[EcoDharma] Things You Can Do

[Doshin]

The World Wildlife Fund and his Holiness developed a list of things people can do to have a positive impact.

Apparently this has been adopted by many Monasteries

https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/3co3afdukl_108_Things_To_Do.pdf?_ga=2.111370950.39215382.1710368248-1517190495.1710368248

In this Thread please share thoughts you have on what others can do for the environment

Doshin
Stlah

[Bion]

Interestingly enough, in our own backyard, this has been a concern for a long time. For years now Sotoshu has been promoting the practice of the 17 SDGs , Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. More info about the SDGs here: https://www.sotozen.com/eng/activity/sdgs/index.html

Number 13 is actually Climate Action: https://www.sotozen.com/eng/activity/sdgs/goal13.html


Gassho
Sat and lah

[Doshin]

Like me sometimes, many of you may feel the environmental challenges are overwhelming and there is nothing to do but ride out the storm hoping things may change. Though hope is a perspective I work to keep alive in myself it is only of importance when we are also doing something. It is each of our responsibilities not just someone else.

There are many things an individual can adopt that will reduce the impact on the environment. However there also must be actions taken by communities, corporations, Nations and others to have yet a greater impact. This is where activism comes in, bearing witness to these times is only right when coupled with an effort to change things. Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama have both used their voice and actions for both social and environmental change. Our voices matter, silence is acceptance. But if we live a life that is more sustainable, we contribute to a better world for all sentient beings.

A story I have shared in the past comes to mind when I ask myself am I doing enough to conserve biodiversity or reduce my carbon impact. I do not know where the story came from but I have made it part of my paradigm. As told…a large storm at sea washed thousands of starfish onto the beach. A visitor looked ahead of him on his walk and saw someone throwing starfish back into the ocean. When he caught up with her he said there are too many, you won’t make a difference. As she tossed another towards the ocean she shared I made a difference for this one. To save all sentient beings is an enormous task that takes community but we can do what we can and make things a little better. One step at a time will move us towards our destination.

As always I am a novice priest who has much to learn about the Dharma and I am also a biologist who spent a life time learning about the environment and realized the older I became the less I really understood. We will never understand it all, nobody will. I just strive to do my best.

Doshin
Stlah

[Guest]

Thanks Doshin, there’s some nice information here that ok dg into later, and a nice insight into what action can look like.
Living here in Japan, the country has a plastic addiction to the point where it’s practically impossible to live without leaving considerable amounts of refuse. Little things are often all that can be done. I like to think I offset it somewhat in my work, but it never seems enough. However, if we never start, nothing gets done.

As with any big task, things are often overwhelming, the temptation is to just accept the way things are as we can’t do anything about it, but as your story indicates, sometimes the thing is just to start, and then keep going, one action, one task, one sentient being at a time.

Sattlah

Myojin

[Jenny A]

Thank you, Doshin, for sharing that wonderful list from the World Wildlife Fund. And thank you also, Bion, for the information about Sotoshu's efforts. It is always encouraging to know that people and organizations are trying to promote such actions. Of course it never seems like enough.

As individuals, my husband & I grow (organically of course) a lot of our own fruits & vegetables; we compost everything and waste nothing; I don't eat meat; we have solar panels that generate both hot water and electricity; we carry reusable shopping bags and our own reusable containers for restaurant leftovers; we've given up flying. But it's very easy to be discouraged when one steps back and looks honestly at the minuscule impact all that has on a planetary scale. So it is good to be reminded of the 'Star Thrower' story.

That story originated with Loren Eiseley in an essay of the same name, published in 1969 in his book The Unexpected Universe. It was also the title of an anthology of his works published in 1978.

I am a very new Treeleaf member and I am extremely happy to find people here who share my deep concern with the fate of the Earth. Thank you!

Gassho,
jenny
sat today

[Jundo]

...
Living here in Japan, the country has a plastic addiction to the point where it’s practically impossible to live without leaving considerable amounts of refuse. ...

Myojin is not exaggerating. The Japanese seem to wrap things that do not need wrapping, then to wrap the wrappers!

