TEN THINGS
YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE…
1.
Make
aspiration prayers. We make aspiration
prayers for all sentient
beings. This should also include the Earth, which sustains us and gives
us
life. We can pray for a more harmonious world where humans recognize
how their
actions have harmed the Earth and change their behavior.
2.
Read,
discuss, and develop an understanding of environmental issues and how
they
affect you and your community.
3.
Go
vegetarian. Not only will you
practice compassion for all sentient
beings, but you will decrease the resources you use up.
It takes about 100,000 liters of water to
produce 1 kilogram of beef but only 750 liters of water to produce 1
kilogram
of wheat.
4.
Live
simply. Practice your vinaya
vow and live as simply as possible,
without unnecessary possessions.
5.
Educate
people on environmental values. Whenever possible, teach
stories and
Buddhist traditions that illustrate harmony between people and nature.
6.
Don’t
litter. Collect your own waste and dispose of it
properly.
7.
Use
less paper. A lot of trees are cut
down simply to produce paper.
Even a small choice such as printing on both sides of the paper makes a
big
difference.
8.
Use
less plastic. We use plastic bags for
a few hours,
sometimes for only a few minutes. However, it takes over 500 years for
plastic
to completely degrade in a landfill.
9.
When
making offerings, make healthy choices. Buy fruit
rather than sweets, or plants rather than cut flowers.
10.
Turn
the switch off. If you see that a light
or an electrical
device is switched on but no one is using it, turn it off.
ACTIVITIES YOUR
MONASTERY OR NUNNERY CAN LEAD WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY…
PROTECT
FORESTS
11.
When
a new monk or nun joins the monastery or nunnery, have them plant a
tree sapling
as part of their commitment to serve the world. Their
commitment should extend to taking care of the sapling until it becomes
a tree.
12.
Monasteries
that need timber for building materials should oversee the planting of
at least
twice the number of trees that are used.
13.
Encourage
people who put up MANY prayer flags (such as
gyathar) to string
the prayer flags up instead of using one bamboo pole per flag.
14.
Designate
a sacred space on the monastery grounds, which
can bring you closer
to nature. Put
prayer flags
around a spring source, or a grove of trees, or a large wilderness area
with a
beautiful view, and encourage the monastic community to use it as a
meditation
ground.
15.
Plant
trees in severely degraded areas. Set up the practice of
planting
trees in areas where there are many landslides and above the slippage
area.
16.
Work
with the local forestry department or an environmental organization to
select
the right kinds of trees for planting. Select varied species
of trees that
are indigenous to the area. This means that the trees will be more
likely to
survive.
17.
After
selecting the area, plant the tree saplings mixed with half-grown and
fully
grown trees. This will provide a more
natural habitat and
encourage wildlife species to thrive there as well.
18.
Keep
the area protected from livestock and minimize the extraction of
resources (fodder, thatch, medicine, etc.) for a
few years.
19.
Monitor
the forested area over the long term and experiment with different
combinations
of tree saplings. It is not enough just to
plant a sapling;
you must take care
of it as
it grows into a tree.
20.
Use
sacred occasions to carry out environmental activities such as tree
planting. As monasteries
do this more often, the connection between Buddhism and environmental
protection will become clearer to the general public.
21.
Encourage
community management of forests. If there are common
property lands
nearby that are degraded, work with local communities and environmental
NGOs to
establish sustainable community forestry that benefits everyone.
22.
Speak
out against illegal timber cutting and trade. Forests
belong to the entire community, not the people who cut them down.
23.
Use
recycled paper whenever possible. Pechas and other books
regularly
used by monasteries can be printed on recycled paper.
24.
Use
biogas as an alternative to fuelwood. In areas where people
still depend
on wood as their primary source of fuel, they should examine biogas as
an
alternative. Simple biogas plants can also address the issue of human
waste and
animal waste disposal.
PROTECT WILDLIFE
25.
Learn
about the wildlife that exists in your area. Include
these animals in your aspiration prayers and in your teachings.
26.
Teach
local communities to feel reverence for all life.
27.
If
you are in a heavily forested area, protect existing wildlife.
28.
If
you know of people who hunt or participate in illegal wildlife trade in
your surrounding
communities, advise them against killing endangered species. Some animal
species are on the verge of disappearing from the face of the Earth
forever due
to human activity. It is our duty to prevent this.
(MERGED 28 and 29)
29.
Don’t
buy fur, ivory, or other endangered-animal products. By buying
these things, you are personally contributing to the extinction of an
entire
species.
30.
If
you can influence local communities to give up wearing the fur of
tigers,
leopards, and otters, do so. There are
fewer than 1,500 tigers left in
31.
