environment - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT2024-03-28T20:53:00Zhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/environmentMayapur Clean and Green Team Aims To Install 108 Innovative Recycle Binshttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/mayapur-clean-and-green-team-aims-to-install-108-innovative-recyc2024-01-30T14:07:25.000Z2024-01-30T14:07:25.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12368367669,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="12368367669?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi</strong></p>
<p>Mayapur Clean & Green, an environmental initiative led by Murari Mohini Devi Dasi, has embarked on a mission to strategically position 108 Mayapur Clean and Green recycle bins throughout the whole of Mayapur.</p>
<p>MC&G has already successfully placed 20 bins around the Holy Dham. Murari Mohini said, “Every home, every shop, every building needs to have one of these bins. It should be available in all the ghats of Mayapur, including all the homes and buildings.”</p>
<p>Beginning with the sacred expanse of Mother Ganga, these bins are now placed in neighborhoods that have embraced the initiative. The temple’s sacred pujari room, dedicated to Sri Sri Radha Madhava, now also has a bin for the disposal of plastics in which the fragrant flowers arrive.</p>
<p>Adorned with trilingual stickers—English, Bengali, and Hindi—proclaiming “Mayapur is our Home, and Ganga is our Mother,” these bins include icons identifying the disposability of specific waste types. Notably, these bins help eliminate large amounts of plastics and wrappers from riverboats. Murari expressed, “Before trash cans were placed, persons cleaning their boats would normally throw all the garbage in the river. That was very sad to see.”<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/mayapur-clean-and-green-team-aims-to-install-108-innovative-recycle-bins/">https://iskconnews.org/mayapur-clean-and-green-team-aims-to-install-108-innovative-recycle-bins/</a></p></div>Braj Kund Restoration Project Unites Sustainability and Sacred Spacehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/braj-kund-restoration-project-unites-sustainability-and-sacred-sp2024-01-19T13:59:58.000Z2024-01-19T13:59:58.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12361098469,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="450" alt="12361098469?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Atma Tattva Das</strong></p>
<p>In an alignment of spiritual vision and environmental stewardship, The Braj Kund Restoration Project, created to restore the deteriorating quality of kundas in the Braj region, reflects the essence of sustainable development and holistic conservation. For the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) community, this initiative transcends the boundaries of ecological restoration; it signifies a sacred duty to preserve the sanctity of Braj – a place intrinsically connected to the divine pastimes of Lord Krishna.</p>
<p>The Braj Kund Restoration Project, an ambitious endeavor led by Gauranga Das, a GBC member with global duties for Human Resource Development and Capacity Building of ISKCON temples and Director of Govardhan Eco Village, signifies a harmonious collaboration between spiritual teachings and environmental activism. In a recent ISKCON News interview, Gauranga shared insights into the genesis of the project and its profound significance.</p>
<p>Gauranga began by intertwining spiritual teachings with the urgent need for environmental action. He stated, “The Braj Kund Restoration Project is not just about physical restoration; it’s about invoking a spiritual connection with the land. It’s a manifestation of our commitment to protect the sacred environment of Braj.”</p>
<p>His role in improving collaborations between ISKCON and governmental organizations echoes the visionary instructions of Srila Prabhupada. The project’s inception, rooted in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and Srila Prabhupada’s farm community vision, unveils a mission to support global climate resilience and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/braj-kund-restoration-project-unites-sustainability-and-sacred-space/">https://iskconnews.org/braj-kund-restoration-project-unites-sustainability-and-sacred-space/</a></p></div>New Mayapur Works to Build a Sustainable Vedic Villagehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/new-mayapur-works-to-build-a-sustainable-vedic-village2023-04-18T11:57:50.000Z2023-04-18T11:57:50.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11029651501,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" alt="11029651501?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Chandni Raj</strong></p>
<p>New Mayapur in Central France is working to implement Srila Prabhupada’s vision for rural farm communities where devotees can live in harmony with nature, while addressing the climate crisis. The aim is to build a Vedic village as outlined by Srila Prabhupada, where earth and her natural resources are protected, which is in perfect harmony with the modern day need for sustainability. Implementing his ideas for community living, based on Vedic wisdom, gives a lasting solution to withstand the ill-effects of soaring temperatures. </p>
