Relationship Between Religion and the Environment

The relationship between religion and the environment should be balanced.  We should respect the environment and try to protect it as much as we can because it is the religious thing to do.  We must honor the world in which we live because in doing that we are honoring our creator.  Apathy is not an option for religious people.  It is impossible to not care about the environment at all and call yourself a religious person.  With that being said, we can't be consumed by the world because the world is a sinful place.  We are to honor the earth's beauty, but not be consumed by it because it is only our temporary home (most religions believe in an afterlife).  So the religious people should respect the environment because in doing that they are pleasing their god or gods.  Religion should be the most important thing in one's life.  But the environment should be important to because with it comes the life that you have been given by your perspective creator.  I found an article that talks about Multicultural Environmental Ethics.  In this interesting article, the author exemplifies different religions and the role they need to play in the environment.  Here is the link:  JSTOR: Daedalus, Vol. 130, No. 4 (Fall, 2001), pp. 77-97