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15th Biennial JAINA Convention 2009
Ecology - The Jain Way
OVER CONSUMPTION - A STATE and now the Apple iPhone. The not-so-new
products are trashed into our overflowing local OF MIND
landfills. As wonderful as innovation is, one can Pooja Jhobalia
not help but wonder how many cell phones have pjhob001@gmail.com
been created, thrown-away, or remain unopened because the new bigger and better cellular device
has just surfaced. Pooja Jhobalia is the Co-Chair of the Green Activity Committee for
According to world-renowned economist Joseph the JAINA Convention 2009. She
Stiglitz, 'The United States makes up 5% of the holds a MS degree in Public Policy world's population, but consumes 24% of the with an emphasis in International
world's energy; one American consumes as much Relations and State and Local energy as 31 Indians or 370 Ethiopians.' (Davos
Government, and a BS degree in Man's Depression) How can we reverse this Environmental Sciences with a minor in staggering trend? We can achieve this by reEconomics.
establishing a spiritual relationship between
humanity and its natural surroundings. Once this 'One who neglects or disregards the existence of
relationship is established, we can move towards earth, air, fire, water and vegetation, disregards
solving our global ecological crisis. his own existence which is entwined with them'
-- Lord Mahavir One of the simplest ways an individual can help
the environment is to use reusable bags. Utilizing As a religion of compassion, Jainism crafts the
reusable bags, for groceries or trips to the mall, welfare of all living beings. Creating cohesion of diminishes our consumption of plastic and/or spirituality and paving the existence of ecological paper bags. According to The Wall Street Journal, balance, Jainism demonstrates advocacy for both the United States goes through 100 billion plastic nature and the fabric of society.
shopping
bags
annually.'
(www.reusablebags.com) Virtually none of these Ahimsa fundamentally encompasses non-violence plastic bags are recycled and plastic bags and inspires Jains not to harm any living being. It frequently end up in landfills and/or the ocean. In embodies one's willingness to separate oneself not addition, plastic bags are not biodegradable and merely from acts of harming, but deterring the
can be mistaken for food by a surplus of marine mechanism of possession and over consumption life. The next time you are asked 'paper or that is common in our world today. As Jains, we plastic?' you can do your part to help the strive to reduce our needs by stressing the environment by replying 'neither' and shop with a importance of simplicity.
reusable bag.
Today's society is a complete paradox. These days We can reduce harm to wildlife by careful disposal we are judged by external possessions and have of trash in natural settings, like parks or beaches. made materialistic objects the focus of our worth. We can cut up the plastic rings around six-packs Our worth is defined by what we own, not about of beverages to prevent animals from getting what we know or what we do. Do we do this strangled in the holes. We can wash out because we believe in the survival of the most containers like plastic yogurt cups so the aroma compassionate or survival of the richest?
will not attract animals whose heads consequently
get lodged inside them. By doing so, we have neglected the existence of the earth and have tarnished the environment. Another great place to reduce consumption is the We face devastating deforestation rates, office and/or workplace. We can reduce greenhouse gas emission in the air we breathe, consumption by copying and printing on both chemical effluents in our waterways and animal sides of paper and reusing items such as extinction. And for what? To satisfy our selfish envelopes and folders. We can cut down on waste wants. We purchase state-of-the-art devices one by bringing in our own ceramic cup to drink our year only to throw them away when an updated morning coffee instead of using disposable cups. version comes along the following year. The cell
Carpools, vanpools, and public transitare phone is a perfect example of this. Over the excellent modes of transportation that get us to course of five years, we have moved from the the office and improve our air quality. We can also Motorola Razor to the Sidekick to the Blackberry,
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