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CONDUCT
C07- Jain Ethics and the Environment
Summary In summary, the teachings of Jainism advocate the following practices in daily life:
Respect the lives of others and the environment we live in. Be compassionate and practice non-violence. Minimize harm to all living beings including air, water, earth, fire, and vegetation. Be vegetarian and avoid the use of animal-based products. Practice self-restraint. Reduce needs and wants as much as possible. Use excess for the welfare of the society.
Eliminate waste, reuse/ recycle products, share resources, and do not waste the gifts of nature. Jainism in action is an eco-friendly religion which preserves and protects the Earth and environment, respects the lives of animals, birds, fish, and other beings, and promotes the welfare of the society
through the application of its primary tenets of Ahimsä and Non-possessiveness. The Three Rs of Recycling
1. REDUCE: When you reduce the amount of garbage you throw away, you are helping the environment. Less garbage means less waste that will have to be disposed of at a landfill or incineration site. That, in turn, produces less pollution. Here's how you can help reduce during your next shopping trip: Look for products that use only enough packaging to ensure quality. Those that have many layers of plastic, foil, or other wrappings for no reason are a waste of resources. Buy the largest size package whenever you can. You usually get more for your money, because you get more product and less packaging. Buy concentrated forms of beverages, soaps, household cleaners, and fabric softeners whenever you can. By adding water yourself, you can save money and reuse containers 2. REUSE: Using products or packages more than once is a great way to reduce the flow of garbage. Here are a few tips for you to follow: Search for products that are designed to be used many times, such as fabric grocery bags, ceramic mugs and rechargeable batteries. Save boxes, bags, tins, jars, and plastic containers. You can usually find innovative ways to reuse these items in your home, garage, or office. Give away any unwanted clothing you may have. Instead of throwing old clothing away, give it to a relative, a friend, or a charity. 3. RECYCLE: Recycling is the collection and re-processing of materials into new, usable products. Right now, paper, glass, steel, aluminum and plastic are the most recycled items in the United States. Most communities choose to have residents' recyclables picked up curb side by their town's sanitation department. Others have instituted voluntary drop-off programs which require residents to take recyclables to a designated recycling center in or near their town
Either way, the various materials wind up at a recycling center. At the center, these materials are separated and made available to manufacturers who clean them and make new products out of them.
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Compendium of Jainism - 2015