Think
twice before using traditional medicines. Although we are
vegetarian, we often consume meat products when
we take traditional medicines. Even worse, many of these medicines are
made
from endangered-animal products. Look for alternatives before taking
these medicines.
32.
Don’t buy
coral. Coral is a
living organism found in the world’s oceans; it provides a
home for other living things such as fish and crabs. Due to global
warming, coral
species are already under great threat, and if they disappear, much of
the
biodiversity in the oceans will be lost.
33.
Don’t
throw garbage into rivers! Remember that the river continues
thousands of
miles further and may be the only source of drinking water for millions
of
people.
34.
In
areas near a water source, designate a
boundary and keep the area clean of waste products.
35.
Keep
cattle and other livestock away from the actual water source. Livestock
feces are often the reason for bacteria in water that lead to
waterborne
diseases (e.coli, giardia, cholera).
36.
Plant
vegetation on the banks of rivers and
lakes to protect
them and to improve the quality of the water. Lakes and rivers covered
with a layer of green algae
are
usually
suffering
from too many nitrates, which are
found in fertilizers and pesticides. Protect them by planting
river reeds
and plants that are native to the area.
37.
If
monastic grounds are used for farming, encourage organic farming using
few pesticides
and fertilizers. Instead, promote the
use of manure and
compost products. Most pesticides and fertilizers are washed away into
nearby
water areas when it rains.
38.
Protect
nearby wetlands from agricultural expansion. More than half the
world’s wetlands are already lost. One way to tell if
wetlands are
healthy is by counting how many different types of birds exist there.
39.
Recreate
wetlands. Wetlands are nature’s
filtering system for polluted
water; it
naturally purifies contaminated water. If you used to have
marshes in
surrounding areas, allow for some water diversion and plant locally
found
wetland plant species.
40.
If
building a connecting road, do not place it over a river. Most of
the sediment will end up in the water, making it too cloudy for fish
species to
survive.
CONSERVE
WATER IN YOUR MONASTERY
41.
Turn
off the tap while brushing your teeth. You will save up to 10
liters of
water every day.
42.
Fill
up a bottle of water and put it in your toilet cistern. This
automatically saves water when the toilet is flushed.
43.
Fix
dripping taps, and repair broken or leaking pipes. (MERGED 43
and 44)
44.
Using
a bucket to bathe rather than taking
showers will save
a lot of water. Similarly, use a bucket
to wash clothes instead of a
running tap.
45.
Use
water filters rather than bottled water. Instead of
using plastic bottles in meetings, use jugs of filtered water.
46.
Install
a solar-run water filter to provide water continuously.
47.
Fill
the kettle only with the amount of water you need. This will
also use less energy.
48.
In
dry areas, harvest rainwater. Capture some of the
rain that falls
on your roof by connecting a water barrel to a downpipe. This water can
be used
in the garden. If
properly designed and filtered, you can also use rain
harvesting tanks for drinking water.
49.
In
dry areas, water gardens in the early morning or late evening. This will
allow most of the water to be absorbed by the soil rather than
evaporating in
the midday heat.
50.
Reuse
the water that is offered daily on all monastery altars. Monasteries
can conserve a lot of water by using the water from offering bowls for
watering gardens and plants.
ADOPT GREEN
DESIGN
51.
In
cold climates, design new buildings to face south so that
rooms most used by monastic bodies during the evening have the most
light and
heat during the winter. Create large windows to maximize light and
heat.
52.
In
hot climates, use shading to cool down buildings. Plant trees
on the south side of the monastery to provide more shade.
53.
In
hot climates, use climbing plants (such as
bougainvilleas) on
trellises/frames on the hottest side of buildings at least 15
centimeters from
the wall. This will create a layer of cool air between the sunlight and
the wall.
54.
Plant
a “green roof.” Place corrugated tin
sheets over the cement
so that soil is not directly on the cement. If they are placed at an
angle, the
rainwater can slope down toward the roof drains. On top of the sheets,
you can
plant a garden. A green roof will cool down the building because the
plants
will absorb the sun’s rays.
55.
Using
light colors on roofs can make a big difference. In the sun, a black or
dark roof surface can be 40 degrees Celsius
hotter than a silver or white surface.
56.
Design
classrooms and workrooms to face east so they will benefit
from early morning
light.
57.
Landscape
around new buildings. Plant deciduous trees
(trees that have
leaves in the summer and none in the winter) on the south side to
provide
summer shade and winter sun.
58.
Maximize
the use of natural light. Paint walls in light
colors to
brighten rooms. Keep window curtains open during the day to let in
sunlight and
air.
59.
