Respect yourself

Environmentalism can only work if there is respect.  

Respect for nature, and all of Creation.

During a walk one late morning, I passed through a back 
street and came upon a pile of garbage consisting of left 
over food and disposable plates and glasses etc. I asked 
around and learnt that the garbage was dumped there by 
the staff of a school from across the street.  So I marched 
up to the school gate and asked for the person in charge 
of the office. Unfortunately it was a Sunday and I gave 
the bewildered watchman a piece of my mind.

I saw some gentlemen, and mistaking them to be from 
the school gave them a piece of my mind too. I was soon 
embarrassed to learn that they were in-fact from a social
organisation looking to clean up the environment. The 
folks enthusiastically invited me to join their cause and 
attend at the school itself the launch of their environment 
drive the following Tuesday. I readily agreed.

My wife and I walked to the meeting on Tuesday. My 
heart sank when I observed that non biodegradable 
plastic disposable materials were used in abundance. 
The food was stored and served in disposable plastic as 
were the numerous banners, commemoration plaques etc.  

All this  amazing quantity of non recyclable  materials 
which would surely be dumped into the environment the 
next morning.

Our children and our followers never listen to what we 
say, but rather to what we do.  I tried to politely point 
out to my well intending hosts that I felt they were 
wasting their time and those of others.

My uninvited suggestions to the organizers were 
acknowledged by them with all the right noises, but 
their expressions betrayed the opinion that they thought 
I must be crazy to expect real change.

Everyone asks for suggestions and criticism but people 
really only want praise.

It is fashionable to go with the crowds, pretending to do 
what everyone else seems to be saying or doing. People 
should say only what they mean, and do what they say.

I am an optimist and believe we can protect our 
environment which nourishes us, if we do so with 
integrity and respect. Come. let us join together and be 
true environmentalists. 

If you wish to be respected by yourself and others 
then please respect your environment.

This is my land

The Bishnoi community people of Kankani village near Jodhpur in India revere all life. They know that their environment nurtures them  and they in turn respect and protect their environment. This was highly publicised in October 1998 when the local people agitated and had a group of irresponsible film actors from Mumbai arrested for poaching and the senseless killing of several animals including endangered species of black buck and Chinkara deer.

What really transpired only God knows, but what was heartening was the local people arose in unison to protect and preserve their environment.  In most places this sense of belonging is now mainly visible by its absence.

I travel extensively across my beautiful country spoilt by garbage, filth, the polluted air and stinking water bodies.  Most people cover their nose and mouth and trudge along or merely drive past.

I despair not only for the desecration of our home and environment but at the total apathy of my people. Then I ask myself, 'my people?', who are these strangers? How come my people have become destroyers of their own land?

By nature people are neither fools, nor are they uncaring, then what causes them to become so indifferent to their impending self destruction?

Love gives rise to a sense of belonging and care. Such people need few laws and even fewer law enforcement people. They live by a code of honour and respect which has existed successfully for millennia. Societies living in harmony with their environment have thrived and those that have failed to do so are doomed to perish sooner or later.

Symbiosis of man and nature leads to both enrichment of the environment and its people. Skew the balance and the entire fabric comes apart.

However if people are shunned or made irrelevant they possess neither love nor belonging. But what is making people uncaring? The answer is big government and our current system of governance. The government is normally blamed and rightly so, for it is so disconnected from the needs, problems and possible solutions of its people. It has by way of legislation and bullying monopolised all powers, resources and means to deliver services to the people.

An officer or a department sitting far away manned by bureaucrats having no stake in the outcome of any situation can hardly be motivated to do what is appropriate. Bureaucrats and government exist only for their own self preservation.

The government consisting of politicians, bureaucrats, government officers and their select vendors can afford to show totally disdain simply because of the apathy of the people.

Apathy sets in when people do not have mechanisms for discussion, interaction, sharing of problems and possible solutions.

Be it medical facilities, education, garbage, crime, corruption, the only way forward is to force by political, judicial  and civil activism the government to vacate all areas of activities except defence, monetary policy, fiscal policy, and policing. Leave it to the people to evolve non governmental policies and structures.

This is my land, these are my people and this is my world. Let us come together, start a dialogue implement plans and bequeath to our children a better world than what we inherited.

__________________________________

# Black buck deer and Chinkara gazelle images from wikipedia

Bishnoi girl image from Flickr;  http://www.flickr.com/photos/devriese/69629290/sizes/m/in/photostream/

I love Gaia

'Gaia' , The personification of Mother Earth as per Greek Mythology is also called by many many names.

Our planet Earth is part of a small star system, in a tiny galaxy of this universe, but it is our home. We who inhabit this beautiful planet are insignificant as individuals but collectively are inflicting irreversible damage to this home.

The bad news is that at the current rate mankind along with many lifeforms could be in all likely hood be extinct in 100 years. The good news is that current levels of technology, and management can provide us the means to stop further destruction and eventually recover much of what we have lost and are currently losing.

Almost everyone either points a finger at someone else or throw up their hands in despair and frustration. Most people too love this earth and life and are individually concerned and even worried about our environment, but feel helpless to do anything.
How can I as an individual or my family really make a difference? That is a question that we all ask and  find f if any answers.

Yes, as an individual you can do much more than can be imagined.  Many people have pulled up their sleeves and started doing something, in fact anything to save our home and leave to our children a world better than that was bequeathed to us by our parents.

I am more of a thinker and a facilitator and less of a doer, so I decided with the help of my many friends and guides to try and share ways and means to live a healthier, happier and more prosperous life and yet respect our environment.

Working in pooling our knowledge and efforts, the worst outcome of our efforts will result in stopping our slide towards certain extinction, however the best that can happen is that we will reverse the trend, and help Gaia to heal herself, while individually becoming materially, physically and emotionally wealthier.

The first step I feel would be to identify what we can do as individuals, followed by what we can do as families and small groups, then as a community and then as universal citizens.
We would attempt to collate knowledge and wisdom that already exists along with the means to implement that knowledge in your personal lives.

I implore you to be a part of this community and take advantage and contribute your knowledge with others, after all this planet belongs to all of us.