I think that, for a society that claims to have a "unique spiritual connection to nature," they sometimes miss the mark. Here is a video called "All the plastic that's left after making dinner in Japan" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VujxaKgQvUE

Gassho, J

stlah

[Guest]

Myojin is not exaggerating. The Japanese seem to wrap things that do not need wrapping, then to wrap the wrappers!

I think that, for a society that claims to have a "unique spiritual connection to nature," they sometimes miss the mark. Here is a video called "All the plastic that's left after making dinner in Japan" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VujxaKgQvUE

Gassho, J

stlah

Special spiritual connection to nature my foot….

As far as I’m aware, the excess wrapping thing is about presentation of the product, it all hat to be perfect, not a blemish in sight.

My wife and I usually buy our vegetables at a roadside stall nearby. It’s cheaper and not so excessively wrapped, but until we find somewhere permanent we can’t very well grow our own, which is the goal, so we do what we can on a tight budget.

I will say that plastic bags at the checkout are getting less common compared to 10 years ago when I was first here, so baby steps, but steps nonetheless. Nobody said changing a culture was easy, but essentially that’s what’s necessary.

Gassho

Myojin

[Doshin]

https://="https://en.wikipedia.org/w... Loren Eiseleyin an essay of the same name, published in 1969 in his book The Unexpected Universe. It was also the title of an anthology of his works published in 1978.

I am a very new Treeleaf member and I am extremely happy to find people here who share my deep concern with the fate of the Earth. Thank you!

Gassho,
jenny
sat today

Welcome Jenny,

Thank you for providing me the origin of the Star Thrower. I read Loren Eiseley and that story has stuck with me for over 50 years but I didn’t remember the origin.

Thank you for the life style choices you have made to contribute to a better future for those who come after us.

Doshin
Stlah

[Doshin]

Jundo and Myojin,

Yes so much waste in the plastic used in selling foods and other things. My city does not allow the use of plastic bags at check out. You bring your own or purchase a paper bag.

Doshin
Stlah

[Guest]

I really like the idea of planting a tree at ordination, that would be a nice Treeleaf custom, although it’d have to be guerrilla tree planting. But who knows, perhaps one day we can have a Treeleaf forest?

I do wonder about number 66 however, I just spent this afternoon reviewing a paper in which a bamboo forest seemed to be source of carbon, but since I’m currently working on that topic and it’s only one paper, the jury is out on that question for the time being. I’m hoping to get funded to look into it further.

Gassho

Myojin

[Doshin]

I really like the idea of planting a tree at ordination, that would be a nice Treeleaf custom, although it’d have to be guerrilla tree planting. But who knows, perhaps one day we can have a Treeleaf forest?

I do wonder about number 66 however, I just spent this afternoon reviewing a paper in which a bamboo forest seemed to be source of carbon, but since I’m currently working on that topic and it’s only one paper, the jury is out on that question for the time being. I’m hoping to get funded to look into it further.

Gassho

Myojin

An interesting perspective about bamboo. I assumed all vegetation sequestered carbon as part of growth. Of course a fire releases that back to the atmosphere. If you learn more please share

Doshin
Stlah

[Guest]

An interesting perspective about bamboo. I assumed all vegetation sequestered carbon as part of growth. Of course a fire releases that back to the atmosphere. If you learn more please share

Doshin
Stlah

Hi Doshin,

I would have thought the same thing given how fast bamboos grow. I suppose that might have been part of the problem according to the paper I was reading on the subject (https://link.springer.com/article/10...:1009711814070), they recorded some of the highest ecosystem respiration among forest types in Japan.
Going through the numbers it looked to me like the system was losing a lot more carbon than it was storing. Why? I don’t know, high microbial activity, high growth rate, it all takes oxygen and emits carbon dioxide, so even with high intake the net result is a CO2 source.
If you’re interested I can send you the paper, but I’m fairly new to bamboo, my background is in soil/atmosphere carbon cycles, so I’m learning all the time.

Gassho

Myojin