<p>The village aims to achieve food self-sufficiency by cultivating its own food, as advocated by Srila Prabhupada. “This helps achieve food security in the face of natural disasters induced by climate change and reduces the carbon footprint of food occurring in transport, distribution and packaging,” said Locanananda Das, President, New Mayapur. Cows and bulls are protected as per his advice, which enhances food sovereignty, preserves biodiversity and their responsible grazing practices enhance soil quality. The vegetarian diet prescribed in scriptures reduces the community’s role in global deforestation to grow feed for the hundreds of millions of animals slaughtered annually.<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/new-mayapur-works-to-build-a-sustainable-vedic-village/">https://iskconnews.org/new-mayapur-works-to-build-a-sustainable-vedic-village/</a></p></div>ISKCON Environment Initiative Invites You To Green Your Centerhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/iskcon-environment-initiative-invites-you-to-green-your-center2023-02-07T14:28:31.000Z2023-02-07T14:28:31.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10959779457,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="10959779457?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Vandana Dasi </strong></p>
<p>“Vaisnava philosophy leads us to be activists,” Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON GBC member, and Global Communications Director, said, citing Isopanisad Mantra 1, which states that everything within the universe is owned by the Lord and therefore, one should accept only what is necessary for His maintenance.</p>
<p>“This is a very heavy philosophical statement about how we are supposed to live in the world. Nothing in our tradition says the world was created for us to have dominion over. Everything belongs to Krishna, and He’s giving it to us as a gift. It is His property, His energy. He is the creator, the owner, the proprietor, and the enjoyer. In addition to the world being His energy, it is nondifferent from Him. It is sacred to us.”</p>
<p>The IEI Team invites you cordially to participate and find out more about what you can do to protect and sustain the Lord’s gift to us: Earth.</p>
<p>The ISKCON Environmental Initiative (IEI) held its first-ever global online workshop on November 18, 2022. The two-hour session was attended by 25 participants from North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa and was led by IEI co-directors Anuttama Dasa and Shyamananda Krishna Dasa. The Global Workshop can be viewed online in its entirety at <a href="https://iskconenvironment.org/">https://iskconenvironment.org/</a>.<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-environment-initiative-invites-you-to-green-your-center/">https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-environment-initiative-invites-you-to-green-your-center/</a></p></div>WAPO: The Amazon, Undone Devouring The Rainforest by Janatari Devi Dasihttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/wapo-the-amazon-undone-devouring-the-rainforest-by-janatari-devi-2022-05-06T11:38:48.000Z2022-05-06T11:38:48.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10468599499,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="450" alt="10468599499?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></p>
<p>Washing Post recently wrote an article about an issue that environmentalists and vegetarians have been aware of for decades, the link between the cattle ranching industry and the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. In looking back at the history of Washington Post articles on this subject, they have been regularly covering the subject from varying angles as far back as 2014. This is quite significant considering the reach and influence of the Washington Post.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2022/amazon-beef-deforestation-brazil/?itid=hp-top-table-main">The Article, THE AMAZON, UNDONE DEVOURING THE RAINFOREST</a>, is concise, heart-wrenching, and full of facts. The most important fact is that this issue is primarily caused by the beef-hungry appetites of the American consumer as most of this meat is being shipped to the United States. Americans are the world’s second-largest buyer of Brazilian beef. Despite numerous contracts and agreements signed with the Brazilian government and environmental groups, Brazil’s largest beef supplier, JBS has been found to have multiple tied with some of the most notorious ranchers, all well known for grazing cattle on land that had been illegally deforested.</p>
<p>In the same way that gangsters launder money, cattle ranchers launder cattle; their prime target is the American consumer. Cattle are constantly shifted to new living spaces through different phases of their life through a system designed to be complex enough to leave the cows untraceable until they reach a legitimate ranch where they are legally sold.</p>
