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of environmentalism. Yet the fact is that I find little actual environmentalism in the Jain community. Yes, there are several pockets of environmentalism that do exist. For example, the lifestyle of our monks and nuns, and also of some shravaks and shravikas are good and model examples of environmentalism. Outside this, in general, I have not seen or known of any talk, activism, movement, practice or Jain leaders to inspire the community and draw their attention to this essential issue. Environmentalism has a direct connection with ahimsa. If we pollute, we create suffering and most probably the death and extinction of many species. Beyond that we endanger our own survival. I have seen Jains wasting food, water, electricity, using and discarding paper plates, polythene bags, and many other resources as if there is no tomorrow. Jains are as much polluters (maybe sometimes more due to their affluence) as anybody else. One Indian Central Cabinet Minister recently remarked that if there is a Nobel Prize for filth and dirt, surely India will win that every year. Just go around India and see the filth everywhere. Jain surroundings are no cleaner than other surroundings. There is very little consideration or observance of cleanliness. Because Jains are in small, medium, and large businesses, they contribute to the pollution, too. Let me share a few examples. o The City of Pali in Rajasthan has a significant and influential
population of Jains. Jains own and operate a large number of small businesses that manufacture and trade in cotton yarn and clothing. In that business, they do the color dying of yarns and cloth. The dyes that are used contain many carcinogenic and other poisonous chemicals. After the dye is spent, the colored water (still containing much poisonous materials) is openly discharged on the streets and also into the river there. About twenty-five years ago, I happened to drive through that town and saw the condition of the river. The river at that time was dry and its dry bed floor showed all the colors in the sand. First, I thought it was
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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
