Old and new
Mother nature is the ultimate conservationist. Nothing goes to waste under Her watch. Everything has value, sometimes what we consider waste material has a lot of value. Hay that a horse eats cannot be be used to as manure but horse dung can be used to grow plants. Much of the food we eat is nourished by plant and animal waste. In this sense, what is desirable and what is undesirable?. The mind and the senses gravitate to whatever is pleasing. ignoring the rest.
Anything we consume, along with the enjoyment that we derive, we must also think about what happens to the waste that is generated. Take for example plastic bags. There is little thought given to plastic waste. It is used for a few minutes or hours, but each plastic bag takes anywhere from 500-1000 years to complete degrade. Our waste outlives us. Prior civilizations have left art and other such achievements for us to enjoy. We risk the leaving our waste behind. Millions of tons of plastic waste have entered the oceans and these garbage patches will remain there long after we are gone.
In this respect we have a lot to learn from Mother Nature. We are an isolated planet. Everything has to be produced here, consumed here and discarded here. Everyone would say, not in my backyard as far as waste disposal is concerned. But in reality the planet is everyone’s backyard. We have to take responsibility. There is not much we can do to enhance the beauty of nature, it is spectacular as it is but we can do a lot to maintain that beauty.
Rather than being miserly with our wealth, we must be miserly with waste generation. The same care we take in accumulating wealth must be given to disposing waste. The best way out is recycling. There is something of value to someone or the other from every article we consume. The government or similar such organizations can facilitate common ground where maximum value can be extracted from everything we consume with minimal wastage. Focus must be on biodegradable not bio-destruction. Our children’s health and well being depend on what we do today.
Blessings to all
Swamiji
Anything we consume, along with the enjoyment that we derive, we must also think about what happens to the waste that is generated. Take for example plastic bags. There is little thought given to plastic waste. It is used for a few minutes or hours, but each plastic bag takes anywhere from 500-1000 years to complete degrade. Our waste outlives us. Prior civilizations have left art and other such achievements for us to enjoy. We risk the leaving our waste behind. Millions of tons of plastic waste have entered the oceans and these garbage patches will remain there long after we are gone.
In this respect we have a lot to learn from Mother Nature. We are an isolated planet. Everything has to be produced here, consumed here and discarded here. Everyone would say, not in my backyard as far as waste disposal is concerned. But in reality the planet is everyone’s backyard. We have to take responsibility. There is not much we can do to enhance the beauty of nature, it is spectacular as it is but we can do a lot to maintain that beauty.
Rather than being miserly with our wealth, we must be miserly with waste generation. The same care we take in accumulating wealth must be given to disposing waste. The best way out is recycling. There is something of value to someone or the other from every article we consume. The government or similar such organizations can facilitate common ground where maximum value can be extracted from everything we consume with minimal wastage. Focus must be on biodegradable not bio-destruction. Our children’s health and well being depend on what we do today.
Blessings to all
Swamiji