Plant
trees or hedges around monasteries and between them and the road. The
vegetation will capture most of the dust from the road before it
reaches the
building.
60.
Line
the roads that lead to monasteries with trees to purify
the atmosphere and create serenity in the surrounding environment.
61.
Create
your own vegetable gardens. It is important from
both a health
and an environmental standpoint to eat more leafy green foods. Growing
your own
vegetables will also help young monks and nuns better understand
interdependence between
ourselves
and nature.
62.
Plant
fruit trees. This will bring many
benefits to you and the
environment. Plant fruits that are naturally found in that area and
were grown
by our ancestors.
SAVE ENERGY
AND BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL
63.
Personally
plant a tree. A single tree can
absorb more than one ton
of carbon dioxide in its lifespan and produces enough oxygen for a
family of
four.
64.
Plant
bamboo trees. Bamboo stores more
carbon dioxide and
generates more oxygen than other tree species.
65.
Carpool!
If
a number of people are going to a nearby destination,
share one vehicle instead of taking several.
66.
Use
energy-efficient lighting. Use low-energy compact
fluorescent
bulbs, which use only 1/4 the energy of incandescent bulbs. How can you
tell whether
a bulb is inefficient? If you feel heat when you place your hand near
it, most
of the energy it produces is in heat rather than in light.
67.
Use
lighting efficiently in main shrine rooms. Usually
all the lights in the main shrine room
are turned on during teachings, but often this is unnecessary if the
central
area is well lighted.
68.
Place
floor and ceiling
lighting in the
corners of the room. They will reflect more
light than if they
are positioned centrally or along a wall.
69.
If
available, use power strips (with several electrical outlets) instead
of
plugging in electronic appliances to many outlets. Using one outlet
instead of several will save a lot of energy. (NEW)
70.
Use
rechargeable batteries. Since batteries contain
toxic substances, it
is better from a health and environment perspective to use rechargeable
batteries.
71.
Shut
down your computer at night. It takes a lot more
energy to keep
your computer running than to turn it on.
72.
Unplug
chargers and other electronic devices when not in use. A charger
continues to use energy even when it’s not connected to an electronic
device.
73.
Give
your old phone to someone else or recycle it. Mobile
phones contain toxic substances. It is better to find a new use for
them than
to throw it away or even recycle them.
74.
When
buying a computer for the monastery, consider a laptop. A laptop
consumes 90 percent less energy than a desktop computer.
75.
For
dark rooms on the top floor or in shrine rooms, set up sun pipes. Sun pipes
are like sheltered chimneys with reflective interior surfaces that
direct light
from the outside into dimly lit areas in a building.
76.
Use
solar energy in areas where sunlight is plentiful and consistent. Solar
energy is used all over the Tibetan Plateau and
77.
Explore
the possibility of wind energy. Wind
energy is clean technology that does not
have negative environmental effects. The wind propels rotors or blades
to move,
which then produces energy through a small generator turbine. You can
use this
type of energy for pumping water, grinding grain, or producing
electricity. (Wind
energy requires a wind speed of at least 5 meters per second. The
system should
be placed on top of a mountain or clearing where wind movement is
consistent.)
ADAPT TO
CLIMATE CHANGE
78.
Learn
more about how climate change will affect your environment. Many areas
in the high
79.
Learn
disaster management strategies. If a community is
subject to disasters
such as
landslides
or flash floods, monasteries and
nunneries should lead the discussion
on how to prepare for such disasters. Strategies should include
evacuation and
medical treatment plans.
80.
Become
self sufficient.. Using solar and wind energy,
harvesting rain
water for drinking, and setting up medical care systems are crucial in
case of
natural disasters. Becoming self-sufficient in this way will mean that
you can
help make your communities resilient to climate change impacts.
81.
Prepare
for emergency health care facilities. You should have a plan
for how emergency
health care can be provided. Since many monasteries and
nunneries provide some
medical care already, you can help coordinate such activities.
REDUCE,
REUSE, RECYCLE
82.
Minimize
the use of plastics. The United Nations
Environment Program
estimates that globally people go through 16,000 plastic bags per
second!
83.
Use
natural materials such as earthen cups and leaf plates for large public
events.
84.
Do
not use plastic, paper, or styrofoam
cups or plates. They take hundreds of years
to degrade.
85.
Carry
a shopping bag instead of relying on the shop to give you plastic or
paper
bags.
86.
Recycle
silk khatas. Instead of selling
brand-new silk khatas,
charge devotees a small amount of money to offer a clean recycled khata
to
Rinpoches instead. Since the production of silk involves killing
silkworms,
this is also beneficial from a Dharma perspective.
87.
