________________
of Meghalaya (in India), I and a group of twelve additional Jains (from the US and India) went to Shillong (Meghalaya) for sightseeing and for meeting with the Jain community in that part of India. When in Shillong, all of us expressed a desire to go and visit Chirapoonjee. This is an area in Meghalaya about which we had read in geography books that it is the wettest spot (more than 500 inches of rain in a year) on earth. Mr. S.K Jain arranged for the transport and also provided each one of us with an umbrella. When we got there, it was absolutely clear, sunny, and dry and there had been no rain for more than a month. We were shocked and surprised. Very quickly we realized that the dense forest cover in that area had been cut, and as a consequence there has been significant change in the climate there. This is tragic. Destruction of the world's forest is destruction of the world's lungs. Clearing forests may enrich those who are doing it, but over the long run it impoverishes the planet as a whole. Reducing forests reduces rainfall all over with potentially dire consequences for farmers. Trees regulate water run-off and thus help guarantee the water supply and help prevent natural disasters, like landslides and floods. Additionally, tragically, losing the forest would mean losing millions of species. In my opinion, individual Jains, Jain leaders, and Jain sadhus should begin emphasizing concern for the environment in everything we do. This starts with cutting down on waste, conserving resources, not dumping hazardous waste in water, air, and on earth, using water and other resources wisely and recycling whenever possible. The environment
and its protection is everyone's responsibility. o In the West, after creating so much waste, consumerism,
and destruction of the environment, there are strong movements towards green living and ecology. Unfortunately, in my opinion, as the environmental laws and regulations are getting stringent here, some individuals and corporations
234
An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
