw food wastes (leftovers, eggshells, coffee grounds, spoiled vegetables, etc.) into a pile and mix with dirt.  Every week or so, turn the pile over with a shovel to give it more air.  In a few weeks, it will turn into a rich, nutrition soil that will help plants grow.  Just think:  What used to be “garbage” is now a valuable substance!

Cut Down On Packaging.
We’ve already given you several ways to do this.  Keep in mind that about half of what we throw away is packaging.  By buying products that have as little packaging as possible, you can help to reduce those mountains of trash.

Donate Your Toys To A Worthy Cause.
When you get tired of or grow out of your games and toys and other things, don’t throw them away.  Even if they are broken, they may be fixed and used by other kids less fortunate than you.  You’ll also be keeping these things out of the trash.

Don’t Buy Aerosols.
There are environmentally better packages for most products.  Aerosols can’t be recycled–which means that they are guaranteed to end up in landfills–and some of their ingredients contribute to air pollution.  Instead of aerosols, look for spray bottles, liquids, powders, and roll-ons.

Eat Organic Produce.
Organic produce contains far fewer chemicals than other produce.  That’s probably better for your health, and it is definitely better for the environment.  All those chemicals get washed off of farmers’ fields into rivers and streams, where they pollute our water.  In addition, many of the chemicals are made from petroleum and other nonrenewable resources.  So, don’t eat chemicals–eat real food!

Feed The Birds.
Birds need water to drink and foot to eat.  Feeding birds not only brings a bit of nature to your backyard, it also helps rid the yard of many kinds of bugs.  You can hang a birdfeeder from a tree or place it outside your window, or build a birdbath in your yard from which the birds can drink water.

Find Out How To Dispose of Hazardous Waste.

Nearly every household has some kind of hazardous waste: old paint cans, used motor oil, unused pesticides and weed killers.  If you dump these things down the drain, you’ll end up polluting the water supply.  They should be disposed of in a site specially designed for hazardous or toxic wastes.  Some cities and counties have monthly or annual pickups.  Other areas have special drop-off sites.  Call your city or county government to find out the proper way to dispose of such trash in your area.  Try organizing a hazardous-waste-collection day in your neighborhood or at your school, encouraging others to dispose of materials properly.

Grow A Garden.
A garden provides flowers, vegetables, and environmental benefits.  It can help to reduce soil erosion and may help to reduce some kinds of air pollution.  Try to grow your garden using as few pesticides and chemical fertilizers as possible.

Have A “Green” Picnic.
Plan an outing that doesn’t create a lot of waste or pollution.  For example, if you’re having a barbecue, avoid using lighter fluid–it contains naphthalene, an air pollutant which is suspected of causing cancer.  Instead, use an electric starter or, better yet, a device that lets you start coals using newspapers instead of fluid.  Use real plates and utensils instead of paper or plastic, and reusable tin or heavy plastic cups instead of disposable paper or plastic ones.  Wash the cups and use them over and over.  And set out separate trash bags for paper, glass, and aluminum.  Just because you’re outdoors doesn’t mean you can’t recycle.

Insulate Your Home.
You may find a lot of energy being wasted right in your own home.  After you’ve finished your energy audit, make a list of the things you believe should be done.  Your local hardware-store sales person can help you determine how much the improvements will cost, how much energy they will save, and how much money your family will save in reduced energy bills.

Look At Labels.
Reading labels can tell you a lot of things.  First, you can find out about a product’s ingredients–whether it contains anything that might be hazardous to your health or the environment.  A label will also tell you how to contact the product’s manufacturer with your questions and comments.  Feel free to let them know what’s on your mind.  Do you think their product is good?  Let them know!  Could it be better?  Let them know that, too.  In particular, let them know if you’ve decided to buy–or not buy–their product for environmental reasons.  Companies listen very carefully to what their customers have to say.  It doesn’t take very many letters and calls for a company to think seriously about making changes.

Make Scratch Pads.
Here’s a good way to recycle paper.  When you use a piece of paper on only one side, don’t throw it away when you are done with it.  Instead, put it in a pile with all of the blank sides surfacing up.  When you get a big pile, you can turn the paper into scratch pads.  First, get someone to cut the pile of paper in half.  Then, staple small batches of paper together into “pads.”