<p>The blame lies everywhere, from those who create regulations, the enforcement agencies who fail to enforce any of the regulations, the governments who turn a blind eye to all this so their citizens can happily eat meat, and the reason this all happens, consumers who have an insatiable demand for the flesh of the dead. Perhaps, now that this information is more out in the open and being featured on popular news channels, people will begin to change their ways.<br /> <br /> <strong>Source: </strong><a href="https://iskconnews.org/wapo-the-amazon-undone-devouring-the-rainforest/">https://iskconnews.org/wapo-the-amazon-undone-devouring-the-rainforest/</a></p></div>ISKCON Launches Global Environmental Initiativehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/iskcon-launches-global-environmental-initiative2022-04-25T11:29:33.000Z2022-04-25T11:29:33.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10438170286,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="10438170286?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></p>
<p>April 22—Aligned with the world celebration of Earth Day 2022, ISKCON is launching a global environmental initiative to assist local temples, communities, and families in better ‘walking our talk” by living more environmentally conscious and sustainable lifestyles.</p>
<p>“Many devotees think that because we’re strict vegetarians, we’ve done all we need to do for the environment,” said Shyamananda Krishna das (Dr. Sreenivasulu Chadalavada), an environmental scientist and Co-Director of the ISKCON Environmental Initiative (IEI). “There are many practical steps we need to adopt to practice what we preach about simple living and high thinking, ranging from banning single-use plastics, practicing recycling and conservation, energy conservation, wastewater management, and more,” he advises.</p>
<p>The IEI provides an array of resources for communities, including the “Three Tiers’ set of benchmarks for becoming a ‘green temple’; an online community self-assessment tool; a statement on The Ecotheology of Our Tradition, written by IEI team member Krishna Kishore das (Dr. Chris Fici); references from Srila Prabhupada and sastra about the importance of caring for the Earth;, simple protocols to implement and practice environmental sustainability; service descriptions for local IEI coordinators, and more.<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-launches-global-environmental-initiative/">https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-launches-global-environmental-initiative/</a></p></div>ISKCON Environmental Initiative Guides Temples in Implementing Environmental Practiceshttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/iskcon-environmental-initiative-guides-temples-in-implementing-en2021-05-02T11:47:46.000Z2021-05-02T11:47:46.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8879499696,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8879499696?profile=RESIZE_584x" width="500" /></p>
<p><strong>By Madhava Smullen</strong></p>
<p>On Earth Day (April 22nd, 2021), ISKCON’s North American Council passed a resolution endorsing the work of the ISKCON Environmental Initiative (IEI), and encouraging “adoption of the environmentally sustainable practices promoted by the IEI by all ISKCON temples and communities.”</p>
<p>The IEI, which has developed guidelines for these practices over the past year, is an international team of devotees specializing in environmental concerns, including Anuttama Das, GBC and Global Minister of Communications; Dr. Christopher Fici, Ph.D (Krishna Kishore Dasa), who holds a doctorate in Religious Studies; Dr Ramesh Goel, Ph.D (Ras Vilas Das), Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of Utah; Dr Sreenivasulu Chadalavada, PhD (Shyamananda Krishna Das), Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of Newcastle; Sanjay Gupta, former trustee of Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK; and Allegra Lovejoy, current Masters student in Environmental Management at Yale University.</p>
<p>The North American Council is encouraging the leaders of ISKCON North America to apply the practices set out in two guides IEI has released for ISKCON: “Three Tiers of Environmental Practices” and “The Ecotheology of our Tradition.” These are inspired by Srila Prabhupada’s Sixth Purpose for ISKCON, which includes the aim to teach a “simpler, more natural way of life.” Links to both documents are available at the bottom of this article.</p>
<p>The Ecotheology of our Tradition, a 10-page treatise by Krishna Kishore Das on the importance of theologically-based environmentalism, illustrates “that care of creation is an essential and indispensable part of the Caitanya Vaishnava tradition and therefore needs to be an integral part of the culture of ISKCON.”</p>
<p>Quoting Srila Prabhupada, scriptures such as the Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, and various ISKCON scholars, the paper explains that “Because material creation emerges from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have a duty to live in harmony with material creation.” Krishna Kishore quotes the Sri Isopanisad’s instructions on such harmony: “Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.”<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-environmental-initiative-guides-temples-in-implementing-environmental-practices,7784/">https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-environmental-initiative-guides-temples-in-implementing-environmental-practices,7784/</a></p></div>Environmental Organization Bhumi Global Launched on Earth Dayhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/environmental-organization-bhumi-global-launched-on-earth-day2021-04-26T14:09:31.000Z2021-04-26T14:09:31.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><div><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8837153093,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8837153093?profile=RESIZE_584x" width="500" />By Madhava Smullen <br /> <br /> </strong></div>
