Author: Environmentalism Can Bring Religions Closer

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin is author of "Green Deen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting the Environment," which he says illustrates how the power of religion can be used to involve people of faith in the environmental movement.

He tells Lee Patrick Sullivan that the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, teaches that people are the representatives of God on Earth, and there are two schools of thought on what that means. One is that God meant for people to dominate the Earth, and another is that they have a responsibility to leave the Earth better then they found it.

He says there is an environmental movement in Muslim countries, one toward being more sustainable and being stewards of the Earth. In the U.S., it's more focused on food and how people eat and take care of each other, but it also focuses on how people manages their spaces.

He acknowledges that some Muslim countries have become wealthy by selling fossil fuels, and he says they are “laundering” that “dirty money” and now cities like Abu Dhabi are becoming some of the most energy efficient places on Earth. He says just because fossil fuels gave Americans a tremendous amount of wealth, doesn't mean that they have to stay with those fuels. He also says developing nations that are starting to use fossil fuels to power their economies have a tremendous opportunity to instead pioneer new technologies like the “Bloom Box” and become leaders in renewable technology. He notes Brazil became a leader in ethanol production, and Sierra Leone is in negiotiations with a U.S. company to develop solar power.

Abdul-Matin says the Cordoba House Mosque, the controversial Islamic center slated to be built near the site of the former World Trade Center, isn't getting LEED Certification just as a PR stunt. By local law, all new buildings of that size must meet green building standards. He hopes the builders will look at mosques in other countries such as England, Malaysia and Indonesia for ideas on green building techniques. He'd also like to see the new mosque use a geothermal heating system.

Abdul-Matin also believes that environmental stewardship is a religious principle that binds Muslims, Christians and Jews together. He says it's a common ground for everyone to work together to build a better standard of living for all.