Plant A Tree.
How would you like to plant your very own tree and watch it grow?  There are organizations in most communities that have set up tree-planting campaigns.  But you don’t even need one of these.  Visit a local nursery to find out what kinds of trees will grow best in your area.  The nursery people might also help you find a good place to plant a tree.  You can watch the tree’s progress every year, and have the pleasure of know that you put it there for everyone to enjoy!

Quit Throwing Away Batteries.
Americans go through more than two billion batteries a year to power such things as radios, calculators, watches, flashlights, and computers.  Unfortunately, batteries contain many hazardous materials, which leak into landfills when batteries are thrown away.  Many of these dangerous chemicals get into our water supply.  There are two ways you can avoid throwing away batteries.  One is by using batteries that can be recharged over and over.  You should also find out if there are companies in your area that recycle batteries.  If you must throw batteries away, do so at a hazardous-waste collection site, if there is one in your area.  Still another idea is to send the batteries back to the manufacturers, signifying that you consider used batteries a potential danger.  This may encourage companies to begin recycling.  In the end, ask yourself whether you really need to use products that require batteries.

Recycle Everything.
Well, not everything, but just about.  As we described earlier, there is little you can’t recycle one way or another.  One exception is plastic, most of which is not easily recyclable.  Set up recycling boxes in your home–one for collecting newspapers, another for collecting other types of paper, another for glass, and another for aluminum.  Try composting, which is a way of recycling food and other organic matter.  You can even try recycling plastic, if you can find a place that accepts plastic for recycling.  If you can’t recycle something, see if there is some way you can reuse it.

Reuse A Bag.
Some people believe that bags made of trees–paper bags–are less harmful to the earth than bags made of chemicals–plastic bags.  The fact is, making both types of bags creates a lot of pollution, and both paper and plastic bags use a lot of resources.  So neither is much better than the other.  The best solution is not to use any bag at all, or to bring your own bag.  Some people carry a canvas or mesh bag they can use over and over.  If you must use a paper or plastic bag, don’t throw it away.  Try to use the bag over and over–as many times as you can.

Stop A Leak.
Organize a Stop-the-Leak Day on which everyone in your family tightens, insulates, replaces, caulks, and does whatever else is necessary to make your home as “tight” as possible. Your local water, gas, or electric utility company may be able to provide help, or even instructions and supplies.

Take A Hike.
Or go fishing or bird-watching.  Whatever you do, go outdoors to a place where there are as few people, cars, and building as possible.  Take a look around.  Isn’t it beautiful?  What would happen if all that beauty disappeared because people littered and polluted and harmed the plants and animals?  It’s important to keep our natural areas in good shape, so that you can enjoy them and your children–and their children’s children–can enjoy them, too! So enjoy the great outdoors whenever you can.  And if you see some litter there, pick it up and carry it so someplace where it can be safely thrown away or recycled.

Talk To Your Parents/Children.
There’s a good chance that you know more about the environment than they do.  That’s okay, there’s still time for them to learn, and you can be the one to teach them.  Don’t be afraid to share with them the information you’ve learned through this site and at school.  Help them learn about ways they can be Green Consumers and spend their money in ways that will help the environment.  Although it doesn’t always seem that way, grown-ups do listen to kids.  If you share your concerns with them, they will become concerned, too.  Together, you can help.

Turn Off The Lights.
This is such a simple thing to do, but sometimes it’s so hard to remember!  Ask your parents if you can put little stickers near the light switches you leave on the most often, reminding everyone to turn them off when they leave the room.  Consider starting a Lights-Off Fund, to which each person must donate a nickel or dime every time he or she forgets to turn off the lights.  As those nickels or dimes add up, you might donate them to an environmental organization.

Use Recycled Paper.
There’s just no reason why you shouldn’t buy recycled paper whenever it is available.  In most cases, it is just as good as “virgin” paper–even better, in fact, because it helps save trees!  You can buy toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, writing paper, books, newspapers, and many other things made of recycled paper.  If you or your parents can’t find recycled paper products in your local grocery store, ask the manager to stock them.

Visit A Recycling Center.

If there’s a center nearby, stop and take a look around.  Look at all the different things being recycled–lots of different colors of glass, paper, cardboard, cans, maybe even tires and household appliances.  Ask the people who run the recycling center what happens to all this stuff after it leaves the center.  Think about how wasteful it would be if all that garbage wasn’t being recycled, but being thrown away instead.

Whatever you do, remember that God is the Creator and he gave us the privilege of enjoying his creation and the responsibility for taking care of it.