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<p>On Earth Day (April 22nd), as US President Joe Biden hosted a virtual summit of world leaders to address the global climate crisis, Bhumi Global, a new non-profit environmental organization based on Hindu principles of environmental care, was launched.</p>
<p>Bhumi Global builds on the work of the Bhumi Project. Launched in 2009 and housed at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies until August 2020, it became the leading global Hindu voice on the environment, mobilized tens of thousands of people for climate action, and ensured a Hindu presence in the international environmental movement. Over that time it was supported by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, GreenFaith and many other well-wishers and friends.</p>
<p>Bhumi Global Director Gopal-Lila Das (Gopal Patel) is also grateful for the support of Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. “Shaunaka Rishi Prabhu has been a mentor and a friend of mine for almost twenty years now, both personally and professionally,” he says. “And Bhumi Gobal wouldn't exist without his kindness, generosity and support over the last twenty years.”</p>
<p>Gopal-Lila, who co-founded Bhumi Global with SriVani R. Yerramilli and Mat McDermott, adds, “I'm proud to serve as a Co-Founder and Director of this incredible organization that is close to my heart. Bhumi Global will honor the legacy of the Bhumi Project to engage, educate, and empower people and communities to address the triple environmental crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.”<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/environmental-organization-bhumi-global-launched-on-earth-day,7775/">https://iskconnews.org/environmental-organization-bhumi-global-launched-on-earth-day,7775/</a></p>
</div></div>New Vrindaban to Offer Nourishing and Inspiring Mother’s Day Retreat in Safe Environmenthttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/new-vrindaban-to-offer-nourishing-and-inspiring-mother-s-day-retr2021-04-25T07:25:14.000Z2021-04-25T07:25:14.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><p><strong><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8833309296,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="8833309296?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></strong><strong>By Madhava Smullen</strong></p>
<p>ISKCON New Vrindaban is set to offer a Covid-safe Mother’s Day Wellness Retreat for Vaishnavis and their families with an aim to provide nourishment, relaxation and inspiration for women during difficult times.</p>
<p>“During the pandemic, people have sacrificed their sanga, and in some ways their mental health through isolation,” says Palace Lodge Manager Sarah. “So although we can’t do something on the scale of Festival of Inspiration [which was typically held over the Mother’s Day weekend], we still recognize that people want to reconnect. So we want to honor that need, and recognize and honor the women in our life, including the higest woman in our life – Srimati Radharani.”</p>
<p>To uphold Covid guidelines and ensure safety, a reduced number of guests will be accommodated at the Palace Lodge on the ISKCON New Vrindaban property for the retreat, which will run from Friday May 7th to Sunday May 9th (Mother’s Day in the United States).</p>
<p>Precautions will be taken throughout the event to make sure it’s safe. Cleaning staff will use the most recent protocols for disinfecting, masks and social distancing will be required, and a limited number of people allowed at once in the temple room.</p>
<p>“Where possible, we’ll do activities and serve prasadam outside – it’s such a large community and grounds that it’s very easy to maintain social distancing,” Sarah says. Activities such as kirtan and yoga will also be held socially distanced and with participants wearing masks.<br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/new-vrindaban-to-offer-nourishing-and-inspiring-mothers-day-retreat-in-safe-environment,7774/">https://iskconnews.org/new-vrindaban-to-offer-nourishing-and-inspiring-mothers-day-retreat-in-safe-environment,7774/</a></p></div>Happy Earth Day! - The Award Winning Film About the Yamuna River Streams for Free for 10 Dayshttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/happy-earth-day-the-award-winning-film-about-the-yamuna-river-str2020-04-23T12:45:46.000Z2020-04-23T12:45:46.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><div id="article_image" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2020/04-Apr/yamuna_slideshow_slideshow.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2020/04-Apr/yamuna_slideshow_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" alt="yamuna_slideshow_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></div>
