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Doshin
11-07-2018, 09:03 AM
Metta to all the other living beings

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2018/oct/30/wwf-report-warns-annihilation-of-wildlife-threatens-civilisation-video

Jundo
11-07-2018, 10:06 AM
I just posted this comment to Brad Warner's latest talk saying that Buddhists had best not be concerned about such issues as Buddhists ...


Just so folks know, not all Buddhists need agree with Brad. Our concern for this planet, for society and our fellow human beings can be informed by the Precepts, Zazen and all our Buddhist Practice, and it is fine for Buddhist folks to approach such issues as part of our Practice. Brad expresses but one view. It does not have to be so for everyone even if he may prefer to use bandwidth to express his personal opinion that Buddhists should not be involved in social issues as Buddhists (itself a political statement by Brad as a Buddhist no matter how one disguises it, because most people don't come here because of his views on bass guitars). So, to each their own. Some are free to choose to talk about monster movies instead. To pick weeds in the garden or clean our bowls can be Zen Practice when known as such, as can picking the weeds of problems in this world and cleaning the environment. Not all Buddhists need agree on what is the right course or whom to vote for, but do not forget that choosing not to act is also an act with effects. By the way, one vote cannot change anything ... except if you are from Florida, when I am from, when a couple of hundred votes can sometimes change everything. No less, it is also a basic Buddhist teaching that a mountain can be moved one grain at a time. Gassho, Jundo


A video for good Buddhist folks and everyone to watch. If we take care of the temples made of wood, we can take care of the temple which is our world.


The 2018 Living Planet report from the WWF has found that a shocking 60% of the earth's mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have been lost since 1970. The findings have led the world’s foremost experts to warn that the annihilation of wildlife is now an emergency that threatens civilisation.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2018/oct/30/wwf-report-warns-annihilation-of-wildlife-threatens-civilisation-video



We have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe, warns UN
Urgent changes needed to cut risk of extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty, says IPCC
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report

Gassho, J

STLah

Tairin
11-07-2018, 01:51 PM
Metta for our planet and for all that live on it. The crisis feels overwhelming but we can all do our part and it will take sacrifice on all our part.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah and hugged a tree.

Doshin
11-07-2018, 01:55 PM
Thank you Jundo for raising your voice on these issues. I posted on Face Book recently my sesnse of being out of sync with the world around me since the issues I believe critical to us all and the sustainability of life are seldom talked about on the news or by the politiicans whose role it is to help lead us. Nowhere during our election in the US did this arise that I saw.

Another thread on our forum discusses Face Book and how it relates to the Precepts That gave me pause last night. My posts are almost all about wildlife and conservation. I can post a picture of a beautiful lizard and been inundated with likes but when I post something about the topic I mentioned above the lack of comments or likes is deafening. The lack of response is the most troublesome to me. In fact it makes me consider deactivating FB so not be so affecteted. In my youth I would just speak louder but now I think silence is preferable.

Gassho
Doshin
St

Shokai
11-07-2018, 02:03 PM
gassho2

Mp
11-07-2018, 02:25 PM
Thank you Doshin ... much metta and peace to this beautiful planet and all who share it.

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

Kokuu
11-07-2018, 02:44 PM
A timely post, Doshin.

The environmental issues of our time seem so vast it is hard to know where to start but becoming informed is an important start. Humans have had a huge impact on the lives of other sentient beings and we really need to address the fact we are not the only organisms to inhabit this small blue planet but we are the ones who have the ability to slow or halt many impending extinctions.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Shoki
11-07-2018, 03:41 PM
Thanks Doshin for this info. I read this same thing on a news site a few days ago and immediately there were comments at the bottom saying it was all not true. There are always going to be a large segment of society that is going to shoot down something like this for business, political, etc. reasons. If you are let's say a plastics manufacturer, you better come up with something saying the plastic found in the stomachs of wildlife is not really true because blah, blah, blah. If you are an elected politician who gets votes promising less regulation on businesses responsible for this, you're going to downplay it. Some will say; it does not matter because God will take care of everything. It gets kind of discouraging.

Gassho/LAH
Sat Today
James

Shinshi
11-07-2018, 03:52 PM
Thank you for sharing Doshin. And thank you Jundo for your reply to Brad. It is such a weird time in the world today. Much Strum and Drang about things of minor importance and total silence about critical issues.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

Shoka
11-07-2018, 09:52 PM
My posts are almost all about wildlife and conservation. I can post a picture of a beautiful lizard and been inundated with likes but when I post something about the topic I mentioned above the lack of comments or likes is deafening. The lack of response is the most troublesome to me. In fact it makes me consider deactivating FB so not be so affecteted. In my youth I would just speak louder but now I think silence is preferable.


Doshin,

Thank you for the post.

I find that often when people don't feel there is anything they can saw to help, or positive to do that they don't want to interact. Which is why pretty photos of things get more likes and comments, than a thoughful post (without a picture) which might take time and thought to reply to.

But I believe there is a need to presist. If we say, "well no one replied, so I'm not going to post anymore." Then the topic doesn't get shared anymore. Often I hope that at least if I share something it might make someone think about it for a few minutes and maybe affect them somehow. I don't stand and yell on a soapbox anymore; just put it out there and hope that it makes a difference.

Gassho,

Shoka
sattoday

Washin
11-13-2018, 08:11 AM
gassho2

Gassho,
Washin
ST

Doshin
11-21-2018, 06:24 PM
I just posted this comment to Brad Warner's latest talk saying that Buddhists had best not be concerned about such issues as Buddhists ...



Gassho, J

STLah


As you said Jundo, we need this perspective from all

As Gus Speth has said, and resonates with my career...

“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.”

Meitou
11-28-2018, 07:04 AM
As you said Jundo, we need this perspective from all

As Gus Speth has said, and resonates with my career...

“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.”

And this is where we can start, by addressing our own selfishness, greed and apathy and start making changes, a step at a time. I think we need to have faith that even the smallest things can add up and make a difference. From an interest in the Japanese tradition of boro - patchwork mending of clothes - I've suddenly become aware of so many good people on Instagram who are dedicating themselves not only to upcycling and repurposing, but are also inspiring and encouraging others to do the same, not in huge projects but in simple everyday things like visibly mending clothes instead of throwing them away, and in doing so highlighting the terrible damage and waste that goes on in the fashion industry, something I was unaware of. At the same time they sing out what they do as a joyful creative activity available to everyone.
I'm not using FB at the moment because of Ango, but I've decided that when I start again, I'm going to photograph my attempts at living a more sustainable less consumer driven life. As you say, people do respond to pretty pictures, so maybe they can be used to subtly inform as well as entertain. It's a small step, but as we know, small steps can take us a long way.
Don't give up!
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday

Nanrin
11-29-2018, 12:10 AM
And this is where we can start, by addressing our own selfishness, greed and apathy and start making changes, a step at a time. I think we need to have faith that even the smallest things can add up and make a difference. From an interest in the Japanese tradition of boro - patchwork mending of clothes - I've suddenly become aware of so many good people on Instagram who are dedicating themselves not only to upcycling and repurposing, but are also inspiring and encouraging others to do the same, not in huge projects but in simple everyday things like visibly mending clothes instead of throwing them away, and in doing so highlighting the terrible damage and waste that goes on in the fashion industry, something I was unaware of. At the same time they sing out what they do as a joyful creative activity available to everyone.
I'm not using FB at the moment because of Ango, but I've decided that when I start again, I'm going to photograph my attempts at living a more sustainable less consumer driven life. As you say, people do respond to pretty pictures, so maybe they can be used to subtly inform as well as entertain. It's a small step, but as we know, small steps can take us a long way.
Don't give up!
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday

Thank you for your comment Meitou. I agree that we can all start by looking at ourselves and reducing greed and selfishness. It can be hard to see our own greed at times because society usually teaches us it's ok to waste, it's ok consume a lot in many, many ways. The truth is we don't need much to live happily.

I like the idea of using Facebook or other platforms to beautify sustainable living. I might start posting on Facebook for that reason. I don't really have much to say about myself to the public so I only post a few times a year. Usually my pictures are shared with individual friends and family members I talk to. Perhaps it's time to change that to help influence others.

Gassho,

Maitri

St

Doshin
11-29-2018, 01:39 AM
Yes Meitou, as you say we can make a difference if each of us takes steps in the right direction. As several Sangha members who follow me on FB know, I mainly post conservation stories and pictures of wildlife (all with the intent to inform and inspire appreciation for the natural world). The big steps need to be taken by governments, which some are doing, others not so much. That is where my interest in Engaged Buddhism comes in as Jundo addressed above.

I have not given up even after 50 plus years of effort in both my career and personal life (some would say I have no life outside of conservation/environment, I am okay with that). Let me paraprhase (even if I get the facts wrong with my foggy memory) a Buddhist monk who made the trek out of Tibet after the Chinese invaded the land. He was asked how he made such a long journey over the mountains..his response, "one step at a time". However, some of my friends and colleagues did loose hope along the way. My philosophy is you got to try even if the challenges seem insurmountable, the alternative has never been acceptable to me.

Gassho
Doshin
stlah

Doshin
11-29-2018, 01:41 PM
A few months ago my wife and I traveled to see a premier of a documentary “Living in the Futures Past”. The movie is now avaialable via Itunes and probably other venues. I do not know if it can be viewed for free yet...I assume they are still working on recovering production cost. It takes a look at the challenges discussed here from a different perspective. A perspective my Sangha sisters and brothers can relate to. A trailer;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zWpwIA7iawg

For those who have seen it or do I would appreciate your thoughts.

Gassho
Doshin
Stlah

Jakuden
11-29-2018, 08:22 PM
Thank you Doshin I will watch it when I can, it looks really interesting.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tairin
12-02-2018, 02:37 PM
I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.

This is a great quote.

My wife and I were talking about the environment etc a few weeks ago. We were talking about Trump and Premier Ford here in Ontario and their recent moves to undermine many of the protections previously put into place. That led to a discussion about what we as individuals can do. Frankly we (my wife and I) have done a lot to reduce our environmental footprint but it isn’t zero, there is likely a lot more we can do but that gets into a tricky place. How much does an individual give up? Yes every drop in the bucket helps but if you are the only one putting in drops then that bucket is going to take a long time to fill.

The fact is that the earth needs people to make radical changes to their lifestyles and although I like to think that most of my family and friends are sympathetic to the concerns of our environment I don’t believe many of them are willing to make sacrifices to their lifestyles and will find excuses as to why they can’t make changes.

As much as I hate to say it, I think it is going to need the situation to be far more critical before people start making real change.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Meitou
12-03-2018, 08:33 PM
As much as I hate to say it, I think it is going to need the situation to be far more critical before people start making real change.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

This is my fear too Tairin, in fact I think by the time people stop living in denial, wake up, and realise that they need to take action, it will be too late.

Gassho
Meitou
satwithyoualltoday/lah

Tairin
12-04-2018, 05:11 PM
Further to the discussion on reducing our impacts on the earth, this article appeared on CBC news site. While the target audience is Canadians I think the applicability is world wide.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/food-climate-change-carbon-footprint-1.4930062

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Doshin
12-31-2018, 03:45 PM
I stareted this thread with “bad” news about the state of biodiversity. As the year comes to an end I share something hopeful

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/swiss-businessman-is-contributing-1-billion-towards-protecting-30-of-the-planet/

My New Years resolution...I vow to continue my efforts to save all sentient beings and encourage others. To ensure that I do include humans in this vow I also agreed to be a member of our very rural Volunteer Fire Department :)


Doshin
Stlah

Doshin
03-05-2019, 05:19 PM
I am not sure if many visit this thread but I am persistent. It is my nature when it comes to biodiversity. Those Face Book and Instagram Friends know I seldom venture far from biodiversity. With that said I have ordered two new books that I want to share. First one that came out in January 2019 is by a teacher who sat with us a while back.

Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis by David Loy (January 2019) and Green Buddhism: Practices and Compassionate Activism in Uncertain Times by Stephanie Kaza (March 2019)

This is a major part of my path. So if anyone reads either of these books and would like to leave comments in this thread I would be delighted to learn your perspectives.

Doshin
st

Washin
03-06-2019, 07:11 AM
I am not sure if many visit this thread but I am persistent. It is my nature when it comes to biodiversity. Those Face Book and Instagram Friends know I seldom venture far from biodiversity. With that said I have ordered two new books that I want to share. First one that came out in January 2019 is by a teacher who sat with us a while back.

Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis by David Loy (January 2019) and Green Buddhism: Practices and Compassionate Activism in Uncertain Times by Stephanie Kaza (March 2019)

This is a major part of my path. So if anyone reads either of these books and would like to leave comments in this thread I would be delighted to learn your perspectives.

Doshin
st

Thank you, Doshin. The books sound interesting and I'll have a look some later.

Gassho
Washin
ST

Seibu
03-06-2019, 09:18 AM
Thank you for sharing Doshin. I put both books on my wish list because I'm a big fan of Engaged Buddhism.

Gassho,
Jack
SatToday

Mp
03-06-2019, 02:11 PM
I am not sure if many visit this thread but I am persistent. It is my nature when it comes to biodiversity. Those Face Book and Instagram Friends know I seldom venture far from biodiversity. With that said I have ordered two new books that I want to share. First one that came out in January 2019 is by a teacher who sat with us a while back.

Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis by David Loy (January 2019) and Green Buddhism: Practices and Compassionate Activism in Uncertain Times by Stephanie Kaza (March 2019)

This is a major part of my path. So if anyone reads either of these books and would like to leave comments in this thread I would be delighted to learn your perspectives.

Doshin
st

Thank you Doshin. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

Nengei
03-06-2019, 02:20 PM
Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis by David Loy (January 2019) and Green Buddhism: Practices and Compassionate Activism in Uncertain Times by Stephanie Kaza (March 2019)

This is a major part of my path. So if anyone reads either of these books and would like to leave comments in this thread I would be delighted to learn your perspectives.


Thank you, Doshin-san. This is right up my alley, so to speak. I am looking forward to reading these texts.

Gassho,
然芸 Nengei
Sat today. LAH.
You deserve to be happy.
You deserve to be loved.

Jundo
03-06-2019, 03:09 PM
I am writing a new book called "Zen of the Future" ... about Zen in the future! :) Zen in a world of robots and AI, DNA splicing and virtual reality, nano tech and 3D printing, etc.

