Question: Should humans eat more insects as a way to provide low-impact, abundant protein? This is a question asked by professors Matt Heun and Jeremy Van Antwerp in their new book A Framework for Sustainability Thinking: A Student’s Introduction to Global Sustainability Challenges.

While preparing for an engineering course called “Sustainability Challenges” at Calvin University, Heun and Van Antwerp struggled to find a suitable book. They wanted something that would challenge readers not just to understand environmental issues, but to contemplate the moral and ethical issues surrounding sustainability. They decided to fill this gap by writing it themselves. 

Perhaps the most practical chapters are the last two (11 & 12) where Heun and Van Antwerp challenge their students to think about what they can do collectively and individually about sustainability challenges. The authors end with recommendations related to home size, eating habits, distance travelled to work, and more, which could save the individual many tons of carbon per year. 

Calvin faculty have long been interested in this topic. Check out Earthkeeping: Christian Stewardship of Natural Resources (1980, Peter De Vos and Loren Wilkinson) and its revised edition from 1991, Earthkeeping in the Nineties: Stewardship of Creation (De Vos et al.). Also Responsible Technology: A Christian Perspective by Stephen Monsma (1986) and more recently, Matt Heun and David Warners book Beyond Stewardship: New Approaches to Creation Care (2019). 

And, if you'd like to learn more, watch the presentation from 10-18-22 by Heun and Van Antwerp.