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<p>Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Fifty years ago Earth Day gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet. </p>
<p>Today, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes.</p>
<p>Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day by watching 'The Stolen River' an educational film about the plight to preserve and restore the holy river Yamuna. <br /> <br /> <strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/happy-earth-day-the-award-winning-film-about-the-yamuna-river-streams-for-free-for-10-days,7334/">https://iskconnews.org/happy-earth-day-the-award-winning-film-about-the-yamuna-river-streams-for-free-for-10-days,7334/</a></p>
</div></div>Can Religion Fight Climate Change? by Urmi Chanda-Vazhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/can-religion-fight-climate-change-by-urmi-chanda-vaz2020-03-04T08:39:33.000Z2020-03-04T08:39:33.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><div id="article_image" style="text-align:center;"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2020/03-Mar/live_mint_photo_-_iskcon_devotees_clean_the_banks_of_the_sabarmati_river_in_ahmedabad_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" alt="live_mint_photo_-_iskcon_devotees_clean_the_banks_of_the_sabarmati_river_in_ahmedabad_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></div>
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<p>Seechewal, also known as Eco Baba, is known for spearheading the anti-pollution campaign to save the Kali Bein river in Punjab and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017. Baba Sewa Singh of the Khadur Sahib gurdwara received the Padma Shri in 2010 for planting 346,000 trees along 382km of roads and 400 villages in Punjab. Singh began his mission in 1999 to commemorate the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Angad Dev.<br /> <br /> Similarly, the Govardhan Ecovillage (a PoWR supporter) is a property of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) that reflects an aspect of its green ideology. Country director (communications), Iskcon, and Kaiciid international fellow Yudhistir Govinda Das says: “We entered into a partnership with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) in November 2019 to conduct energy audits across our 270 centres in India to make them more energy- and resource-efficient so that our carbon footprint is as minimal as possible. Our governing body passed a resolution in early 2019 asking all the Iskcon temples and members to desist from single-use plastic. This has had a major impact. We also partnered with UN Environment Program (Unep) for the World Environment Day wherein 55 temples with 1,000 volunteers helped to plant trees.<br /> <br /> “In terms of religious philosophy, our scriptures also advise us exhaustively on this subject and give us a simple solution to fight the real cause of climate change - our greed and propensity to exploit others (including nature). This is the root cause of the issue".<br /> <br /> While religious organizations like EcoSikh and Iskcon have taken action only recently, the intellectual discipline relating environmentalism to religion has been taking shape from the late 1980s. Cross-disciplinary fields like eco theology, spiritual ecology and religious environmentalism have been delving into the academic frameworks of environmentalism and religion, ethics and ecology to locate these ideas in each.</p>
<p><strong>Read more here:</strong> <a href="https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/can-religion-fight-climate-change/amp-11582546478381.html">https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/can-religion-fight-climate-change/amp-11582546478381.html</a></p>
<p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://iskconnews.org/can-religion-fight-climate-change,7278/">https://iskconnews.org/can-religion-fight-climate-change,7278/</a></p>
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<p> </p></div>Young ISKCON Activists Take Part in Global Climate Strikehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/young-iskcon-activists-take-part-in-global-climate-strike2019-10-05T06:27:19.000Z2019-10-05T06:27:19.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><div id="article_byline" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2019/09-Sep/bn1_slideshow.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2019/09-Sep/bn1_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn1_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" /></a></div>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>By Madhava Smullen </strong></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Over four million people around the globe walked out of their schools and workplaces on Friday September 20th to demand an end to the age of fossil fuels.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The global climate strikes took place in over 163 countries on all seven continents, and were scheduled ahead of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly and the Climate Action Summit on September 23rd.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The protests were organized by young people around the world who are part of the “Fridays for Future” campaign, including 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. The campaign has seen students walk out of their schools on Fridays to demand their political leaders take urgent action to address climate change.</p>