A chapter will be on Buddhist and Zen inspired economics, and part of that will be on ecology. I will be in touch to consult with you, Doshin, when I get to that part.

Gassho, J

STLah

Heiso
03-14-2019, 12:31 PM
I'm very glad to find this thread. As I get increasingly more concerned about the environment it's easy to become overwhelmed so thank you for starting this.

Gassho,

Neil

ST

Doshin
04-22-2019, 11:57 PM
5619

If the image is too small to read...

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold



My first teacher of Interdependence. His teachings began my path and continue to center me. He died 3 years before I was born and I became his student at the age of 19

Today is Earth Day. A time not only to reflect but for me to renew “my” engagement. “I” vow to save all sentient beings

Mp
04-23-2019, 02:05 AM
5619

If the image is too small to read...

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold



My first teacher of Interdependence. His teachings began my path and continue to center me. He died 3 years before I was born and I became his student at the age of 19

Today is Earth Day. A time not only to reflect but engage. vow to save all sentient beingsThank you Doshin. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

Meitou
04-23-2019, 07:31 AM
5619

If the image is too small to read...

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold



My first teacher of Interdependence. His teachings began my path and continue to center me. He died 3 years before I was born and I became his student at the age of 19

Today is Earth Day. A time not only to reflect but engage. vow to save all sentient beings

Thank you for this Doshin, I had not heard of Aldo Leopold, I'll start with A Sand County Almanac.
At the moment my escapist reading is Kim Stanley Robinson's New York 2140, which feels more like prediction than fiction right now.

Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

Washin
04-23-2019, 08:50 AM
5619

If the image is too small to read...

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold



My first teacher of Interdependence. His teachings began my path and continue to center me. He died 3 years before I was born and I became his student at the age of 19

Today is Earth Day. A time not only to reflect but engage. vow to save all sentient beings

gassho2

Heiso
04-23-2019, 04:42 PM
I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Extinction Rebellion camp in London today and hope to do so a few more times this week. It seemed a good opportunity to spend some time with people trying to make positive change happen.

I'm not sure how widely know the movement is outside of the UK: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/23/extinction-rebellion-arrests-warning-parliament-square

Gassho,

Neil

Doshin
04-23-2019, 06:30 PM
I
I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Extinction Rebellion camp in London today and hope to do so a few more times this week. It seemed a good opportunity to spend some time with people trying to make positive change happen.

I'm not sure how widely know the movement is outside of the UK: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/23/extinction-rebellion-arrests-warning-parliament-square

Gassho,

Neil


Neil I know of them, but not sure of others . I am glad you want to engage. Thank you for your effort.

Gassho
Doshin
Stlah

Doshin
04-23-2019, 08:18 PM
Meitou

Sand County Almanac was given to me by a friend who had to read it for a class. That began my relationship with Aldo. I read him, met two of his children, quote him often, have visited “The Shack” several times (you will read of the shack) and was asked to read one of his books for advancement to candidacy in graduate school when I returned mid career.

Gassho
Doshin
Stlah

Joyo
04-24-2019, 01:54 AM
5619

If the image is too small to read...

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold



My first teacher of Interdependence. His teachings began my path and continue to center me. He died 3 years before I was born and I became his student at the age of 19

Today is Earth Day. A time not only to reflect but for me to renew “my” engagement. “I” vow to save all sentient beings

Thank you for sharing, Doshin.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today/lah

Meitou
04-26-2019, 09:11 AM
I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Extinction Rebellion camp in London today and hope to do so a few more times this week. It seemed a good opportunity to spend some time with people trying to make positive change happen.

I'm not sure how widely know the movement is outside of the UK: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/23/extinction-rebellion-arrests-warning-parliament-square

Gassho,

Neil

Oh brilliant Neil, I'll be there in spirit!
Doshin, I'm just a few pages into the SCA, it's wonderful, so lyrically written, which I hadn't expected.
Thanks to all of you for your eco-practice gassho1

Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

Doshin
06-12-2019, 08:32 PM
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/eo-wilson-conservation-legend-90-save-space-for-nature-save-planet/?fbclid=IwAR3Sc4hd6_ad4AMVMwajQaN3MzZAxV8zfOOpc2WU HqBXYVziCknJ7NKBsA0

Meitou
06-13-2019, 04:29 PM
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/eo-wilson-conservation-legend-90-save-space-for-nature-save-planet/?fbclid=IwAR3Sc4hd6_ad4AMVMwajQaN3MzZAxV8zfOOpc2WU HqBXYVziCknJ7NKBsA0

Great article, if only people could come together globally and agree to do this. I found some other good articles over there, one of which I'll be posting in the Eco Life thread, thank you for sharing this Doshin
Gassho
Meitou
sattodaylah

Doshin
06-14-2019, 11:13 PM
https://theunfoldingearth.com/10-things-you-can-do-to-protect-biodiversity/

Conserving, protecting and restoring biodiversity requires a global and landscape approach. However there are things that can and should be done locally. I came across this and wanted to share.

Doshin
06-21-2019, 11:15 AM
5779

Gassho
Doshin
St

Tairin
06-21-2019, 08:20 PM
5779

Gassho
Doshin
St

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Tairin
06-21-2019, 08:42 PM
An article from our friend David Loy. https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/growing-buddhist-movement-responding-ecological-crisis/. Hopefully this link works. It is a paid site but you should get a few free reads.

This quote struck me as particularly key.
We don’t need to “return to nature” but to realize that we’ve always been a part of it,

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Doshin
06-21-2019, 11:31 PM
An article from our friend David Loy. https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/growing-buddhist-movement-responding-ecological-crisis/. Hopefully this link works. It is a paid site but you should get a few free reads.

This quote struck me as particularly key.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Thank you.

Gassho
Doshin
St

Meitou
06-23-2019, 06:47 PM
That was a great article Tairin, thanks for posting, you beat me to it!
Gassho
Meitou
sattodaylah

Doshin
06-27-2019, 03:15 PM
As I have mentioned elsewhere...reversing the decline in biodiversity (considering we have lost half of the world’s wildlife..see an earlier post above) can seem daunting at the local level. Indeed it must take governments and international approaches. However we can do something. In the companion thread EcoLiving , those actions also have positive impacts on biodiversity. Pollinators, which are critical to our survival and many other species are also in decline in both species and numbers. Those of us with yards can create landscapes that provide habitat for pollinators (and many other species!). As I compose this I am listening to the hum of hundreds, if not thousands, of bees and wasps of many species visiting the plants which are now blooming. Of course the plants I chose are only suited for my ecoregion in the Southwest United States (and even more specific for a specific region at a certain elevation). Plant choices will depend on where you live.

Attached are some guidelines provided by the US Forest Service that may provide ideas to ignite your creative imagination for landscaping.

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/gardening.shtml

Gassho
Doshin
St

Tai Do
06-27-2019, 05:15 PM
As I have mentioned elsewhere...reversing the decline in biodiversity (considering we have lost half of the world’s wildlife..see an earlier post above) can seem daunting at the local level. Indeed it must take governments and international approaches. However we can do something. In the companion thread EcoLiving , those actions also have positive impacts on biodiversity. Pollinators, which are critical to our survival and many other species are also in decline in both species and numbers. Those of us with yards can create landscapes that provide habitat for pollinators (and many other species!). As I compose this I am listening to the hum of hundreds, if not thousands, of bees and wasps of many species visiting the plants which are now blooming. Of course the plants I chose are only suited for my ecoregion in the Southwest United States (and even more specific for a specific region at a certain elevation). Plant choices will depend on where you live.

Attached are some guidelines provided by the US Forest Service that may provide ideas to ignite your creative imagination for landscaping.

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/gardening.shtml

Gassho
Doshin
St

Thank you, Doshin for this suggestion.
I’m willing to create a garden here but then it and dry weather makes it almost impossible for traditional garden plants without an irrigation system or available time to water the plants. Perhaps native plants can be a better alternative for my garden and a good help for native pollinators.
Gassho,
Mateus
Sat today/LAH

Doshin
06-27-2019, 05:49 PM
Mateus,
Yes, natives are best choice! They are adapted to the area and local hydrology. And native pollinators evolved with them . Some water is necessary to get started. As you know I live in the desert. I used a rock mulch to help retain moisture but organic mulches do the job.

Doshin
St

Tai Do
06-27-2019, 07:07 PM
Mateus,
Yes, natives are best choice! They are adapted to the area and local hydrology. And native pollinators evolved with them . Some water is necessary to get started. As you know I live in the desert. I used a rock mulch to help retain moisture but organic mulches do the job.

Doshin
St

Thank you again for the tip.
Gassho,
Mateus
Sat/LAH

Heiso
06-28-2019, 01:55 PM
Thank you, Doshin for this suggestion.
I’m willing to create a garden here but then it and dry weather makes it almost impossible for traditional garden plants without an irrigation system or available time to water the plants. Perhaps native plants can be a better alternative for my garden and a good help for native pollinators.
Gassho,
Mateus
Sat today/LAH

Have you looked at drip feed irrigation systems on a timer or is that not an option? There are also cunning ways to slow release water with clay pots, although I've not tried it yet: https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/clay-pot-irrigation-simple-adaptation-ancient-technique.

We're lucky in that we can plant lots of pollinators. My favourite being Comfrey which not only attracts every bee in town but can then be used to make a great liquid fertiliser and it's often considered a weed! Being in the UK a lack of water isn't really an issue though so we don't have to get that creative!

Gassho,

Neil

StLaH

Tai Do
06-28-2019, 06:54 PM
Have you looked at drip feed irrigation systems on a timer or is that not an option? There are also cunning ways to slow release water with clay pots, although I've not tried it yet: https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/clay-pot-irrigation-simple-adaptation-ancient-technique.

We're lucky in that we can plant lots of pollinators. My favourite being Comfrey which not only attracts every bee in town but can then be used to make a great liquid fertiliser and it's often considered a weed! Being in the UK a lack of water isn't really an issue though so we don't have to get that creative!

Gassho,

Neil

StLaH

Thank you, Neil.
I never really thought about irrigation systems with timers. Although my garden is really, really small, so I don't know about it. Besides, I don't have much money to spent in the garden right now. But I'll look at it. Thank you.
I'm realy worried about the pollinators in my region, as the great agricultural business is dominating the region and our President is making easy for it to use huge amounts of pesticides. I really don't trust Brazilian agricuture anymore. We are already seen the effects of these policies. IN my home State, some traditional apicultural regions are in decline, as the bees have all died. Small producers are now facing a hard year, and the prospect is not very good.
Gassho,
Mateus
Sat today/LAH

Tairin
06-30-2019, 12:29 AM
This blog by Domyo Burk will appeal to the followers of this and the Eco-Life thread

https://zenstudiespodcast.com/buddhists-address-the-climate-emergency/

This is the first time I’ve heard of Extinction Rebellion. I see they have a chapter here in my city so I’ll investigate them a bit more


gassho
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Tairin
07-06-2019, 11:53 AM
The article is perhaps overly optimistic but I like the simplicity of this approach and it would certainly be viable in conjunction with other measures. Help the earth heal itself.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/tree-planting-climate-change-1.5201102

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Meitou
07-07-2019, 08:13 PM
Tairin, let us know how you get on with the Extinction Rebellion group, I've joined them online and today have signed a pledge with them not to buy any clothes for a year.

The idea of planting trees is simple and effective - and from what I've seen in the UK it's much needed. Property developers are destroying swathes of trees to make way for new housing, without replanting in any way. In order to get around protests about habitat for birds, they are starting to net trees in areas that they are earmarking for development, so that birds are forced to go elsewhere and therefore there are no birds for people to protest about when the time comes.

Thanks for both of those posts.
Gassho
Meitou
sattoday

Tairin
07-17-2019, 09:12 PM
Similar to the article on trees I pointed to above. Here is one about how elephants can help fight climate change.

https://theconversation.com/forest-elephants-are-our-allies-in-the-fight-against-climate-change-finds-research-120440

I like articles like this because it shows that the Earth is able to heal itself if humans will let it. Yes it needs a little bit of our help but given how much we’ve taken it seems like the least we could do. Plus we are of this Earth, not separate from it.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Rob H
07-18-2019, 01:35 PM
As Gus Speth has said, and resonates with my career...

“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.”
This, in my opinion, is the crux of many issues facing the world today. I completely agree with the above quote and it concerns me greatly. Not just for my children but for all people now and the future generations.

Gassho.
Rob.

ST

Jundo
07-18-2019, 03:09 PM
As Gus Speth has said, and resonates with my career...

“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.”

My new book, Zen of the Future!, will say what needs to be done.

Gassho, J

STLah

Jundo
07-19-2019, 11:35 AM
Climate change is killing the world's coral reefs. But it's not the only factor turning them into white, dead husks. According to a new study, all the chemicals humans are dumping into the ocean are making it easier for the hotter weather to do its deadly work.

The research paper, published online Monday (July 15) in the journal Marine Biology, is based on data collected over three decades from the Looe Key Sanctuary Preservation Area in the Florida Keys. Coral coverage declined from 33% in 1984 to just 6% in 2008 in that sanctuary. Even as temperatures have trended upward globally, average local temperatures didn't change much during the study period. This allowed researchers to disentangle a number of different problems sickening (or "bleaching") the reef.

...

A great deal of the effect of these added nutrients could be mitigated by improved water-treatment plants, the researchers noted. Most of the nitrogen in runoff doesn't pour right off the land into the sea during rainstorms, but instead passes through water-treatment plants that fail to remove the chemical.

In Dutch-controlled regions of the Caribbean, the researchers noted in a statement, improved sewage-treatment plants do pull nitrogen out of the water. And in those places, coral reefs are faring better than they are off the coast of Florida, the scientists pointed out.

https://www.livescience.com/65958-florida-coral-reefs-nitrogen.html

Gassho, J

STLah

Seibu
07-20-2019, 09:11 AM
The idea of planting trees is simple and effective - and from what I've seen in the UK it's much needed. Property developers are destroying swathes of trees to make way for new housing, without replanting in any way. In order to get around protests about habitat for birds, they are starting to net trees in areas that they are earmarking for development, so that birds are forced to go elsewhere and therefore there are no birds for people to protest about when the time comes.

Gassho
Meitou
sattoday

gassho2

Recently I relocated and the backyard had a huge patio for about a decade. My wife and I removed all the tiles and after adding compost to the soil that hadn't seen daylight and rain for ages we planted five young trees and some flowers. Bees and other small insects are returning. It feels so good to be able to help the local ecosystem a little bit.

