Article: On a Quest to Harmonize with Our Earth

by Lavanya Rao

As a part of the human experience, all of us may go through periods of battling stress, perfectionism, loneliness, and much more. As Vivekji shared during the October 2021 Wellness Workshop: Climate Change and Sustainability led by seeker, lecturer, researcher, and environmental lobbyist, Dr. Prakash Bhave, while we can live to manage with all the above burdens, we cannot live without our Earth (Prthvi).

As we watch the news, we see headlines of hot days getting hotter, cold days getting colder, rain storms more severe, droughts more prolonged and wildfires on the rise. The root cause of these unfavorable changes is extremely high greenhouse gas emissions. According to How Bad Are Bananas? by Mike Berners-Lee, Dr. Bhave’s recommended subject matter read, “the dominant greenhouse gas generated by humans is carbon dioxide (CO₂),which is emitted wherever we burn fossil fuels in homes, factories or power stations.”¹ The current greenhouse gas emissions are sitting at 46 billion tons/year.^2,3 Understanding one’s carbon footprint, whether as an individual or as a household, helps us get “the best estimate that we can get of the full climate change impact of something. That something could be anything- an activity, an item, a lifestyle, a company, a country, or even the whole world.”¹

So what can we do as individuals and as a CommUnity to take better care of our Prthvi? We can start by examining our own lifestyles. Do we HAVE to buy that new dress for the event or can we buy used or borrow from a friend? Are we recycling and composting in our homes? If not, can we start by educating ourselves and then implementing a system at home? Are there organizations directing efforts towards this cause that we can volunteer our time and talents?

During his presentation, Dr. Bhave presented an Action Continuum (see beside) to highlight how we can all be a part of the Prthvi Sevasanga movement. The purpose of this diagram is to reflect on our current relationship with our Earth and take steps forward in ways we can individually or collectively serve our Earth.

Presentation by Dr. Prakash Bhave, Environmental Researcher and Lobbyist

References:

1. Berners-Lee, Mike. How Bad Are Bananas?. D&M Publishers Inc, 2011
2. https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions
3. https://www.realclimate.org/