<h3 style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Bhaktivedanta Academy Students</strong></span></h3>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Among the protestors in Gainesville, Florida on September 20th were six students aged 9 to 15 (4thto 10th grade) from ISKCON Alachua’s Bhaktivedanta Academy. The group organized their participation themselves in their desire to take action against the exploitation of Mother Earth. </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Protesting along with them were a total of 300 people, comprising mainly of youth from local schools and colleges.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“There were adults and children present as well -- the crowd was very diverse, which just confirmed how this issue is a global issue,” says Champakalata Calypso, 15. “It affects everyone!”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Some walked all the way from their homes to the event to reduce their individual carbon footprints; many brandished signs calling out the lack of action on such an urgent issue. From 5pm, a crowd gathered in front of Gainesville City Hall, where strike organizer Anton Kerohan, a 20-year-old UF political science sophomore, led chants of “What do we want?” “Climate action!” “When do we want it?” “Now!”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Among the sixteen speakers at the event were Oliver Chamblin, 15, one of eight young Floridians who sued the state of Florida last year for ignoring environmental issues; and Caroline Pope, a 21-year old UF sociology student, who explained how climate change disproportionately affects women. Gainesville City Commissioner David Arreola, meanwhile, commented that the strike was the largest gathering of youth he had seen ever in front of City Hall.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn6.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn6.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">For their part, the Bhaktivedanta Academy students listened to the speeches intently, responded to the chants with all their hearts, and held up signs they had made themselves reading “Keep the Sea Plastic Free,” “You’re Burning Our Future,” and “If You Don’t Act Like Adults Then We Will.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“I think this is such a big deal for devotees especially,” says Champakalata. “The earth, Mother Bhumi, is being mistreated to such a horrifying extent, I feel like it’s our duty to respect her and take care of her. She provides so much for us and is one of our seven mothers. We have to take care of her.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Some devotee youth are very serious about doing their part. “The reason I participated in the Climate Strike is because I think it is very important to stand up for our planet and save the environment from pollution,” says nine-year-old Liliana Danka-DeGasperi. “I personally try to recycle and reuse whatever I can and always pick up the garbage. The theme of my recent birthday party was ‘Go Green!’ We had no plastic whatsoever, the plates and cups were compostable and the forks we used were made out of bamboo. One of the presents I got from my parents was a box of plantable colored pencils, which you can plant once you’re done using them, and trees, tomatoes, or flowers grow out of them. I feel it is important that we all do our best to reduce pollution.”</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn7.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn7.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" /></p>
<h3 style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><strong>Sacred Ecology Forum</strong></span></h3>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Meanwhile in New York City, where thousands of people gathered for the climate strike, eight members of the Bhakti Center’s Sacred Ecology Forum participated, ranging from 17 years old to middle-aged.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Among them were Forum co-founders Allegra Lovejoy Wiprud, a graduate student at Yale Divinity School and Yale School of Forestry Environmental Studies; Krishna Kishore Das, a PhD student at Union Theological Seminary, and Gopal-lila Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies’ Bhumi Project.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">With the Sacred Ecology Forum, the group help educate people about environmental issues, deepen their theological understanding of such issues through the Bhakti tradition, and show them how to bring activism into their workplaces and spiritual lives.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn3.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn3.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">At the Global Climate Strike protests in New York City, they joined many representatives of other faith communities. “We began by offering a little prayer to Krishna beforehand for wisdom, guidance, forbearance and compassion,” says Allegra.