Gassho,
Jack
Sattoday/lah

Jundo
07-30-2019, 02:31 PM
I must say that things must be getting serious if they post this at FOXNews! [scared]


Today's climate change is worse than anything Earth has experienced in the past 2,000 years

...

That's the conclusion of a trio of papers published July 24 in the journals Nature and Nature Geoscience that examined the global climate over the past two millennia. The researchers showed that none of the past fluctuations — that is, not the Little Ice Age, the warm period known as the Medieval Climate Anomaly or any other famous shift — had the global reach that modern climate change is having. Past fluctuations tended to be localized, affecting primarily one region at a time. Modern climate change, by contrast, is messing with the entire world.

https://www.foxnews.com/science/todays-climate-change-is-worse-than-anything-earth-has-experienced-in-the-past-2000-years

Gassho, J

STLah

Heiso
07-30-2019, 03:37 PM
Wow, if Fox are admitting there's a problem we really must be up the creak with no paddle. Hopefully the message gets through to their biggest fan!

Gassho,

Neil

StLah

Kyonin
07-30-2019, 04:12 PM
Hi guys,

Just a quick note about this important matter.

A few days ago I attended to a Buddhist conference and one of the topics was Global Warming, changes in weather and our duty as Buddhists. The monks talked about how close our practice is compatible with all the efforts to find balance between consumption and respect for nature.

They said that the more honest and true our practice get, the more respect and love we experience for Mother Earth. I was surprised how this surprised many people who would practice Buddhism thinking on personal salvation and not as a practice of generosity for all sentient beings.

There is still a long way to go, but I think Shikantaza is the most eco-friendly activity we can engage into. All you need is a bottom willing to sit. For those 20 minutes of sitting, we stop all the wanting, eating and buying. I think Mother Earth wins for each minute of our practice.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

Seibu
07-30-2019, 10:22 PM
Hi guys,

Just a quick note about this important matter.

A few days ago I attended to a Buddhist conference and one of the topics was Global Warming, changes in weather and our duty as Buddhists. The monks talked about how close our practice is compatible with all the efforts to find balance between consumption and respect for nature.

They said that the more honest and true our practice get, the more respect and love we experience for Mother Earth. I was surprised how this surprised many people who would practice Buddhism thinking on personal salvation and not as a practice of generosity for all sentient beings.

There is still a long way to go, but I think Shikantaza is the most eco-friendly activity we can engage into. All you need is a bottom willing to sit. For those 20 minutes of sitting, we stop all the wanting, eating and buying. I think Mother Earth wins for each minute of our practice.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

Thank you Kyonin gassho2

Gassho,
Jack
Sattoday/lah

Shoka
07-31-2019, 06:05 PM
I was surprised how this surprised many people who would practice Buddhism thinking on personal salvation and not as a practice of generosity for all sentient beings.


Kyonin,

This right here is it. In one wonderful sentence you summed up the intention of the Engaged center.

Gassho,

Shoka
sattoday

Shōnin Risa Bear
07-31-2019, 08:51 PM
All you need is a bottom willing to sit. For those 20 minutes of sitting, we stop all the wanting, eating and buying. I think Mother Earth wins for each minute of our practice.

This, this, this.

_()_ _()_ _()_
gassho
doyu sat/lah today

Jundo
08-20-2019, 01:59 AM
Alas ...


At the bottom of a glacier in Greenland, climate scientists find troubling signs


NASA oceanographer Josh Willis and his team are investigating how the ice is being attacked not only by rising air temperatures but also by the warming ocean, which is eating it away from underneath.

https://us.cnn.com/2019/08/19/weather/greenland-nasa-climate-battle-intl/index.html


Microplastics discovered in 'extreme' concentrations in the North Atlantic

https://us.cnn.com/2019/08/19/world/microplastics-sargasso-sea-north-atlantic-intl/index.html

It's raining plastic -- that's what a survey of rainfall in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, concluded recently.

The rainfall survey, titled "It is raining plastic," was put together by scientists at the US Department of the Interior and US Geological Survey.
They couldn't see the plastic with their naked eyes, but found it using a binocular microscope fitted with a digital camera.
They found plastic showed up in 90% of the samples, mostly in fiber form, and came in a variety of colors. ...
It's unclear where the plastic is coming from, but plastic contamination has been a growing problem throughout the world.
https://us.cnn.com/2019/08/14/health/plastic-rain-colorado-trnd/index.html

Gassho, J

STLah

Tairin
08-20-2019, 01:28 PM
Alas ...





Gassho, J

STLah

[scared] :(

Geika
08-20-2019, 06:20 PM
I have been discouraged by a darkening feeling that politics is as it is to distract from how badly irreversible the climate problem is. At the same time, every day is a good day. Nurture what we can in this life...

Gassho

Sat today, lah

Jundo
08-21-2019, 12:06 AM
One thing that I know is that this planet has amazing recovery systems. It may take 100 years, 10,000 years or a million, but that is just a blink of an eye for this place. All is impermanent, and that is sometimes a good thing!

Of course, whether or not that includes People Version 1.0, well, that is another story. I mean, it will not be "us" anyway, but it will be our childrens' children who have to live with what the future holds.

I also have hope that our future technologies will find ways to clean and replenish the oceans, clean the air, find substitutes for scarce and poisonous resources and the like. (It is all in my new book, "ZEN of the FUTURE!")

Whether we get to realize that "hope" before we make too much of a mess of things, well, that is an open question.

Gassho, J

STLah

Shokai
08-22-2019, 05:44 PM
and just when will "ZEN of the FUTURE!" be available in print?

gassho, Shokai
stlah

Jundo
08-22-2019, 11:32 PM
and just when will "ZEN of the FUTURE!" be available in print?

gassho, Shokai
stlah

Kirk, who is a professional editor, is giving it a once over this week, and then I will talk to the publishers. It will be available .............. IN THE FUTURE!!

Gassho, J

STLah

Shokai
08-22-2019, 11:38 PM
It will be available .............. IN THE FUTURE!!


haha:D[claps]

gassho,Shokai
stlah

Doshin
10-14-2019, 01:07 PM
We each can make a difference https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=48mxaQtbUdU

Doshin
St

Tairin
10-14-2019, 03:51 PM
We each can make a difference https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=48mxaQtbUdU

Doshin
St

What an awesome and powerful video. Thank you for sharing that Doshin. I am hopeful we still have time to make the necessary changes.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Doshin
10-31-2019, 03:35 AM
Not two

Doshin
St

Meitou
10-31-2019, 08:24 AM
Lovely video Doshin.
And Jundo, the house is on fire, we need your book now!!
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday

Tai Do
10-31-2019, 01:44 PM
Thank you, Doshin, for this video.
Gassho,
Mateus
Sat today

Jundo
11-06-2019, 03:20 AM
11,000 scientists warn of 'untold suffering' caused by climate change

How many scientists does it take to convince the world to take climate change seriously?

More than 11,000 researchers from around the world on Tuesday issued a grim warning of the "untold suffering" that will be caused by climate change if humanity doesn't change its ways.

The group said that as scientists, they have the "moral obligation to tell it like it is."

Phoebe Barnard, one of the lead authors of the report and the chief science and policy officer at the Conservation Biology Institute, a nonprofit science group, told CNN the report makes it clear "there's no more wiggle room" for policymakers.

... The latest report was published in BioScience, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The scientists, who come from over 150 countries, said the climate crisis is "closely linked to excessive consumption of the wealthy lifestyle."

... They listed six key issues that need to be addressed if humanity wants to prevent the most catastrophic scenarios.

These include replacing fossil fuels, cutting the emissions of climate pollutants such as methane and soot, eating less meat, restoring and protecting ecosystems, building a carbon-free economy and stabilizing population growth by investing into family-planning services and girls education.

Barnard said the changes shouldn't be seen as "sacrifices," but as a way of "transforming things that we have found stressful."
https://us.cnn.com/2019/11/05/world/climate-emergency-scientists-warning-intl-trnd/index.html

The report ...

https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biz088/5610806

The recommendation of simplicity at the end is very Zenlike.

Gassho, J

STLah

Meitou
11-06-2019, 06:50 AM
The report ...

https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biz088/5610806

The recommendation of simplicity at the end is very Zenlike.

Gassho, J

STLah

I just posted something about this on Twitter. This report is simple, clear, easy to read and understand and explains in layman's terms what needs to be done. Importantly it highlights how such subject as gender equality, access to family planning and the importance of educating girls and women as major factors in addressing the climate crisis. It's no longer realistic to maintain a stance of 'not my problem', or 'punish China/Russia/USA' as if we are separate in some way from all of that - after all, one of the basic tenets of Zen, and all Buddhist teaching, is non-duality, interconnectedness, Indra's Net etc.
I really believe that stepping up, sharing responsibility and taking what action we can, even just showing a bit of love for this planet in a small way is directly connected to the Three Pure Precepts, Bodhisattva Vows, compassionate practice, even our meal gatha.
And this- 'Barnard said the changes shouldn't be seen as "sacrifices," but as a way of "transforming things that we have found stressful." - really resonates with our Nurturing Seeds practice, taking it out there rather than confining it to ourselves.
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday

Daitetsu
11-06-2019, 04:43 PM
Thanks a lot for posting these links (although they are - as always and as expected - quite alarming).

There is a new Tricycle arcticle called No Time To Lose (https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/joanna-macy-bardo/?utm_source=tricycle&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=trikedaily&fbclid=IwAR3JJ-F8pK_q7yDffsmtvgcRSF4cPB4vDPH1OqRxAI7os7t7wcc45kgb IRw) (clicky!) which has also a link to the recordings of talks from the event "No Time To Lose: A Dharma Response to Climate Change" hosted by the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California on September 15, 2019.
I have not seen the talks yet, so I don't know whether they are good or useful. Just wanted to post this FYI.

Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

Tairin
11-07-2019, 01:04 AM
Thanks a lot for posting these links (although they are - as always and as expected - quite alarming).


I agree with that. I sometimes hesitate to read yet another article about how the environment is collapsing. I know at some levels it is just going to be bleak and depressing. I wonder how long before society in general just becomes numb. Fatigue and helplessness are real enemies here. Somehow the conversation needs to turn the corner from the doom and gloom to become a series of positive affirming messages about what can be done as individuals and society.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Daitetsu
11-08-2019, 10:38 AM
I sometimes hesitate to read yet another article about how the environment is collapsing. I know at some levels it is just going to be bleak and depressing. I wonder how long before society in general just becomes numb. Fatigue and helplessness are real enemies here. Somehow the conversation needs to turn the corner from the doom and gloom to become a series of positive affirming messages about what can be done as individuals and society.

I know what you mean. Some people just look away because it is too depressing and that's totally understandable. However, this does not improve the situation. By doing something we can overcome this feeling of helplessness and depression - and only if it is by spreading the knowledge and facts, eating less or no meat or choosing the train instead of the plane, if possible.
This task seems to be monumental, but isn't our vow to save all sentient beings monumental, too? And yet we try to achieve the impossible without the expectation of a certain outcome.
So we should just become active without clinging to the outcome. At least we have tried and given our best.


Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

Meitou
11-09-2019, 05:47 AM
I know what you mean. Some people just look away because it is too depressing and that's totally understandable. However, this does not improve the situation. By doing something we can overcome this feeling of helplessness and depression - and only if it is by spreading the knowledge and facts, eating less or no meat or choosing the train instead of the plane, if possible.
This task seems to be monumental, but isn't our vow to save all sentient beings monumental, too? And yet we try to achieve the impossible without the expectation of a certain outcome.
So we should just become active without clinging to the outcome. At least we have tried and given our best.


Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day
gassho2
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday

Doshin
11-09-2019, 08:02 AM
I know what you mean. Some people just look away because it is too depressing and that's totally understandable. However, this does not improve the situation. By doing something we can overcome this feeling of helplessness and depression - and only if it is by spreading the knowledge and facts, eating less or no meat or choosing the train instead of the plane, if possible.
This task seems to be monumental, but isn't our vow to save all sentient beings monumental, too? And yet we try to achieve the impossible without the expectation of a certain outcome.
So we should just become active without clinging to the outcome. At least we have tried and given our best.


Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

Yes. That has been my life. Hope.

Doshin
St

Doshin
11-09-2019, 08:09 AM
The report ...

https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biz088/5610806

The recommendation of simplicity at the end is very Zenlike.

Gassho, J

STLah

I was one of the 11,000. I hope some listen.

Doshin
St

Daitetsu
12-05-2019, 05:05 PM
I don't know if this has been shared elsewhere in the forums, but here is an interesting arcticle by David Loy in Tricycle Magazine:

https://tricycle.org/magazine/awakening-age-climate-change/


It contains also some critical points towards our practice.

Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

Meitou
12-05-2019, 08:38 PM
I don't know if this has been shared elsewhere in the forums, but here is an interesting arcticle by David Loy in Tricycle Magazine:

https://tricycle.org/magazine/awakening-age-climate-change/


It contains also some critical points towards our practice.

Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

Ha, I came here to post the same article. This is a great read for anyone thinking about buying his books as a lot of it is extracted directly.
Gassho
Meitou
sattodaylah

Jundo
12-24-2019, 04:30 PM
Alas ...


Were the predictions we made about climate change 20 years ago accurate? Here's a look

When it comes to climate change, did we accurately predict in 2000 what would be happening now?

"What the models correctly told us 20 years ago is that if we continued to add fossil fuels at an increasing rate to the atmosphere, we'd see an increasing range of consequences, including a decline in Arctic sea ice, a rise in sea levels and shifts in precipitation patterns," Weather Underground meteorologist Robert Henson told USA TODAY.

Overall, we're running quite close to the projections made in 2000 for carbon dioxide concentration, global temperature and sea level, Henson said.

... and where the predictions were wrong ...


Since 1992, the global sea level has risen on average 2.9 millimeters a year. That’s a total of 78.3 millimeters, according to NOAA.

Penn State University meteorologist Michael Mann argued that we underestimated the rate of ice sheet collapse, which has "implications for future sea-level rise."

...

