Jain Spirit 2003 03 No 14

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

Page 37

YOUTH AT OTH1 9372 E
44
TOU
FOL DRY 201 19mals
WEHIR SILESIA NE
A lon
basic Jain concept I learned a long time ago was that every action, no matter how small, is significant. Whenever I picked up a worm on the sidewalk after rainfall, it was no problem to me that it didn't make a significant' difference because I knew it did make a difference to that worm. Every time I avoid eating an animal product there is an animal somewhere that didn't have to suffer because of me. But the avoidance of violence is not just limited to those actions where we can see the direct outcome. We are increasingly oblivious of the significance of many of our other
actions.
Most of us live in a society where an automobile is indispensable. Yet do we really consider all the options when we purchase a new car? Examining the car as a member of the environment, it is easy to see its destructive nature - it consumes vast quantities of gasoline (which goes through an earthdamaging process of refinement) and produces vast quantities of harmful gases. When I was in a position to purchase a vehicle I weighed up all the options and decided to buy a Prius, Toyota's Hybrid vehicle. Hybrid vehicles produce up to 90% less emission than a similar-sized normal vehicle. The California Air Resources Board's website lists the Prius as 90% cleaner than the average new 2002 model car. They also tend to have much higher mileage rates I consistently get around 50 miles to the
Jain Spirit March May 2003
ac
Raju Shah emphasizes how our purchases can make a difference to the world
OPEN VOTE WITH YOUR POCKET
Vote With Your Pocket
PRIS
Raju's choice of environment-friendly transport
gallon. It may not have been the cheapest option, but given that it performs well and is less damaging to the environment, I believe that it is extremely cost effective.
WORLD
otivation
tigenl Co
This was a large purchase and one does not make large purchases like this very often; but I also try to put smaller purchases in line with my thinking.. For instance, I enjoy taking photos but camera films are made with gelatin, which is derived from animals. That is why I switched to a digital camera, thus virtually eliminating the continual use of gelatin. Although this is not a cheap option, it does provide good value for money: with a digital camera you can have digital photo albums,
thereby cutting the continual costs of buying and developing films and distributing photographs. Again, this is a one-off purchase. What about regular transactions? Well, I eat everyday and I frequently eat out. I have been to many different restaurants and I have found one universal truth: food from an allvegetarian establishment tastes better. I think it has to do with the love that cooks have, and the vegetarian chefs seem to have more passion for their job. I always opt to go to a pure vegetarian restaurant if possible. I believe that I am supporting an establishment that does not participate in the sale of dead bodies as food, and I get an excellent meal - a win-win situation. Even my meateating friends enjoy the food more at the vegetarian restaurants.
These are just a few actions of many that allow me to vote with my dollar. I would be the first to state that I have not yet made every change to my life style that I would like to - but I do my best. I try to put the ethical beliefs that many of us share into practice, because I think I can make a real difference to the world in this. manner. If we all try to practise our ethical beliefs, imagine what a great difference we could make! $2
Raju Shah is a young Jain, committed to living more ethically. For others interested in putting their ethics into practice, he recommends www.vegan.com for ideas and information.