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Along with thousands of others, the devotees then convened at Foley Square before marching down Broadway and through the financial district to Battery Park. They had also made their own signs, including “Sacred Ecology Forum Marches for Climate Justice,” and “God Made the Earth Good – What Are We Doing?”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">After the march, they participated in a ralley featuring artistic interpretations, prayers, and speeches. Among those addressing the crowd were an indigenous woman from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, whose community is being threatened with land rights; a member of the New York Nurses Association who has seen the visceral effects of climate change from the frontlines; and teenage activist Greta Thunberg.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn5.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn5.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" /></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“What impressed me most about the event was that over half of the participants seemed to be under the age of eighteen,” says Allegra. “Whole schools were there, parents with their kids… It was very significant, because there’s been a powerful climate movement emerging amongst young people in Europe and the U.S. in the last year.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Allegra believes that the Global Climate Strike and the wide attention it’s getting will channel more people into groups like 350.org, Climate Action Network, the Sunrise Movement, and Extinction Rebellion, and help them build influence.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The Sacred Ecology Forum are also doing their part. “We’re trying to educate people, encourage them to get involved, and show them the many ways to make a difference – not everyone will be out there protesting,” says Allegra. “We also have monthly programs, and online content.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Meanwhile it’s clear that the youth, with their inspiring passion, will be leading us in the fight to protect Mother Earth.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn4.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/bn4.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="bn4.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“The climate crisis has been a neglected issue for far too long,” fifteen-year-old Champakalata says. “Because the governments in countries with power have failed to realize the urgency of this crisis, we, the newest generation, will have to live with the consequences. In ten years the level of carbon in the atmosphere will reach a peak that will set off a chain of irreversible reactions that will lead to eventual mass extinction. I will be 25 when that peak is reached if we don’t take serious action now. So many of us, the youth, will still have so much of our lives to live, but we won’t get to live them the way our parents did because we will be living through the extinction of the human race. The world needs to take this seriously and take action! We need a New Green Deal and a 100% renewable energy deadline. These strikes raise awareness and show adults that we know what’s going on and change will come whether they like it or not.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">When asked why it’s important that devotees engage with these issues, she adds, “I think that everyone should get involved – it’s everyone’s problem! Yet devotees in particular have a responsibility to promote the mode of goodness in society, and this is a problem clearly being caused because of the absence of goodness. Srila Prabhupada said that before we become Krishna conscious, we must become conscious. Doing your part in solving this climate crisis and spreading awareness is crucial. We need climate change policy reform and we need it now.”</p>
<div id="tags_heading" style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Source: </strong><a href="https://iskconnews.org/young-iskcon-activists-take-part-in-global-climate-strike,7106/">https://iskconnews.org/young-iskcon-activists-take-part-in-global-climate-strike,7106/</a></div>
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<p> </p></div>Govardhan Ecovillage Wins National Energy Globe Awardhttps://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/govardhan-ecovillage-wins-national-energy-globe-award2019-09-22T08:03:12.000Z2019-09-22T08:03:12.000ZISKCON Desire Treehttps://iskcondesiretree.com/members/iskcon_desire_tree<div><div id="article_image" style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2019/09-Sep/mah1_slideshow.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/img_versions/2019/09-Sep/mah1_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" alt="mah1_slideshow.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></div>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>By Madhava Smullen</strong></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Govardhan Ecovillage, ISKCON’s 100 acre farm in the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range in Maharashtra, has won the 2019 National Energy Globe Award for India.