... Mann told USA TODAY that we "underestimated the dramatic increase in persistent weather extremes like the unprecedented heat waves, droughts, wildfires and floods we’ve witnessed in recent years."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/24/climate-change-predictions-2020-carbon-dioxide-weather-disasters/2622212001/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories

Gassho, J

STLah

Jakuden
12-25-2019, 01:31 AM
I don't comment on these threads much because I also find it difficult to face the fear and sadness, I have been a biologist at heart my whole life and seeing everything dear to me change so quickly despite humanity's ability to understand and predict it has been a hard pill to swallow. Practice has helped me accept that if factors within our species do not allow us to act to keep it from happening, then it will just be part of the Karma of myself and future generations. We are wealthy and privileged, but our offspring and their offspring may need to adjust to much scarcer resources and the survivors will need to evolve and find a new balance. There is already some suffering going on, as weather events become more catastrophic, and as the younger generations are realizing that we haven't been good stewards of the world's resources for them.

Of course that doesn't mean we should give up, there is always hope that we can mitigate some of the suffering by using our human ability to communicate the knowledge we have. We may have to change our dream of the future from conquering space to learning how to survive a new Earth.

That article by David Loy linked above says it all:
"A really important social implication of this deconstruction and reconstruction of the self brings us back to social engagement, including eco-dharma, the application of Buddhist teachings to our ecological situation. As we start to wake up and realize that we are not separate from each other, nor from this wondrous earth, we also begin to realize that the ways we live together, and the ways we relate to the earth, need to be reconstructed as well. That means not only social engagement as service, but finding ways to address the problematic economic and political structures—the institutionalized forms of greed, ill will, and delusion—that are deeply implicated in the eco-crisis. Within such a notion of liberation, the path of personal transformation and the path of social transformation are not really separate from each other. We must reclaim the concept of awakening from an exclusively individualistic therapeutic model and focus on how individual liberation also requires social transformation. Engagement in the world is how our personal awakening blossoms.

It just so happens that the Buddhist tradition provides a wonderful archetype that can help us to do that: the bodhisattva. We overcome deep-rooted self-centered habits by working compassionately for the healing of our societies and the healing of the earth. This is what’s required for the Buddhist path to become truly liberative in the modern world."

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

Doshin
12-25-2019, 03:49 AM
I don't comment on these threads much because I also find it difficult to face the fear and sadness, I have been a biologist at heart my whole life and seeing everything dear to me change so quickly despite humanity's ability to understand and predict it has been a hard pill to swallow. Practice has helped me accept that if factors within our species do not allow us to act to keep it from happening, then it will just be part of the Karma of myself and future generations. We are wealthy and privileged, but our offspring and their offspring may need to adjust to much scarcer resources and the survivors will need to evolve and find a new balance. There is already some suffering going on, as weather events become more catastrophic, and as the younger generations are realizing that we haven't been good stewards of the world's resources for them.

Of course that doesn't mean we should give up, there is always hope that we can mitigate some of the suffering by using our human ability to communicate the knowledge we have. We may have to change our dream of the future from conquering space to learning how to survive a new Earth.

That article by David Loy linked above says it all:
"A really important social implication of this deconstruction and reconstruction of the self brings us back to social engagement, including eco-dharma, the application of Buddhist teachings to our ecological situation. As we start to wake up and realize that we are not separate from each other, nor from this wondrous earth, we also begin to realize that the ways we live together, and the ways we relate to the earth, need to be reconstructed as well. That means not only social engagement as service, but finding ways to address the problematic economic and political structures—the institutionalized forms of greed, ill will, and delusion—that are deeply implicated in the eco-crisis. Within such a notion of liberation, the path of personal transformation and the path of social transformation are not really separate from each other. We must reclaim the concept of awakening from an exclusively individualistic therapeutic model and focus on how individual liberation also requires social transformation. Engagement in the world is how our personal awakening blossoms.

It just so happens that the Buddhist tradition provides a wonderful archetype that can help us to do that: the bodhisattva. We overcome deep-rooted self-centered habits by working compassionately for the healing of our societies and the healing of the earth. This is what’s required for the Buddhist path to become truly liberative in the modern world."

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


gassho2

Doshin
St

Onka
12-25-2019, 09:00 AM
I don't comment on these threads much because I also find it difficult to face the fear and sadness, I have been a biologist at heart my whole life and seeing everything dear to me change so quickly despite humanity's ability to understand and predict it has been a hard pill to swallow. Practice has helped me accept that if factors within our species do not allow us to act to keep it from happening, then it will just be part of the Karma of myself and future generations. We are wealthy and privileged, but our offspring and their offspring may need to adjust to much scarcer resources and the survivors will need to evolve and find a new balance. There is already some suffering going on, as weather events become more catastrophic, and as the younger generations are realizing that we haven't been good stewards of the world's resources for them.

Of course that doesn't mean we should give up, there is always hope that we can mitigate some of the suffering by using our human ability to communicate the knowledge we have. We may have to change our dream of the future from conquering space to learning how to survive a new Earth.

That article by David Loy linked above says it all:
"A really important social implication of this deconstruction and reconstruction of the self brings us back to social engagement, including eco-dharma, the application of Buddhist teachings to our ecological situation. As we start to wake up and realize that we are not separate from each other, nor from this wondrous earth, we also begin to realize that the ways we live together, and the ways we relate to the earth, need to be reconstructed as well. That means not only social engagement as service, but finding ways to address the problematic economic and political structures—the institutionalized forms of greed, ill will, and delusion—that are deeply implicated in the eco-crisis. Within such a notion of liberation, the path of personal transformation and the path of social transformation are not really separate from each other. We must reclaim the concept of awakening from an exclusively individualistic therapeutic model and focus on how individual liberation also requires social transformation. Engagement in the world is how our personal awakening blossoms.

It just so happens that the Buddhist tradition provides a wonderful archetype that can help us to do that: the bodhisattva. We overcome deep-rooted self-centered habits by working compassionately for the healing of our societies and the healing of the earth. This is what’s required for the Buddhist path to become truly liberative in the modern world."

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

Gassho
Anna
st

Ippo
01-03-2020, 02:22 PM
I agree with that. I sometimes hesitate to read yet another article about how the environment is collapsing. I know at some levels it is just going to be bleak and depressing. I wonder how long before society in general just becomes numb. Fatigue and helplessness are real enemies here. Somehow the conversation needs to turn the corner from the doom and gloom to become a series of positive affirming messages about what can be done as individuals and society.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Nice comment Tairin. I whole heartedly agree.

Happy New Year,

Gassho,

Brad

SatToday

serenewolf
01-18-2020, 04:25 PM
I have felt fairly overwhelmed and sad every time i hear the tragedies but seek hope and you can find it. Reading the positive stories from happyeconews and watching the live cams in africa give much hope. Seeing the areas in front of the cameras fill with elephants, giraffes, zebras, lionesses, okape or gazelle, birds and many others, or seeing the millions of monarchs during their migration gives hope. Also if we can make a difference, even a small one helps. During meditation we can also get a sense of peace around us which helps to quell the fear and give clarity.
Gassho
David
Sat

Shōnin Risa Bear
01-18-2020, 06:26 PM
Did not Treeleaf have some kind of tea gatherings awhile back? I'm hankering for something informal, not to pontificate much, but to do some of my wall gazing by facing the screen and raising a (fair trade) cup in both delightful cameraderie and sober metta to all. Companionship on the taffrail of the unsinkable Titanic, say. The stars were beautiful that night, I'm sure ...

gassho
doyu sat today


May we, together with all buddhas;
Be mindful in the presence of kindness,
That we may preserve the good roots that have been nurtured to now.

Shugen
01-19-2020, 06:04 AM
Did not Treeleaf have some kind of tea gatherings awhile back? I'm hankering for something informal, not to pontificate much, but to do some of my wall gazing by facing the screen and raising a (fair trade) cup in both delightful cameraderie and sober metta to all. Companionship on the taffrail of the unsinkable Titanic, say. The stars were beautiful that night, I'm sure ...

gassho
doyu sat today

Hi Doyū,

Yes we did. We have been discussing bringing a variation of it back to the forum.

We’ll keep you posted!

Gassho,

Shugen

Sattoday

Jundo
02-14-2020, 12:18 AM
If you felt that January was warmer than usual, you're right.

January 2020 was Earth's hottest start to a year in over a century -- and it's not likely to be the last record of this type, according to a report released by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday.
In 141 years of record-keeping from NOAA, there has never been a warmer January.

This agrees with data released by the European climate observing program, Copernicus, released last week.

Temperatures surpassed the previous record set in January 2016 by 0.04 degrees Fahrenheit (0.02 degrees Celsius).

https://us.cnn.com/2020/02/13/weather/warmest-january-noaa-climate-trnd/index.html

Gassho J

stlah

Kotei
02-14-2020, 08:00 AM
It's mid February.
The cherries in the garden are starting to bloom.
Beautiful. And so sad.

I am feeling reminded on a BBC Lyrebird documentation from David Attenborough where they recorded a Lyrebird, perfectly mimicking the sound of the woodcutters for his mating songs.
Beautiful, but at the same time, while mating, singing the symphony of it's own distinction.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

Jundo
02-15-2020, 12:15 PM
Antarctica just saw its all-time hottest day ever


Temperatures in Antarctica reportedly reached 69.35 degrees Fahrenheit last week, just days after setting another record high of 64.9 F.



https://www.livescience.com/antarctica-record-high-temperature.html

Gassho, J

STLah

Doshin
02-15-2020, 06:24 PM
Aldo Leopold said...”one of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds” That describes many of us who spent a lifetime studyingg and working in conservation. Hence my glasses are not rose colored. For that reason I have not added much. However I came across this article that does discuss problems but shares what some are doing about it on a large scale.

Jundo, a scientist I know just published a paper about how climate change was affecting the reproductive success of species of snakes he was studying. it is all interconnected.

We each can do small things and support larger initiatives.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/salvation-or-pipe-dream-a-movement-grows-to-protect-up-to-half-the-planet

Doshin
St

Onka
02-15-2020, 10:25 PM
My brain's unique design features lend themselves to literally giving me ulcers and keeping me awake at night either worrying about the state of 'everything' and figuratively beating myself up for not being able to to enough, whatever that is.
My practice has helped tremendously in finding a level of equanimity and giving me permission to not be able to 'fix everything' although I still worry a LOT.
I love this thread because it reminds me that there is more good than bad in humanity. I am so grateful for anything anyone does to either help towards alleviation or at least minimisation of destructive human impact.
Gassho
Onka
st
I

Kendrick
02-16-2020, 03:05 AM
The state of our planet is very saddening. I still believe that activism is a very Bodhisattva thing to do (as long as its a good thing of course). I think we can care about our planet, politics, etc. to work for positive changes that reduce suffering while also not becoming overwhelmed, or sacrificing our peace. Leaning into the sadness instead of away from it. I wrote a short article for Elephant Journal last week talking about how we are outpacing what the planet can keep up with. If anyone wants to read it: "Exponential Growth Is Killing Us" (https://www.elephantjournal.com/2020/02/exponential-growth-is-killing-us/) (the original title).

Gassho
Kendrick
Sat/LAH

Doshin
02-18-2020, 01:33 PM
The state of our planet is very saddening. I still believe that activism is a very Bodhisattva thing to do (as long as its a good thing of course). I think we can care about our planet, politics, etc. to work for positive changes that reduce suffering while also not becoming overwhelmed, or sacrificing our peace. Leaning into the sadness instead of away from it. I wrote a short article for Elephant Journal last week talking about how we are outpacing what the planet can keep up with. If anyone wants to read it: "Exponential Growth Is Killing Us" (https://www.elephantjournal.com/2020/02/exponential-growth-is-killing-us/) (the original title

Gassho
Kendrick
Sat/LAH


Kendrick,

Well said. Good article and thanks for writing it.

Doshin
St

Kendrick
02-18-2020, 05:13 PM
Kendrick,

Well said. Good article and thanks for writing it.

Doshin
St

gassho1

Gassho
Kendrick
Sat

Tai Do
02-20-2020, 01:28 PM
Thank you very much for your article, Kendrick.
Your encoragment of our small actions to make a better world for the planet and it's inhabitants is just what we need in these times of environmental despair.
gassho1
Mateus
Sat today

Kendrick
02-21-2020, 01:51 AM
Thank you very much for your article, Kendrick.
Your encoragment of our small actions to make a better world for the planet and it's inhabitants is just what we need in these times of environmental despair.
gassho1
Mateus
Sat today

gassho1

Gassho
Kendrick
Sat

Tairin
02-22-2020, 01:53 PM
Wonderful article Kendrick. I agree with what you are saying. My wife and I have been having this same conversation as we are trying to make changes to our household consumption and hoping our seemingly small efforts make a difference.

Thank you for sharing and reminding us that our efforts do matter.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Seibu
02-24-2020, 05:20 PM
Thank you for this article Kendrick. I love how you emphasize that the action of each individual, no matter how small, helps to change things for the better.

Gassho,
Seibu
Sattoday

Kyonin
02-24-2020, 07:25 PM
I totally agree.

Each one of us must do whatever possible to fix the mess we have created. Waiting on companies or politicians won't take us far. This practice is about sitting zazen as much as it is doing the best we can to save all sentient beings... ourselves included.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

Kendrick
02-25-2020, 09:43 PM
Tairin, Seibu, Kyonin.. thank you gassho1

Gassho
Kendrick
Sat

Kokuu
02-26-2020, 08:57 AM
Great article, Kendrick! Thank you!

I totally agree with the notion of perpetual growth that is baked into our economics. It is clearly unsustainable.

In 2009 an interesting report was published by the Sustainable Development Commission called Prosperity Without Growth which looks at exactly this notion and how we can continue to live well with zero growth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_Without_Growth

So much needs challenging in the way we look at life but you are right that the only person we have direct control over is ourselves, and that is where change needs to begin.

Deep bows
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Meitou
03-24-2020, 10:56 PM
Some lovely online initiatives from Emergence Magazine are currently on offer..

https://emergencemagazine.org/community/

Gassho
Meitou
sattoday

Doshin
04-06-2020, 05:49 PM
For some of us it will likely be a year or so before we can let down our guard because of this pandemic. What we await is Science to develop a vaccine so we can resume some of what we took for granted. I have set my expectations on that and will use the time to deepen my practice. Time may pass before I can be with family again.

For this thread. which I started over my dismay for the loss of the world’s biodiversity, I hope the teaching many receive from this event is that Science has been what we were looking too/hoping for to once again further our survival. And when that time comes, maybe, just maybe, more will listen to Science when it speaks to the reality that we are changing ecosystems by our greed, ignorance and delusion that we are separate from all. Hopefully more will take action so that our descendants will inherit a world with less despair, a healthy environment and still a place we share with the wonder of other species as we travel through a known and unknown universe on this beautiful rock that is home, That is my hope.

