Jain Spirit 2001 12 No 09

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 32

LIFESTYLE
WASTE IS VIOLENCE
BERND BLUME, UNEP 2000, STILL PICTURES
Rajesh Shah gives us practical guidance on saving the planet
and our soul
I reflected on the life that lives downstream. Our drains lead to rivers, lakes and seas. Do the millions of big and small creatures living there appreciate a dose of drain-cleaner in the water they live in, the water they breathe? How can they avoid these poisons (if they become aware of them)? Can they "child-proof" their entire environment?
My thoughts led back to myself: would I notice if the cleaner clearly labeled "Poison" killed some creatures in the San Francisco bay? Would I notice if all my detergents made the waters toxic and slowly squeezed the life out of the bay? Obviously, my dishwashing detergent alone would not cause much harm, but if a million homes dumped a scoop of it every night into the bay, it would easily create a toxic nightmare.
Determined to find out what I was using and what my impacts are, I studied which cleaners I used, what they contained, what effects they had. I could not believe how much himsa I was participating in: both in the disposal and the manufacture.
Due to dilution, mixing and their longterm nature, there is not much research done on the impact of our cleaners on downstream life. In fact, little is known
about the impact of chemicals on us! Fewer than 1,000 out of over 50,000 have been tested for immediate acute effects, only about 500 have been tested for their ability to cause cancer, birth defects or genetic changes. Chemicals once thought safe are not any more: household chemicals can cause headaches, depression, insomnia and flu-like symptoms. There is evidence that many chemicals in our homes are poisonous, carcinogenic, possibly ozone-depleting and not natural to any ecosystem. This includes detergents, bleaches, synthetic fragrances, artificial dyes and aerosol propellants. Other chemicals easily found around the home include
The waste we generate often pollutes and kills
THEN MY SON STARTED CRAWLING, WE NOTICED ALL
the chemicals we stocked in our home. Adults
generally know of the dangers of these chemicals and thus don't drink them. They often wear gloves while using them and even avoid breathing them. But my son was not so knowledgeable so we began to "child-proof our house. But if these chemicals were bad for him, weren't they bad for all the life-forms that were exposed to them?
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Jain Spirit . December 2001 - February 2002