WHEREAS the Bible calls upon us as Christians to be good stewards of God's creation and to protect and sustain God's creation for future generations, and

WHEREAS the ozone layer is a blanket of ozone molecules located in the upper atmosphere that protects the earth's surface from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, and

WHEREAS the Environmental Protection Agency issued a report in April 1991 which stated that the ozone layer over the United States and other populated regions of the Northern Hemisphere is thinning at twice the previously reported rate, and

WHEREAS the NASA-led team of scientists in February 1992 reported record levels of ozone-destroying chemicals above the Northern Hemisphere raising the possibility of an Arctic ozone hole developing this winter over populated parts of the United States, Canada and Europe,

Therefore, the Church of the Brethren General Board meeting in Elgin, Illinois on March 7-10, 1992 resolves to:

1. support the amendments to the ozone-protection treaty that will phase out production of all ozone destroying chemicals by 1995;
2. support the 1992 United nations conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in its effort to write and Earth Charter that protects the Earth and future generations;
3. support a large expansion of the financial assistance fund for developing nations to enable them to quickly end their production of ozone-destroying chemicals;
4. communicate with the President and US senators and representatives to request their strong leadership in constructing and passing funded legislation to accomplish these objectives;
5. use mailings, presentations at Church workshops and conferences, and other available resources to inform church members and encourage them to call and write the President and their US senators and representatives to express their support for the rapid phase out of ozone destroying chemicals.

Further, the General Board commits itself and urges Brethren congregations, institutions and members to:

     Strive to identify and eliminate the use of products that contain ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

     Reduce the use of air conditioners while locating and utilizing service centers that recycle CFCs from air conditioners and refrigerators;

     Study seriously the destruction of the ozone in a continuing search for an environmentally friendly life style.

This resolution was adopted by the Church of the Brethren General Board at its meeting in Elgin, Illinois on March 9, 1992. For further information contact Shantilal P. Bhagat, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120, 1-800-323-8039.