Be safe, be well

Doshin
St

Onka
04-07-2020, 01:59 AM
Sing it Comrade Doshin!
My partner and I are expecting 12-18 months before things get back to how they were... Unfortunately.
Unfortunately because like yourself I fear for Mother Earth and ALL of her inhabitants both living and everything else that we dismiss as having little value unless in capitalist terms.
Aside from increased health risk this time will pass easily enough for my partner and myself. I too see it as an opportunity to deepen my practice and connect deeper with my immediate surroundings.
Viva Science!
Gassho
Onka Anna
Sat today/about to potter around outside

Kotei
04-07-2020, 07:48 AM
Sing it Comrade Doshin!

On the way to my little 'zendo' this morning... others are singing it, too.
https://soundcloud.com/ralf-prehn-357689516/tschirp

Thank you Doshin.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

Doshin
04-11-2020, 12:41 PM
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/sunday-review/the-ecology-of-disease.html?smid=fb-share

The Ecology of Disease

Doshin
St

Onka
04-11-2020, 08:40 PM
On the way to my little 'zendo' this morning... others are singing it, too.
https://soundcloud.com/ralf-prehn-357689516/tschirp

Thank you Doshin.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

Beautiful.
Gassho
Onka Anna

Onka
04-11-2020, 08:41 PM
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/sunday-review/the-ecology-of-disease.html?smid=fb-share

The Ecology of Disease

Doshin
St

Thank you Doshin
Gassho
Onka Anna

Onka
04-15-2020, 02:18 AM
Another interesting article

https://climateandcapitalism.com/2020/03/11/capitalist-agriculture-and-covid-19-a-deadly-combination/

Gassho
Onka
st

Tairin
04-25-2020, 02:24 AM
This video is available on YouTube for free. It is a pretty sobering message.


https://youtu.be/Zk11vI-7czE


gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Doshin
05-09-2020, 07:53 PM
This video is available on YouTube for free. It is a pretty sobering message.


https://youtu.be/Zk11vI-7czE


gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Yes very sobering Tairin.

As exhibited at the very beginning these issues were anticipated long ago.

I have worked on green energy issues regarding wildlife and long ago reached the conclusion that green isn’t necessarily green.

The paradigm that infinite growth on a finite planet is not sustainable sums it all up.

And the closing quote by Rachel Carlson from so long ago is telling “Humandkind is challenged, as it has never been challenged before to prove its maturity and its mastery-not of nature, but of its self.”

Doshin
St

Shokai
05-09-2020, 07:59 PM
It's so sad, we've been spinning our wheels for over sixty years. We can all do some small bits but, it takes governments to do the big stuff and they can't seem to agree.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

Doshin
05-09-2020, 10:56 PM
It's so sad, we've been spinning our wheels for over sixty years. We can all do some small bits but, it takes governments to do the big stuff and they can't seem to agree.

gassho, Shokai
stlah


Shokai your thoughts are part of my daily perspective. On the first Earth Day 50 years ago I raised my voice with hope. I was in the middle of an education to tackle those environmental problems. On Earth Day last month I acknowledge we have come a little ways but the journey ahead is still long. May Our species choose the right path.

Doshin
St

Doshin
St

Doshin
06-24-2020, 11:54 PM
https://www.upaya.org/program/awakened-action-women-leaders-speak/?id=2326


This past Sunday I participated in a day long conference put on by Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico USA about climate change. Leading female Buddhist voices and others addressed the science, social and gender implications. The above link is for your information. Many of the talks were packed with information and I plan to listen to some again to further digest the information presented.

Gassho
Doshin
St

Onka
06-25-2020, 12:54 AM
https://www.upaya.org/program/awakened-action-women-leaders-speak/?id=2326


This past Sunday I participated in a day long conference put on by Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico USA about climate change. Leading female Buddhist voices and others addressed the science, social and gender implications. The above link is for your information. Many of the talks were packed with information and I plan to listen to some again to further digest the information presented.

Gassho
Doshin
StThanks for the link Doshin. Later today I'm going to see if by registering I can listen to last weekend's talks. Some good ones coming up too I see.
Gassho
Onka
St

Sent from my SM-A205YN using Tapatalk

Jundo
06-25-2020, 02:14 AM
Thank you, Doshin.

This sad news today ...


Siberian town records 100 degree F day — the hottest in Arctic history

The new all-time high follows the world's hottest May on record.

... On Saturday (June 20), temperatures in the far-north town of Verkhoyansk broke 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) for the first time, according to news reports.

If verified, that makes Saturday's high the hottest-ever temperature documented above the Arctic Circle, The Washington Post reported.

https://www.livescience.com/hottest-arctic-circle-temperature-ever-siberia.html

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

Heiso
07-02-2020, 06:45 AM
Thanks Doshin, I'll have a listen. Sounds like an interesting day.

Gassho

Heiso
StLah

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

Doshin
07-22-2020, 07:28 PM
For those who may be interested

https://oneearthsangha.org/

Be Safe, Be Well

Doshin
St

Onka
07-22-2020, 08:02 PM
For those who may be interested

https://oneearthsangha.org/

Be Safe, Be Well

Doshin
StNice one. Cheers comrade.
Gassho
Onka
ST

Sent from my SM-A205YN using Tapatalk

Kokuu
07-22-2020, 08:27 PM
Thank you, Doshin!

The name reminds me of this Gary Snyder poem:

O Waters

O waters
wash us, me,
under the wrinkled granite
straight-up slab,

and sitting by camp in the pine shade
Nanao sleeping,
mountains humming and crumbling
snowfields melting
soil
building on tiny ledges
for wild onions and the flowers
Blue
Polemonium

great
earth
sangha


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Jundo
07-22-2020, 11:50 PM
For those who may be interested

https://oneearthsangha.org/

Be Safe, Be Well

Doshin
St

Doshin, would you look around, see if that organization or other Buddhists organizations are something that Treelaf could "officially" join in?

I would like very much to see Treeleaf of some larger groups pulling together on these issues.

Would you check out what is available for us to join in, and report to us (much obliged)?

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Doshin
07-23-2020, 03:18 AM
Doshin, would you look around, see if that organization or other Buddhists organizations are something that Treelaf could "officially" join in?

I would like very much to see Treeleaf of some larger groups pulling together on these issues.

Would you check out what is available for us to join in, and report to us (much obliged)?

Gassho, Jundo

STLah


Yes I will.

Doshin
St

Doshin
07-23-2020, 03:42 AM
https://oneearthsangha.org/join/ecosanghas/

Jundo,

There is individual membership which puts folks on email list.

There is also a group Sangha membership (see link above)

Doshin
St

Onka
07-23-2020, 06:34 AM
Jundo, could we please have a separate section/archive of Sangha's who have an online presence in this current and probably post-Covid-19 world who align with Treeleaf's engaged Buddhism ethos? Maybe like a "Sister Sangha" kinda thing?
Gassho
Onka
st

Jundo
07-23-2020, 07:06 AM
Jundo, could we please have a separate section/archive of Sangha's who have an online presence in this current and probably post-Covid-19 world who align with Treeleaf's engaged Buddhism ethos? Maybe like a "Sister Sangha" kinda thing?
Gassho
Onka
st

Oh, gee, I would say that about every Soto Zen group has some online happenings these days. I would just have to list them all. I don't know enough about the atmosphere at various places, and it is a matter of what resonates. And I would guess that almost every teacher these days is environmentally and socially concerned in one way or another.

Sorry, this list is mostly weighted to North America, but with some international places listed ...

http://szba.org/affiliated-temples-centers/

(Treeleaf is a member, though they insist on listing us only in "Japan" for some reason.)

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Meitou
07-23-2020, 07:21 AM
Jundo, could we please have a separate section/archive of Sangha's who have an online presence in this current and probably post-Covid-19 world who align with Treeleaf's engaged Buddhism ethos? Maybe like a "Sister Sangha" kinda thing?
Gassho
Onka
st

I subscribe to quite a few newsletters from other Sanghas and I can confirm that all of those I read are currently involved in lots of online activities. And all of them are aligned to engaged Buddhism, which I don't feel is personal to Treeleaf but more an expression of the Bodhisattva path. Lots of good people out there.
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

Doshin
07-30-2020, 02:08 PM
This resonated Today...

"This we know... the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to earth. All things are connected, like the blood which connects one family. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."
- Chief Seattle, 1854

As long as I have read his quotes some say he did not write them. Whoever did (I will stay with him) captures our connection.

Doshin
St

Heiso
08-07-2020, 09:31 AM
Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself

gassho1

Heiso
StLah

Doshin
08-22-2020, 05:58 PM
I spent a life driven by hope that my actions would contribute to a healthier and biologically diverse earth.

As Margaret Mead said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Now many years later my hope survives but has been greatly tested and tattered around the edges, but survives.

I have applied for the EcoDharma course that Jundo announced and if accepted (and with Jundo’s concurrence) I hope to summarize the sessions on this thread each week (will likely take more than three sentences but I ask for acceptance as I just did to share this plan it I will strive for brevity:) )

Doshin
St

Jundo
08-22-2020, 06:56 PM
...
I have applied for the EcoDharma course that Jundo announced and if accepted (and with Jundo’s concurrence) I hope to summarize the sessions on this thread each week (will likely take more than three sentences but I ask for acceptance as I just did to share this plan it I will strive for brevity:) )

Doshin
St

Of course. No need even to ask. :encouragement:gassho1

Gassho, J

STLah

Doshin
08-27-2020, 07:09 PM
Jundo,

I learned I was accepted into The EcoDharma course today.

Should I begin a new thread titled EcoDharma or just do a weekly summary in this existing thread?

Course begins Thursday Sept 10th and continues into December.

Doshin
St

I

Jundo
08-27-2020, 11:28 PM
Jundo,

I learned I was accepted into The EcoDharma course today.

Should I begin a new thread titled EcoDharma or just do a weekly summary in this existing thread?

Course begins Thursday Sept 10th and continues into December.

Doshin
St

I

Lovely.

Either way, as you think best. Thank you for being our ambassador there.

Gassho, J

STLah

Meitou
08-28-2020, 06:51 AM
Jundo,

I learned I was accepted into The EcoDharma course today.

Should I begin a new thread titled EcoDharma or just do a weekly summary in this existing thread?

Course begins Thursday Sept 10th and continues into December.

Doshin
St

I

That's great news for you, and all of us, and I really look forward to reading your feedback. Thank you Doshin.
Deep bows to you.
Meitou
Sattoday lah

Heiso
08-28-2020, 10:34 AM
Jundo,

I learned I was accepted into The EcoDharma course today.

Should I begin a new thread titled EcoDharma or just do a weekly summary in this existing thread?

Course begins Thursday Sept 10th and continues into December.

Doshin
St

I

Great news, Doshin. I look forward to your summary!

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Heiso
09-04-2020, 07:06 PM
I thought there was something beautiful about this short film. Shades of Cold Mountain:

https://vimeo.com/442567494

Gassho

Heiso
StLah

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

Meitou
09-04-2020, 07:46 PM
I thought there was something beautiful about this short film. Shades of Cold Mountain:

https://vimeo.com/442567494

Gassho

Heiso
StLah

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

So lovely, another world, place, time.
Thank you Heiso
Gassho
Meitou
sattoday lah

Cooperix
09-04-2020, 08:53 PM
I spent a life driven by hope that my actions would contribute to a healthier and biologically diverse earth.

As Margaret Mead said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Now many years later my hope survives but has been greatly tested and tattered around the edges, but survives.

I have applied for the EcoDharma course that Jundo announced and if accepted (and with Jundo’s concurrence) I hope to summarize the sessions on this thread each week (will likely take more than three sentences but I ask for acceptance as I just did to share this plan it I will strive for brevity:) )

Doshin
St

Congratulation Doshin,

Margaret Mead ...So true. In the 90's I joined with a small group (3 of us) to save a very important 200 acres of historical farmland from development. No one thought we'd succeed (including us), but we did!

Gassho
Anne

~lahst~

Cooperix
09-04-2020, 08:55 PM
I thought there was something beautiful about this short film. Shades of Cold Mountain:

https://vimeo.com/442567494

Gassho

Heiso
StLah

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

Beautiful film, Heiso, thank you.
And congrats Doshin, looking forward to your reports.

Bows
Anne

~lahst~

Jundo
09-05-2020, 04:38 AM
Jundo,

I learned I was accepted into The EcoDharma course today.

Should I begin a new thread titled EcoDharma or just do a weekly summary in this existing thread?

Course begins Thursday Sept 10th and continues into December.

Doshin
St

I

I almost did not recognize you today at Zazenkai with all your hair chopped away. Did you do that to prevent a forest fire up there? :p

Gassho, J

STLah

Meitou
09-05-2020, 06:48 AM
I almost did not recognize you today at Zazenkai with all your hair chopped away. Did you do that to prevent a forest fire up there? :p

Gassho, J

STLah

Haha, same, I almost forgot what I was there for!
Suits you sir.
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

Doshin
09-05-2020, 01:55 PM
I almost did not recognize you today at Zazenkai with all your hair chopped away. Did you do that to prevent a forest fire up there? :p

Gassho, J

STLah

Isolation haircut by my wife (she used to shear sheep) [claps] Much easier to care for, can I count it towards Ango?.

Doshin
St

Doshin
09-08-2020, 02:53 PM
I thought there was something beautiful about this short film. Shades of Cold Mountain:

https://vimeo.com/442567494

Gassho

Heiso
StLah

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk


Lovely

Doshin
St

Eva
09-09-2020, 07:49 AM
Doshin, what a beautiful movie,
beautiful silence .
Thank you so much for sharing, will watch this many times for sure .

Gassho,
eva
sattoday

Doshin
09-11-2020, 05:44 PM
I started this thread with a similar report.

Note in article there is a documentary airing this weekend in the UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54091048?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=44f6a8b6bc-briefing-dy-20200911&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-44f6a8b6bc-45431046

They talked of grief in the Ecodharma course yesterday, this is what it meant to me.

Doshin
St

Heiso
09-15-2020, 07:30 PM
I started this thread with a similar report.

