ENVIRONMENT - YOU CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE

I was reading a series of articles about the state of the world today and in particular the environment. I have to tell you, it makes pretty ugly reading. However, as with all major issues there are solutions and reasons to feel hopeful that we can get things right. However, there is no time to lose - if we don't get it right now, we won't be leaving much of a world for generations to come. 

I never intend any of my blogs to be depressing. I always try and show that there is an upside and more important a solution to the issues we are facing. Sometimes (maybe always) we say to ourselves - this problem is too big - there's nothing I can do about it, therefore better not to think of it!! "Someone else's problem" - I suppose we've all said this at some time or other. However, the bottom line truth is that all of us can make a difference and we need to start NOW.

If everyone on the planet made even small changes in the way we live - we would have a better world and a better environment. Is this so hard to achieve?

There are many ways you can help, but here are some suggested ways (from an online article):

It's really easy to help - yes, on a daily basis, and in doing so you will be significantly improving your own life. Follow these 10 easy, day to day steps to contribute to a better environment and protect the planet we live on.

(1) Skip the car:

Instead of driving to the nearest store or taking the car to work, walk or ride your bike instead. Relying on your own form of locomotion instead of motor vehicles not only improves your health and keeps you in shape, but it also reduces air pollution.

(2) Recycle:

Next time you go to the grocery store, please buy things that can be easily recycled - for example, glass jars or tin cans, or some eco-friendly items that are made from already recycled materials. Please re-use bags and containers as much as possible. The global problems with plastic bags and all items made of plastic are horrifying - you can help - use one bag for your shopping and use it time and time again. - Please recycle all your plastic items - the damage plastic is doing to this earth of ours and in particularly our oceans is too much to bear.

(3) Buy locally:

Try and buy locally grown foods, in that way you're supporting farmers who are preserving farmland and the agricultural landscape instead of selling land for development. As a result you are benefiting the environment and all the wildlife that thrives in fields, woods and ponds. Buying locally also helps sustainability and maintaining clean water, soil and air quality. Not to mention that local farmers cut down drastically on energy consumption normally used to traverse long distances to deliver food.

(4) Live Minimally:

Materialistic goods are so often wasteful and it turns out they really don't make us very happy. More and more, people are realising that living a simple, minimal, earthy life - surrounded by family and friends and pursuing their passions - are more fulfilling. Instead of buying wasteful products then throwing them out or giving them away. Learn to minimise the clutter in your homes. Not only will it lower the amount of waste, it will make you feel more fulfilled, energised and focused.

(5) Be mindful with electronics:

Please turn off the lights when you're not home, unplug all electronic items you're not using. I am sure you have heard this advice before, but it truly helps the environment a lot. You should also change your regular lightbulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs to reduce as much pollution as possible - comparable to removing a million cars from the roads. People are losing the ability to communicate - people walk up the streets glued to their smart phones - I've watched families sitting in restaurants and cafés looking at their phones and not speaking to one another at all! Turn them off from time to time each day.

(6) Be mindful with water:

Instead of taking a bath, take a shower - I love baths, but they take up twice as much water as showers. Keep your showers short and sweet, because every two minutes you can save 10 gallons of water. Please be mindful of water - WATER IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN OIL. Don't run water when brushing your teeth - it all helps - it really does.

(7) Plant trees:

Trees improve water quality and lowers air pollution. Even just planting them in your own backyard will provide their with more oxygen, keep your home cooler by providing shade and simply make you happy with their beauty.

(8) Carry a re-usable coffee cup or water bottle with you:

I love coffee, but all those Starbucks or Café Nero coffees add up! And the paper cups go to waste. To save the planet (and save money too), invest in a re-usable coffee mug (and water bottle). Your coffee will stay warmer, you can bring your own coffee from home, and some coffee shops will fill it up for you at a reduced price!

(9) Adjust the thermostat:

Keep your heating and cooling thermostats under control -  every one degree celsius will save 10 percent on energy use. Its so easy to forget these things - we all do it - you're not alone - but we can do something about it - we really can.

(10) Go vegetarian once or twice a week:

Eating one or two meals without meat or fish a week can help the earth enormously. Apart from saving the life of millions of defenceless animals, you'll save water significantly (producing one pound of beef apparently takes about 2,500 gallons of water) - and save trees (for every hamburger from animals raised on rainforest land, some 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed) - and IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH.

These are only some simple ways you can individually help the environment. You can think of many more - so that even the simplest saving helps - you can do it....

I often quote the Dalai Lama - his words of wisdom are so true:

Peace and the survival of life on earth as we know it are threaten by human activities which lack a commitment to humanitarian values. Destruction of nature and nature resources results from ignorance, greed and lack of respect for the earth's living things.

This lack of respect extends even to earth's human descendants, the future generations who will inherit a vastly degraded planet if world peace does not become a reality, and destruction of the natural environment continues at the present rate.

Our ancestors viewed the earth as rich and bountiful, which it is. Many people in the past also saw nature as inexhaustibly sustainable, which we now know is the case only if we care for it.

It is not difficult to forgive destruction in the past, which resulted from ignorance. Today, however, we have access to more information, and it is essential that we re-examine ethically what we have inherited, what we are responsible for, and what we will pass on to coming generations. Clearly this is a pivotal generation. Global communication is possible, yet confrontations take place more often than meaningful dialogues for peace.

Our marvels of science and technology are matched if not out-weighed by many current tragedies, including human starvation in some parts of the world, and extinction of other life forms.

Exploration of outer space takes place at the same time as the earth's own oceans, seas, and freshwater areas grow increasingly polluted, and their life forms are largely unknown or misunderstood.

Many of the earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects, and even microorganisms that we know of as rare or endangered, may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capacity, and the responsibility. We must act before it is too late.

First of all, I always think that it is very important to consider oneself as one human being or one member of a big human family. Because every human is basically the same irrespective of culture, religion, country or race. It means everyone has the right to be a happy person and the right to overcome suffering. After all, the purpose of our very life, I consider, is happiness. This is our birthright.

Then, because of the changing situation today, the realisation of oneness of all human beings is now very relevant. In ancient times, if you had that kind of perspective, good. If not, it did not matter quite so much. But now, today, in reality, whether we like it or not, every crisis is essentially linked to a global crisis. So talking about my nation, my continent, my family, my religion, my tradition is out of date. Therefore, there is really an urgent need to have a sense of Universal Responsibility and change of our Inner Environment.