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The Energy Globe Award was founded in 1999 by Austrian energy pioneer Wolfgang Neumann, and is one of today’s most prestigious environmental awards. Its goal is to present successful sustainable projects to a broad audience, to show that many of our environmental problems already have feasible solutions.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Every year, some 800 projects from all over the world that conserve and protect our resources, or employ renewable energy, participate. One award winner is chosen from each country.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">This year, Govardhan Ecovillage won the award for India, and was invited to receive the Energy Globe certificate at a ceremony held at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai recently.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Presenting the certificate to Ecovillage Director Gauranga Das was Deputy Director General of Advantage Austria Patrick Sagmeister. Also in attendance were Dr. Robert Luck, Commercial Counsellor at the Austrian Embassy, and Austrian Embassy Director Ramesh K. Kalnawat.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/mah2.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/mah2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" alt="mah2.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Govardhan Ecovillage received the award in particular for two of its prime initiatives: Integrated Water Conservation, and its Protection Scheme in the tribal villages of Maharashtra’s Palghar District.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“Govardhan Ecovillage is a model farm community established to showcase how to live in harmony and respect with people, nature and the divine,” says Director Gauranga Das. “We’ve implemented various green technologies on our campus and have been working with tribal villages to make them sustainable, while giving respect to mother Earth.”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">GEV is acting as a role model village by implementing green technologies for waste and water management, as well as water resource development (WRD) for irrigation and drinking water in tribal villages. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">“We underwent a hydrogeological survey to establish a 10 million liter rain water harvesting pond to recharge ground aquifers and irrigate our fields,” Gauranga says. “We also set up a Soil Biotechnology (SBT) plant, which processes 100,000 litres of sewage water daily and is used for irrigating the field.” </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">GEV helps around fifty tribal villages by providing lift irrigation and customized irrigation practices. Nineteen hundred farmers have benefitted so far, while drinking water initiatives have benefitted 5,500 villages. By 2025, GEV is expected to help 14,400 villages through its water resource development initiatives.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/mah3.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://iskconnews.org/media/images/2019/09-Sep/mah3.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="600" alt="mah3.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Owing to the education and irrigation support by Govardhan Ecovillage, more than 1,100 farmers have adopted organic farming practices and planted over 131,000 horti-floriculture crops in the last few years. This has increased their annual income by thirty to thirty-five per cent. In addition, more than 6,000 farmers from all over Maharashtra have been trained in organic farming through educational sessions. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">GEV has also helped reduce poverty in tribal villages through various initiatives like empowerment of women, rural education, water resource development, rural health care and skill development for tribal youth.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">For all these initiatives, Govardhan has previously received the United Nations World Tourism Organization Award (UNWTO), and became affiliated with the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">The GEV project is also being studied by high level institutions such as Yale and Harvard Universities as a model for ecological sustainability and rural development. </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">When asked how he feels about receiving the new award, Gauranga Das says, “It is a wonderful opportunity to share the earth honoring teachings of our Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition with the world through the example of Govardhan Ecovillage. The crest jewel of all the Vedic Scriptures, Srimad Bhagavatam, teaches us that Mother Earth is the consort of Lord Varahadeva, and thus living a life of respect to her is an important principle of our tradition. So it’s wonderful to be rewarded for living by those principles, and to get an opportunity to represent ISKCON for the same.”</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Source: <a href="https://iskconnews.org/govardhan-ecovillage-wins-national-energy-globe-award,7097/">https://iskconnews.org/govardhan-ecovillage-wins-national-energy-globe-award,7097/</a></p></div>