Note in article there is a documentary airing this weekend in the UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54091048?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=44f6a8b6bc-briefing-dy-20200911&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-44f6a8b6bc-45431046

They talked of grief in the Ecodharma course yesterday, this is what it meant to me.

Doshin
StWe watched the documentary on Sunday, it was incredibly moving and powerful a lot of people seem to be talking about it though which is a good thing.

Gassho
Heiso
StLah

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Eva
09-16-2020, 08:18 AM
I started this thread with a similar report.

Note in article there is a documentary airing this weekend in the UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54091048?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=44f6a8b6bc-briefing-dy-20200911&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-44f6a8b6bc-45431046

They talked of grief in the Ecodharma course yesterday, this is what it meant to me.

Doshin
St

Hello Doshin ,
thank you for your work with EcoDharma and sharing with us .

I admit, I rarely watch these kind of documentaries since it hurts just a bit too much . I'm ashamed to be called a human , seeing the devastation .
I'm grateful for every person who does in any scale anything that helps our co-existence and promotes all life .

Gassho ,
eva
sattoday and LAH

Doshin
09-16-2020, 02:53 PM
We watched the documentary on Sunday, it was incredibly moving and powerful a lot of people seem to be talking about it though which is a good thing.

Gassho
Heiso
StLah

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

I am trying to see how Incan view it in the States. Thanks for your feedback

Doshin
St

Doshin
09-16-2020, 02:59 PM
Hello Doshin ,
thank you for your work with EcoDharma and sharing with us .

I admit, I rarely watch these kind of documentaries since it hurts just a bit too much . I'm ashamed to be called a human , seeing the devastation .
I'm grateful for every person who does in any scale anything that helps our co-existence and promotes all life .

Gassho ,
eva
sattoday and LAH


I understand Eva.

In 1970 I was in the middle of my education in Ecology and celebrated the First Earth Day with great optimism. On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day this year I felt less so since the wildlife on the planet has declined by half. If the work of so many had not been done that number would be greater. Though my flames of hope burn cooler I see no other choice than to continue forward and add where I can.

Sorry to be long but I could not condense my feelings more than I did.

Be Safe Stay Well
Doshin
St

Eva
09-16-2020, 03:18 PM
I understand Eva.

In 1970 I was in the middle of my education in Ecology and celebrated the First Earth Day with great optimism. On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day this year I felt less so since the wildlife on the planet has declined by half. If the work of so many had not been done that number would be greater. Though my flames of hope burn cooler I see no other choice than to continue forward and add where I can.

Sorry to be long but I could not condense my feelings more than I did.

Be Safe Stay Well
Doshin
St

Thank you Doshin,

well is n't it a Dukkha of hope, we carry in our hearts ? Sometimes it does feel so ..

Gassho,
eva
sattoday and LAH

Doshin
11-24-2020, 07:43 PM
So https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/a-glimmer-of-hope-on-vertebrate-biodiversity/?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=fb30d7cec3-briefing-dy-20201124&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-fb30d7cec3-45431046

Some good news (I want to believe)

Doshin
St

Jundo
11-25-2020, 12:45 AM
So https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/a-glimmer-of-hope-on-vertebrate-biodiversity/?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=fb30d7cec3-briefing-dy-20201124&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-fb30d7cec3-45431046

Some good news (I want to believe)

Doshin
St

Also, this ... not there yet (and, boy, they could try harder to pour research into this) ... but perhaps some hope for one leg of a solution here ...


Could we ever pull enough carbon out of the atmosphere to stop climate change?

Nature has equipped Earth with several giant "sponges," or carbon sinks, that can help humans battle climate change. These natural sponges, as well as human-made ones, can sop up carbon, effectively removing it from the atmosphere.

But what does this sci-fi-like act really entail? And how much will it actually take — and cost — to make a difference and slow climate change?

... With direct air capture and carbon storage, for instance, a chemical process takes carbon dioxide out of the air and binds it to filters. When the filter is heated, the CO2 can be captured and then injected underground. There are currently 15 direct air capture plants worldwide, according to the International Energy Agency. There's also bioenergy with carbon capture. With this method, plants and trees are grown, creating a carbon sink, and then the organic material is burned to produce heat or fuel known as bioenergy. During combustion, the carbon emissions are captured and stored underground. Another carbon capture trick involves mineralization; in this process, rocks get ground up to increase the surfaces available to chemically react with, and crystallize, CO2. Afterward, the mineralized CO2 is stored underground.

However, none of these technologies have been implemented on a large scale. They're extremely expensive, with estimates as high as $400 per ton of CO2 removed, and each still requires a lot of research and support before being deployed.

https://www.livescience.com/can-carbon-removal-slow-climate-change.html

What saddens me, in my own neighborhood, is that local folks have taken to cutting down large and dense stands of trees ... to put in rows of solar panels! That, even though there is already open land all around here. Argggh.

Gassho, J

STLah

Jundo
12-11-2020, 04:30 AM
I found this a beautiful and simply explained presentation, recommended to all ...


https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/12/world/ticking-time-bomb/

Gassho, J

STLah

Guy Malkerson
12-23-2020, 11:49 AM
Hello Jundo,

Enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing the link. I think it highlights some good ideas. Unfortunately, I have really quite old kit (both my laptop and my phone) and don’t think the media from the link was playing properly or completely. But I’m guessing the gist is that there are lots of ways to sequester carbon. It’s going to take a myriad of solutions to stabilise the temperature of the planet. There’s no single answer.

From what I was able to see they were presenting mangroves and peat bogs as particularly good ways. Very Nice. Did they mention sea grass? Have heard a lot about planting activity in this area recently too. Here’s a link https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51804404

Have been knocking around Treeleaf for a little bit now, reading various forums and this Living Earth thread seems to be where I’m at. Have enjoyed all of your posts on this sometimes very painful but vitally important matter. I hope it’s cool that I join in with all of you here.

The work in this area resonates with the koan Ta Lung’s Hard and Fast Body of Reality, which is the eight-second case in the Blue Cliff Record:


A monk asked Ta Lung, “The physical body rots away: what is the hard and fast body of reality?”
Lung said, “The mountain flowers bloom like brocade, the valley streams are brimming blue as indigo.”


The earth will survive one way or another, with or without humans and lots of other species. What I believe we are trying to do is to ease the suffering on our living earth, which is a manifestation of the Bodhisattva path.

My big thing is planting trees. I live in Bristol, England and with my friends in the local gardening groups we’ve planted a couple of orchards as well as other garden patches on disused pieces of land. It gives one a great feeling of hope and fellowship participating in these types of projects and, if you can, I heartily recommend it.

With deep bows to you all,

Guy
Sat today

Jundo
12-24-2020, 03:41 AM
Hello Jundo,

Enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing the link. I think it highlights some good ideas. Unfortunately, I have really quite old kit (both my laptop and my phone) and don’t think the media from the link was playing properly or completely. But I’m guessing the gist is that there are lots of ways to sequester carbon. It’s going to take a myriad of solutions to stabilise the temperature of the planet. There’s no single answer.

From what I was able to see they were presenting mangroves and peat bogs as particularly good ways. Very Nice. Did they mention sea grass? Have heard a lot about planting activity in this area recently too. Here’s a link https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51804404

Have been knocking around Treeleaf for a little bit now, reading various forums and this Living Earth thread seems to be where I’m at. Have enjoyed all of your posts on this sometimes very painful but vitally important matter. I hope it’s cool that I join in with all of you here.

The work in this area resonates with the koan Ta Lung’s Hard and Fast Body of Reality, which is the eight-second case in the Blue Cliff Record:


A monk asked Ta Lung, “The physical body rots away: what is the hard and fast body of reality?”
Lung said, “The mountain flowers bloom like brocade, the valley streams are brimming blue as indigo.”


The earth will survive one way or another, with or without humans and lots of other species. What I believe we are trying to do is to ease the suffering on our living earth, which is a manifestation of the Bodhisattva path.

My big thing is planting trees. I live in Bristol, England and with my friends in the local gardening groups we’ve planted a couple of orchards as well as other garden patches on disused pieces of land. It gives one a great feeling of hope and fellowship participating in these types of projects and, if you can, I heartily recommend it.

With deep bows to you all,

Guy
Sat today

Hi Guy,

I think that most of the posts in this thread are actually by our long time friend, and naturist/biologist, Doshin, and he deserves the thanks.

Gassho, J

STLah

Guy Malkerson
12-24-2020, 09:34 AM
Appreciate the clarification, Jundo.

Ahhh, Doshin, your work as a naturist/biologist must be very interesting. Thank you for your posts and Eco Dharma stuff and to everyone for keeping it going.

I look at the Living Earth and Zen Buddhist practice as being entwined. There are so many entwined teachings: The Buddha gained realization under the Bodhi Tree; Ch’ang Sha wandered in the mountains; Pai Chang’s encountered wild ducks. At the moment am enjoying making my way slowly through Master Dogen’s Eihei Koroku and he frequently cites the living earth like fully pervading mountains and surveying rivers. It’s all thusness.

With deep bows,

Guy
Sat today

Doshin
01-04-2021, 01:54 AM
For https://youtu.be/xxibm1ODEpI

For those who have access to BBC

Doshin
St

Jundo
01-04-2021, 02:52 AM
For https://youtu.be/xxibm1ODEpI

For those who have access to BBC

Doshin
St

gassho2gassho2gassho2

Guy Malkerson
01-04-2021, 09:41 PM
Hi Doshin,

Thanks for the heads up on David Attenborough’s Perfect Planet series. I watched the first episode on volcanoes this evening. It’s all so beautifully shot!

Loved seeing the bears enjoying their caviar!! Was a bit shocked by the vampire finches though...

Totally agree with Sir David’s assertion that people must stop producing so much carbon in order to rebalance the planet. One big solution to this would be if there were not so many people. Another campaign that Attenborough is a part of https://populationmatters.org/

Cheers & big gasshos,

Guy
sat today

Doshin
01-05-2021, 10:01 PM
Guy,

I am awaiting for the show to come to US so I may enjoy it. I share your concern of population growth.

Doshin
St

Guy Malkerson
01-06-2021, 03:36 PM
Hi Doshin,

I think you’ll enjoy the series when it gets stateside. It is quality and reminiscent of the Jataka Tales – at least what I’ve seen so far. Looking forward to watching more.

My partner Liz likes watching ice skating and we settled down to watch another show on British TV (this time on ITV so it might be available stateside???) with Torville and Dean where they headed to Alaska to do some wild ice skating. I was surprised by the heavy environmental angle of it.

The show was like a travelogue where the two former Olympians tried find some ice to do their Bolero number on. Due to climate change, conditions were too warm almost everywhere. Lots of insights from the local folk about climate change and a very revealing conversation with an Inuit fellow about how houses in his birthplace are collapsing due to climate change were quite revealing.

His community have always lived on an island that was protected by frozen ice flows from the sea. However, now those ice flows are melting and the sea is pounding their island home, causing erosion. This means that houses are actually tumbling down over steep banks. Change is coming quickly there now and they may have to evacuate. This is not an isolated incident. Many island communities around the globe have seen their homes disappear under the sea recently.

Here’s a bit about that show https://www.itv.com/news/2020-12-28/torvill-and-deans-quest-to-find-natures-glacial-beauty-spots-shows-them-the-effect-of-climate-change

Gassho,

Guy
Sat today

Guy Malkerson
02-03-2021, 11:06 AM
It’s tree planting season in the northern hemisphere. Late winter to early spring is the optimum time. This is one of the most positive actions we can take to help the planet. Yesterday my partner Liz (who I care for) and I planted a mulberry, which is local to these parts. Lots of fun! It’s very rewarding as over the years you can watch it grow. Where would Zhou zhou have been without his trees in the garden? Zen would’ve been shorted some grand koans certainly :D

Here’s a video on how to plant a potted tree that looks pretty good to me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYmgrw0PgLU

They do lots of extra stuff in the video like adding a dike. I’ve never done that. Also, they seem to want to water it a lot! I live in England where it seems to rain a little bit (or a lot a bit lately) every day. Watering is super important when you first get a tree in the ground but unless we get a few weeks with no rain, we don’t water them after the initial planting here and they seem to do just fine.

Gassho,

Guy
Sat Today

Doshin
02-03-2021, 12:59 PM
Guy,

Small things make a big difference!

Doshin
St

Doshin
03-11-2021, 08:24 PM
Butterflies declining in Western United State

https://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-desk-climate-change-butterflies-in-the-west-are-disappearing

Doshin
St

Guy Malkerson
03-12-2021, 01:51 PM
Butterflies declining in Western United State

https://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-desk-climate-change-butterflies-in-the-west-are-disappearing

Doshin
St

Hi Doshin,

That is sad but not surprising. Here in Bristol we have a place called butterfly junction that has been reduced and neglected for the last couple of years while a road was being built through part of it. We're just getting back to working on it and putting butterfly friendly plants back in, cutting back the ivy that is over growing on the site, etc. Pesticides are a big problem. We don't use them at all.

A future hope would be for many places to be rewilded for butterfly habitats...

Gassho,

Guy
Sat today - LAH

Doshin
03-14-2021, 03:48 PM
“We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes – something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”Aldo Leopold

The above occurred a hundred years ago near where I live. I have quoted him before in this thread and thought it fitting to do again because I attended several Zoom talks this past week about Aldo and agreed to be on a Board for folks who are establishing an Aldo Leopold library at the gateway to the Also Leopold Wilderness (Jundo you may recall as I pointed this region out as we drove through it) where this realization took place. Aldo was one of the most influential conservationist of the last Century.

The Zoom talks focused on social justice and diversity in the land ethic attributed to Aldo’s writings. A good perspective, long over due.

Those who would like to learn about Aldo (my first connection to interdependence) there is a documentary available on Vimeo named Fierce Green Fire.
Doshin
St

Jundo
04-06-2021, 12:52 AM
Japan just recorded its earliest cherry blossom bloom in 1,200 years. Scientists warn it's a symptom of the larger climate crisis

https://us.cnn.com/2021/04/05/asia/japan-cherry-blossoms-climate-change-intl-hnk-scn/index.html

https://youtu.be/RRea_DN6MMk

Gasshom J

STLah

Meishin
04-06-2021, 03:20 PM
In Texas too. My wife and I walk each day, and we have noticed that the Bradford Pear trees blossomed early. And that Japanese Maples are much more vivid.