Set
up a compost project for the monastery kitchen. Create
bins or establish an area that is covered with old carpet or plastic
sheeting
to retain moisture and heat. Add equal amounts of green matter like
plants and
vegetables and brown matter like paper and twigs. Turn the compost
every few
weeks to make sure it decomposes properly and doesn’t produce methane.
Compost
can be used in the monastery’s gardens instead of fertilizer and can
also be
sold to local farmers.
88.
Sort
garbage! The simplest way to do
this is to set out three bins
instead of one and label them for paper, plastics and metal, and waste.
That
way people have a chance to conserve, reuse or sell the material
they are throwing away.
89.
Create
a compost pile and recycling area in your monastery or nunnery. Train all
the monks and nuns to bring their personal garbage there.
90.
Teach
basic hygiene and waste
management guidelines within
the monastery and in the larger community.
91.
Have
community cleanup days and invite people from surrounding areas to
attend. You can
carry out such activities during Earth Day or World Environment Day.
92.
If
monasteries and nunneries have extra monastic robes or other such
materials,
share these with communities that lack them. Our lineage
comes from
ACTIVITIES
IN WHICH THE ENTIRE KARMA KAMTSANG CAN PARTICIPATE...
GIVE
HOPE, FIND SOLUTIONS, BUILD HARMONY
93.
Invest
in training and educating the younger generation. They are the
inheritors of our legacy and they will live longer with the
consequences.
94.
Create
a class in your shedra on environmental protection. You can invite local
NGOs or environmental
experts to give lectures or to lead practical activities that young monks and
nuns can
get involved with.
95.
Use
the Environmental Guidelines booklet to teach English in your monastery
or nunnery.
This
will inspire environmental awareness
to monks and
nuns at a young age.
96.
Reach
out to people inside and outside your community who have the capacity
to
address the environmental problems you face. This
includes local NGOs, government bodies, the media, and so on.
97.
Don’t
waste food. Cooks should
assess how much food is needed and prepare food accordingly. Similarly,
individuals
should assess how much they can eat and serve themselves appropriately.
Wasting
food goes against both the vinaya vow and environmental values.
98.
Release
fish or bird species. This is a
beneficial activity. However, make sure that the
species you release
are native and not a foreign species (especially if they are fish).
99.
Join
forces globally on climate change issues. The
Tibetan Plateau has experienced a 1 degree Celsius temperature rise in
the past
decade alone. We
must minimize the use of coal-powered plants and fossil
fuels such as petrol especially in countries such as the
100.
Set
up model projects on waste recycling. Monasteries can pioneer
the use of recycled
materials such as school bags or grocery bags made of recycled
plastics. By
setting up a model project on this or other strategies laid out here,
you will
contribute to a much larger change in your community.
HIS HOLINESS, THE KARMAPA
EMPHASIZES IN PARTICULAR THE FOLLOWING EIGHT STRATEGIES:
1.
101. Create a mandala of nature. It
should be a
special place in your monastic lands that is an offering of all the
wonderful
things in nature; flowers, trees, water; recognizing that the earth
itself is
an offering. This will be in keeping with our own Kagyu tradition since
Tsurphu
monastery is known as the celestial palace and even as Chakrasamvara’s
mandala.
If you don’t own enough land for such a project, please consider a
rooftop garden.
102.
Monasteries and nunneries
should create a
vegetable garden. Another option is to build it with yourlocal
community on
common lands. The result should be a healthy and environmentally
friendly
lifestyle.
3.
103.
Dont buy many vehicles. There
is a trend
right now that senior lamas should have a car but this is not
necessary. Keep
in mind how harmful vehicles are for the environment; they emit carbon
and
contribute to global warming greatly. Therefore, you should think twice
about
buying one.
4.
104.
Reduce the use of plastic;
whether it is
bottled water or plastic wrapped fruit and sweets. In all cases, please
make
the effort to buy the option that has less packaging.
5.
105.
Don’t waste food in kitchens
and in dining
halls.
6.
106.
Vegetarians should
differentiate between the
different types of eggs that are available; fertilized, non-fertilized
and
cage-free. Even though we may not eat their meat, the hens that are
used for
laying eggs are mistreated and shoved in coops.
7.
107.
Monasteries and nunneries
should do their
best to use solar and wind power and thus, reduce their dependence on
harmful
types of energy. There are many options in the
8.
108.
It is clear that forests are
very important
for all life on earth. All of you gathered here in this environmental
conference have committed to planting 25 trees each this year. However,
please
don’t limit your efforts to this only and continue to protect and
restore forests.
The Labrang will provide you
with technical
advice and guidance as needed. Please send your questions to greenkagyu@gmail.com