Gassho
Meishin
STLah

Doshin
04-10-2021, 11:28 AM
Ecocide

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/07042021/climate-crisis-ecocide-vanuatu-the-fifth-crime/

Doshin
St

Doshin
04-10-2021, 11:34 AM
In Texas too. My wife and I walk each day, and we have noticed that the Bradford Pear trees blossomed early. And that Japanese Maples are much more vivid.

Gassho
Meishin
STLah


This winter I watched ground squirrels and chipmunks visit my bird feeders without ever disappearing for what I assumed was their usual hibernation cycle. It gave me pause....as a wildlife biologist I was trained not to make assumptions but a question now lingers for me. But I have a hypothesis that maybe has already been answered which resides in the literature in some deep corner of an academic library.

Doshin
St

Doshin
04-20-2021, 11:52 AM
Earthrise

In 1968 I watched as Apollo 8 left the Earth’s orbit headed for the moon. They were told to document their journey with photos but never instructed to look back towards their home and take photos. They were focused on their destination. Yet when they circled the moon they saw on the horizon the Earth begin to rise. Its colors and beauty were a stark contrast to the barren and apparently lifeless landscape of the moon below them. A beacon of life in a vast and dark universe

50 years later those three astronauts, the first to see the earth in its wholeness, reflected on that perspective in a short film. You can watch the film “Earthrise” on Vimeo and pause to embrace the Interdependence of all sentient beings. From my perspective there is no practice greater than nurturing that interdependence It is precious that we are here and that realization was evident as the first humans viewed Earth as they circled a lunar object so far away but yet so very close.

That iconic photo is credited with propelling the environmental movement that led to the first Earth Day.

Enjoy Earth Day and give Metta for us all.

Doshin
St

Kokuu
04-20-2021, 01:23 PM
Lovely, Doshin! Thank you, and Happy Earth Day!

To add to that, I would like to share some words written by the American astronaut Tom Stafford, who flew on Apollo 10, on looking at the earth from space:

"The white twisted clouds and the endless shades of blue in the ocean
make the hum of the spacecraft systems, the radio chatter, even your
own breathing disappear. There is no cold or wind or smell to tell you
that you are connected to Earth. You have an almost dispassionate platform
- remote, Olympian and yet so moving that you can hardly believe how
emotionally attached you are to those rough patterns shifting steadily below."

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Meishin
04-20-2021, 02:00 PM
gassho2

Gassho
Meishin
STLah

Kokuu
04-23-2021, 11:52 AM
Dear all

Apologies if it has been mentioned before but I just discovered this virtual sangha of environmental engaged Buddhists: https://oneearthsangha.org/

I am just exploring them at the moment but David Loy is involved which seems to me a good sign both of their depth of dharma knowledge and commitment to environmental activism.

They have an Ecosattva course to explore issues and actions we can take as engaged Buddhist (https://oneearthsangha.org/programs/ecosattva-training/v3/) and you can do that as a group so I wonder if that might be something we could organise here at Treeleaf for interested folk? I think the registration fee is $150 but there is a group discount.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Naiko
04-25-2021, 08:36 PM
Hi all,
I just saw notice of an online talk by David Loy, Wednesday, May 5th, 7:30pm Eastern Time/US-Canada.
"How Can Buddhism Help Us Respond to the Ecological Crisis?"
A Talk and Discussion with DAVID LOY
Wednesday, 5 May 2021, 7:30-9PM US ET
Via Zoom. Registered required here: https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/.../tJ0odO...
The ecological crisis—which includes the climate emergency but is much bigger than that—is the greatest challenge that humanity has ever faced. What does Buddhism offer, if anything, that can help us understand and respond appropriately? Most of all, what does the eco-crisis mean for how we understand and practice Buddhism (or follow any spiritual path) today? What is the role of the bodhisattva/ecosattva today?https://www.facebook.com/events/3900237656710974/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A%2229%22%2C%22ref_noti f_type%22%3A%22event_calendar_create%22%2C%22actio n_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&notif_id=1619379610294065&notif_t=event_calendar_create&ref=notif
Gassho,
Naiko,
st-lah

Doshin
04-25-2021, 08:47 PM
Thanks Naiko. I listened to David give a similar talk on Earth Day. I will listen again to learn more.

Doshin
St

Heiso
04-26-2021, 03:13 AM
Dear all

Apologies if it has been mentioned before but I just discovered this virtual sangha of environmental engaged Buddhists: https://oneearthsangha.org/

I am just exploring them at the moment but David Loy is involved which seems to me a good sign both of their depth of dharma knowledge and commitment to environmental activism.

They have an Ecosattva course to explore issues and actions we can take as engaged Buddhist (https://oneearthsangha.org/programs/ecosattva-training/v3/) and you can do that as a group so I wonder if that might be something we could organise here at Treeleaf for interested folk? I think the registration fee is $150 but there is a group discount.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-Thanks Kokuu, that looks really interesting, I'll take a look.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Sent from my RMX2001 using Tapatalk

Tairin
07-31-2021, 03:00 PM
A little off topic but I thought this article might resonate with the contributors to this discussion.

https://theconversation.com/billionaire-space-race-the-ultimate-symbol-of-capitalisms-flawed-obsession-with-growth-164511

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Doshin
08-03-2021, 01:11 AM
A little off topic but I thought this article might resonate with the contributors to this discussion.

https://theconversation.com/billionaire-space-race-the-ultimate-symbol-of-capitalisms-flawed-obsession-with-growth-164511

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

A good read. Thank you.

Doshin
St

Heiso
08-03-2021, 02:53 PM
Very interesting, thanks. There is something really chilling about deciding we're going run out of resources on this planet so let's go find another one. And of these billionaires spending fortunes on vanity flights while people lose their homes to not only covid but the impact of climate change.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Jundo
10-13-2021, 01:46 AM
For want of a better place to post this, awards for nature photography were announced ...

This is captioned "Kuwaiti photographer Majed Ali's shot of a mountain gorilla enjoying the rain won the "Animal Portraits" category." However, if that ain't a gorilla cousin sitting Zazen, then (I resisted the temptation to make an "I'm a monkey's uncle" reference) ...

https://us.cnn.com/travel/article/wildlife-photographer-award-winner-2021-scli-intl-scn/index.html

Or maybe it is just enjoying the rain. Or maybe it is all the same. :)


https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_auto,w_900,c_fill,g_auto,h_506,ar_16:9/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets% 2F211012105955-12-wildlife-photographer-award-winner-2021-restricted.jpg

Gassho, J

STLah

Jundo
10-14-2021, 02:08 AM
Sadly, there seems to be a solid factual basis behind this report, with real geopolitical concerns, and rare minerals disputes are already causing military tensions ...

... although, also sadly, the report does remind me also of the kind of news reporting and science muddling that the petrochemical and auto (and tobacco etc.) industries have sponsored when they want to put the breaks on changes ranging from lead paint to seatbelts to cigarette smoking ... so I am a little cautious too ...


The big hurdle to jump-starting solar, wind energy and electric cars

Although our planet's surface is blessed with an endless supply of sunshine and wind, we have to build solar panels and wind turbines to harness all that energy -- not to mention batteries to store it. That will require vast quantities of raw materials from beneath the earth's surface. Worse, green technologies rely on certain key minerals that are often scarce, concentrated in a few countries and difficult to extract.

This is no reason to stick with dirty fossil fuels. But few people realize the huge resource demands of renewable energy. A recent report from the International Energy Agency warned: "The transition to clean energy means a shift from a fuel-intensive to a material-intensive system."

Consider the low-mineral requirements of high-carbon fossil fuels. A natural gas power plant with one megawatt of capacity -- enough to power over 800 homes -- takes about 1,000 kg of minerals to build. For a coal plant of the same size, it's about 2,500 kg. A megawatt of solar power, by comparison, requires almost 7,000 kg of minerals, while offshore wind uses more than 15,000 kg. Keep in mind, sunshine and wind aren't always available, so you have to build more solar panels and wind turbines to generate the same annual electricity as a fossil fuel plant.

The disparity is similar in transportation. A typical gas-powered car contains about 35 kg of scarce metals, mostly copper and manganese. Electric cars not only need double the amount of those two elements, but also large quantities of lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite -- over 200 kg in total. (The figures here and in the previous paragraph exclude the biggest inputs, steel and aluminum, because they are common materials, though they are carbon-intensive to produce.)

All in all, according to the International Energy Agency, achieving the Paris climate goals will mean quadrupling mineral supplies by 2040. Some elements will have to rise even more. The world will need 21 times as much cobalt as it consumes now and 42 times as much lithium.

This will not be easy. Geography is a big part of the challenge. Roughly 70% of the world's cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a war-torn nation with minimal environmental protections and a history of exploiting child labor. Sixty percent of so-called "rare earth" elements such as neodymium, used for magnets inside wind turbines and electric vehicles, are extracted in China.

https://us.cnn.com/2021/10/12/opinions/climate-change-clean-energy-bader/index.html

Gassho, J

STLah

Doshin
10-21-2021, 08:39 PM
Half Earth Day

This event is Friday (In US) October 22. There are a variety of presentations, panel discussions and world notables in Biodiversity Conservation speaking (eg Sir David Attenborough, E.O. Wilson)

https://half-earthday2021.brandlive.com/half-earth

Doshin
St

Kokuu
10-21-2021, 09:39 PM
This event is Friday (In US) October 22. There are a variety of presentations, panel discussions and world notables in Biodiversity Conservation speaking (eg Sir David Attenborough, E.O. Wilson)

https://half-earthday2021.brandlive.com/half-earth

Thank you for sharing, Doshin. E O Wilson has been a huge inspiration to me.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Doshin
10-23-2021, 01:47 PM
Half Earth Day follow up….

I viewed many of the presentations yesterday and learned they will be posted on Vimeo. I will provide a link when they do so

Half Earth refers to the concept of protecting half the earth to ensure the continuance of a majority of the species we share this planet with. This does not mean excluding humans but focusing on maintaining healthy functioning ecosystems. EO Wilson published a book several years ago with the title Half Earth.

I hope to post some highlights and links to the talks later for those interested. There were several presentations that highlighted the link between biodiversity and climate change. Not just that biodiversity is affected by climate change but how biodiversity has also mitigated impacts of climate change. They are interdependent which is no surprise to those who study the dharma.

I learned a new acronym from the talks. It summarized the threats to biodiversity…HIPPO

Habitat destruction
Invasive species
Pollution (mostly aquatic systems)
Population growth
Over harvesting (commercial fishing and hunting)

As to impacts of climate change? It exasperates many of these threats if not all.

Doshin
St

Doshin
10-23-2021, 01:51 PM
Thank you for sharing, Doshin. E O Wilson has been a huge inspiration to me.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-


Yes…I remember when his book Sociobiology came out in the 1970s and how controversial it was. Some vilified him. One of my graduate courses focused on the book. I have heard him speak at a few conferences over the decades He has made many contributions to biology and conservation.

Doshin
St

Tairin
10-23-2021, 02:43 PM
Half Earth Day follow up….

I viewed many of the presentations yesterday and learned they will be posted on Vimeo. I will provide a link when they do so

Half Earth refers to the concept of protecting half the earth to ensure the continuance of a majority of the species we share this planet with. This does not mean excluding humans but focusing on maintaining healthy functioning ecosystems. EO Wilson published a book several years ago with the title Half Earth.

Please do post once you have the links. My brain is struggling with the Half Earth concept. Is it intended to feel more achievable and less overwhelming than trying to save the whole Earth?


EDIT: I went off to educate myself and very quickly found this https://www.half-earthproject.org/discover-half-earth/ which very nicely explains some of the math behind the concept.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Doshin
10-23-2021, 05:18 PM
Please do post once you have the links. My brain is struggling with the Half Earth concept. Is it intended to feel more achievable and less overwhelming than trying to save the whole Earth?


EDIT: I went off to educate myself and very quickly found this https://www.half-earthproject.org/discover-half-earth/ which very nicely explains some of the math behind the concept.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah


Thanks for the link! My understanding of Half Earth is that by targeting key ecosystems and the appropriate size we could hopefully protect 85% of the species.

Doshin
St

PS This YouTube video is a few years old https://youtu.be/6fGJafDDCks

Doshin
10-23-2021, 05:45 PM
Sadly, there seems to be a solid factual basis behind this report, with real geopolitical concerns, and rare minerals disputes are already causing military tensions ...

... although, also sadly, the report does remind me also of the kind of news reporting and science muddling that the petrochemical and auto (and tobacco etc.) industries have sponsored when they want to put the breaks on changes ranging from lead paint to seatbelts to cigarette smoking ... so I am a little cautious too ...



Gassho, J

STLah

I believe it was Kermit the frog that said “It’s not easy to be green”.

In past years ago I challenged a Wind Turbine project. Not because it was not good as a producer of alternative energy but because of where they were going to build it (siting) and it’s potential impact on birds of prey and bats. Another example that comes to mind is hydroelectricity…the carbon foot print is low but the impacts on aquatic systems was great. Today some dams are being removed to allow fisheries migration to occur again and established free flowing rivers that support species not found in a reservoir.

Doshin
St

Skot
10-23-2021, 09:44 PM
"Although we say that mountains belong to the nation,
mountains belong to the people who love them."

-Dogen in 'Sansuikyō'

Skot SatUrToday

Jundo
10-23-2021, 11:33 PM
I saw this report and found it very interesting, although I do not know if it is even a workable treatment (not really a solution) to the problem. maybe just a tiny bandage on a battlefield ... :

Gassho, J STLah


The world is banking on giant carbon-sucking fans to clean our climate mess. It's a big risk.

... Humans have emitted so much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere that machines like this are being used to literally suck the gas back out, like giant vacuum cleaners, in an attempt to slow the climate crisis and prevent some of its most devastating consequences.
The Orca plant — its name derived from the Icelandic word for energy — is what is known as a "direct air carbon capture facility," and its creator and operator, Swiss firm Climeworks, say it's the world's largest. ... Scientists say that simply cutting back on our use of fossil fuels won't be enough to avert catastrophe; we need to also clean up some of the mess we've been making for hundreds of years. ... It opened last month and currently removes about 10 metric tons of CO2 every day, which is roughly the the same amount of carbon emitted by 800 cars a day in the US. It's also about the same amount of carbon 500 trees could soak up in a year.
It's a fine start, but in the grand scheme of things, its impact so far is miniscule. Humans emit around 35 billion tons of greenhouse gas a year through the cars we drive and flights we take, the power we use to heat our homes and the food — in particular the meat — that we eat, among other activities.

... "Carbon capture and storage is not going to be the solution to climate change," Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir, a geologist with Carbfix, told CNN. "But it is a solution. And it's one of the many solutions that we need to implement to be able to achieve this big goal that we have to reach." She added: "First and foremost, we have to stop emitting CO2 and we have to stop burning fossil fuels, the main source of CO2 emissions to our atmosphere."

... Because of the high temperature that is needed for the process, the Orca plant requires a lot of energy. That's a problem that's easily solved in Iceland, where green geothermal power is abundant. But it could become a challenge to scale globally. ...

... The machines at Orca are just one way to remove CO2 from the air. Other methods involve capturing the gas at source — like the chimney of a cement factory — or removing it from the fuel before combustion. That involves exposing the fuel, such as coal or natural gas, to oxygen or steam under high temperature and pressure to convert it into a mixture of hydrogen and CO2. The hydrogen is then separated and can be burned with much lower carbon emissions. However, methane emissions could be a problem when the process is used on natural gas. The carbon that comes out of CCS can be used for other purposes, for example to make objects out of plastic instead of using oil, or in the food industry, which uses CO2 to put the fizz in drinks. But the amount that needs to be captured vastly exceeds the world's demand for CO2 in other places, which means the majority of it will need to be "stored." At Orca, this happens just a few hundred meters away from its vacuum in several igloo-like structures where the gas is mixed with water and injected around 800 meters underground. There, the CO2 reacts with sponge-like volcanic rocks and mineralizes, while the water flows away. ...

... CCS technology sounds like the perfect solution, but it remains highly controversial, and not just because of the amount of energy it needs. Its critics say the world should be aiming for zero emissions, not net zero. But scientific consensus is pretty clear: some level of carbon capture will soon become necessary. The IPCC estimated that even if emissions decline dramatically, to keep temperature increases below 2 degrees will require the removal of between 10 billion and 20 billion tonnes of CO2 every year until 2100. "I don't think carbon capture is a silver bullet, because there is no silver bullet," said Nadine Mustafa, a researcher that specializes in carbon capture at the department of chemical engineering at Imperial College London, and is not involved with Orca. "It's not that we are going to fix everything by using renewables, or that we're going to use carbon capture and storage and we're going to fix everything with that. We're going to need everything, especially because we're already behind on our goals."

... One remaining risk in this technology is the impact that storing the carbon may have on the Earth, or at least its immediate environment. In its special report on carbon capture and storage, the IPCC said that by far the biggest risk comes from potential leaks. A sudden and large release of CO2 would be extremely dangerous. In the air, a CO2 concentration of around 10% is deadly, but even much lower levels can cause health issues. ... Snæbjörnsdóttir, who heads the CO2 mineral storage at Carbfix for Orca, said the mineralization process they use in Iceland eliminates the risk of leaks. And the basalt — which is volcanic rock — around the plant makes for an ideal geological storage.

https://us.cnn.com/2021/10/20/world/carbon-capture-storage-climate-iceland-intl-cmd/index.html

One particularly interesting note at the end of the articles ..


Opponents of CCS argue the technology is simply another way for the fossil fuel industry to delay its inevitable demise. While they are not involved in the Orca plant, fossil fuel giants dominate the sector. According to a database complied by the Global CCS Institute, a pro-CCS think tank, an overwhelming majority of the world's 89 CCS projects that are currently in operation, being built or in advanced stages of development are operated by oil, gas and coal companies.Oil companies have had and used the technology to capture carbon for decades, but they haven't exactly done it to reduce emissions — ironically, their motivation has been to extract even more oil. That's because the CO2 they remove can be re-injected into oil fields that are nearly depleted, and help squeeze out 30-60% more oil than with normal methods. The process is known as "enhanced oil recovery" and it is one of the main reasons why CCS remains controversial. Fossil fuel companies are also investing in the newer carbon capture tech that removes CO2 from the air — like Orca's machines do — so they can argue they are "offsetting" the emissions that they can't capture in their usual processes. It's one way to delay fossil fuels' inevitable demise as the world transitions to renewable energy sources.

There is another way to look at it.

Fossil fuel companies have the big bucks to invest in this expensive tech, and considering fossil fuels are by far the main driver of climate change, it can be argued that they have a responsibility to foot the bill for what could be the biggest environmental disaster clean-up in human history.

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/211018110821-01-carbfix-climeworks-iceland-carbon-storage-super-169.jpg

Doshin
10-26-2021, 12:28 AM
"Although we say that mountains belong to the nation,
mountains belong to the people who love them."

-Dogen in 'Sansuikyō'

Skot SatUrToday


I find beauty in that quote. Thank you

Doshin
St

Kokuu
10-26-2021, 07:37 AM
I saw this report and found it very interesting, although I do not know if it is even a workable treatment (not really a solution) to the problem. maybe just a tiny bandage on a battlefield ..

I suspect there are going to be a number of parts to a solution but I think people are desperate to find solutions that mean we do not have to change our current way of living. More technology is seen to be the answer, and that is true to some degree, but I personally think that we will not be able to get out of this situation without massively changing our lifestyle. It is not just global warming we are facing but catastrophic loss of habitat and species, plastic pollution etc.

We have been living a largely unfettered existence for a century or two, based on a huge stock of fossil fuels that was built up over millions of years. It is like spending your life savings in a week and then expecting to carry on living like in that week. It cannot last.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Doshin
10-26-2021, 01:04 PM
I suspect there are going to be a number of parts to a solution but I think people are desperate to find solutions that mean we do not have to change our current way of living. More technology is seen to be the answer, and that is true to some degree, but I personally think that we will not be able to get out of this situation without massively changing our lifestyle. It is not just global warming we are facing but catastrophic loss of habitat and species, plastic pollution etc.

We have been living a largely unfettered existence for a century or two, based on a huge stock of fossil fuels that was built up over millions of years. It is like spending your life savings in a week and then expecting to carry on living like in that week. It cannot last.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-


I believe technology will and must be part of the solution. But!! As you indicate we also need to change our individual approach to how we live. I think that comes from government leadership/motivation/inspiration (which is not viewed with favor by many but it is the way of our species especially as our numbers have grown) and importantly from within us. This is why I view our practice as key and why I have been reaching for the dharma all these years to help live in harmony with others, myself and (most important in my view) the planet that sustains us and the million of other species.

Doshin
St

Kokuu
10-26-2021, 02:45 PM
This is why I view our practice as key and why I have been reaching for the dharma all these years to help live in harmony with others, myself and (most important in my view) the planet that sustains us and the million of other species.

gassho2

Nengei
10-26-2021, 02:47 PM
I agree with what both of you are saying, Doshin and Kokuu. I'm not sure that the big problem is that there are so many people who refuse to acknowledge and take responsibility for human impact on the biosphere. It seems to me that a larger problem is that among those that want changes to happen, there is an expectation that someone else will do whatever needs to be done. But whether it is mandated by governments or not, the most favorable change is going to come from what we all do, collectively. I can wait for the government to tell me that I have to change my ways--which could be another 20, 50, or 100 years--or I can just make the changes.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Kyonin
10-26-2021, 03:01 PM
Hi Doshin,

I agree. We can always do something to correct the damage we have done, but it will take a global effort to do it.

A few weeks ago I was invited to give a talk about Zen Buddhism and evirenment. Because it was a yogi event, most attendants weren't familiar with the basics of Zen. But I got their attention when I said that Shikantaza is the most ecological activity one can do. We just sit and contemplate life, affecting it as less as possible.

Besides of pragmatic actions to revert the damage, we need to get back to spiritual practice to feel the unity and wholeness of nature, which we are part of.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH


As I have mentioned elsewhere...reversing the decline in biodiversity (considering we have lost half of the world’s wildlife..see an earlier post above) can seem daunting at the local level. Indeed it must take governments and international approaches. However we can do something. In the companion thread EcoLiving , those actions also have positive impacts on biodiversity. Pollinators, which are critical to our survival and many other species are also in decline in both species and numbers. Those of us with yards can create landscapes that provide habitat for pollinators (and many other species!). As I compose this I am listening to the hum of hundreds, if not thousands, of bees and wasps of many species visiting the plants which are now blooming. Of course the plants I chose are only suited for my ecoregion in the Southwest United States (and even more specific for a specific region at a certain elevation). Plant choices will depend on where you live.

Attached are some guidelines provided by the US Forest Service that may provide ideas to ignite your creative imagination for landscaping.

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/gardening.shtml

Gassho
Doshin
St

Jundo
10-26-2021, 10:41 PM
I am writing about this today, in my new book now called "BUILDING the FUTURE BUDDHA!" (formerly, "Zen of the Future!"). However, I say that we will not truly get to the root cause of these problems until we slightly (just mildly) tweak down the volume on human desires for consumption and acquisition, and somewhat (just a tad) tweak up our human ability to be satisfied with simplicity and moderation, and to care more for others ...

... and the answer lies in altering our human DNA, breeding these tendencies into or out of us to make better, kinder, more giving residents of this planet, more caring, pacifist, easily satisfied.

That, I fear, is the only real solution that will change personal behavior from the government and board rooms on down.

Gassho, J

STLah

Doshin
10-28-2021, 10:11 PM
Has anyone read “Rescuing the Planet” by Tony Hiss? It appears to explore the Half Earth concept and give examples of efforts to protect lands.

Thanks

Doshin
St

Kaishin
10-29-2021, 12:08 PM
... and the answer lies in altering our human DNA, breeding these tendencies into or out of us to make better, kinder, more giving residents of this planet, more caring, pacifist, easily satisfied.

That, I fear, is the only real solution that will change personal behavior from the government and board rooms on down.

Gassho, J

STLah

Controversial! Cybereugenics?

-stlah

Jundo
10-29-2021, 03:33 PM
Controversial! Cybereugenics?

-stlah

I am not sure of the exact definition of "Cybereugenics," but I believe that we have to engineer better, kinder, more loving people. I am an "anti-Nazi" mad scientist!

Gassho, J

STLah

Nengei
10-29-2021, 07:10 PM
I am not sure of the exact definition of "Cybereugenics," but I believe that we have to engineer better, kinder, more loving people. I am an "anti-Nazi" mad scientist!

Gassho, J

STLah

I believe that engineering better, kinder, more loving people means raising people from birth to be better, kind, more loving people. I have no idea how to do that, beyond the confines of my household. I can live a better, kinder, more loving life so that others can see that.

I should say "I" more. I should consume less. I need to live more minimally. It seems to me that our society is more in the mode of you should, which is inevitably frustrating. People will never react well to that.

Forgive my rambling. I should be more succinct.

Gassho,
然芸 Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Jundo
10-29-2021, 11:41 PM
I believe that engineering better, kinder, more loving people means raising people from birth to be better, kind, more loving people. I have no idea how to do that, beyond the confines of my household. I can live a better, kinder, more loving life so that others can see that.

I should say "I" more. I should consume less. I need to live more minimally. It seems to me that our society is more in the mode of you should, which is inevitably frustrating. People will never react well to that.

Forgive my rambling. I should be more succinct.

Gassho,
然芸 Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Yes, I think so too. But the problem is now beyond that, and the only way to deal with the state of the human race ... from board rooms to presidential palaces, from ordinary folks to their parents ... is to increase the propensity of human beings to avoid excess anger and violence done in anger, to be a tad (I say "20%" in my book) more empathetic toward strangers, charitable, caring, and to increase their feelings of being satisfied and "pushing away from the table" when consuming less.

The trick is that we need to take a little of evolution away from the random mutation, predator kills prey, trial and error, see what species survives and what dies (maybe ours) "survival of the fittest" system of nature a little, and put a little direction into our coming evolution.

Anyway, that is what my book is about ... "BUILDING the FUTURE BUDDHA!"

Gassho, J

STLah

Kokuu
11-01-2021, 06:27 PM
Hi all

Today marks the opening of the 26th Conference of the Parties, COP26, in Glasgow, UK, to talk about tackling the huge issue of global climate change.

I have mixed feelings about this as although the UK Prime Minister and US President are talking big, the recent UK budget included reducing the cost of internal flights and the UK government is looking at opening a whole new offshore oil field. Similarly, the US is creating new oil pipelines and in the first six months of the Biden administration, around 2,500 new oil and gas permits were authorized while the much maligned Trump presidency took a year to reach the same number.

To keep warming to a predicted 1.5 Celsius we need to cut carbon emissions by 28 billion tonnes by 2030 from the 53 billion tonnes it is estimated to be at that point if we continue as we are. At present, the pledges from world governments amount to 4 billions tonnes of cuts.

This said, this kind of landmark conference does focus the eyes of the world on the actions of their leaders and hold them accountable and push for new and better targets. But, it cannot be a short-term effect - we need to hold them to their pledges.

I know that everyone has day-to-day struggles with life so it can be hard to think about huge issues like this and it is all too easy to feel powerless, and I have fallen prey to this myself.

We neither need to become completely overwhelmed by the situation, nor look away, but keep an open heart. Anything we can do to keep our leaders motivated and know we are concerned is worth doing.

Saving all beings can look like becoming informed and writing, emailing or calling your political representative. It can look like eating less meat and taking fewer flights. It can look like asking your pension fund or bank what their policy is on investing in fossil fuel companies.

I hope that next year, Jundo willing, we will look at EcoBuddhism with some book study and action as I think and hope that this is an area that many wish to engage with.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Doshin
11-01-2021, 07:34 PM
Hi all

Today marks the opening of the 26th Conference of the Parties, COP26, in Glasgow, UK, to talk about tackling the huge issue of global climate change.

I have mixed feelings about this as although the UK Prime Minister and US President are talking big, the recent UK budget included reducing the cost of internal flights and the UK government is looking at opening a whole new offshore oil field. Similarly, the US is creating new oil pipelines and in the first six months of the Biden administration, around 2,500 new oil and gas permits were authorized while the much maligned Trump presidency took a year to reach the same number.

To keep warming to a predicted 1.5 Celsius we need to cut carbon emissions by 28 billion tonnes by 2030 from the 53 billion tonnes it is estimated to be at that point if we continue as we are. At present, the pledges from world governments amount to 4 billions tonnes of cuts.

This said, this kind of landmark conference does focus the eyes of the world on the actions of their leaders and hold them accountable and push for new and better targets. But, it cannot be a short-term effect - we need to hold them to their pledges.

I know that everyone has day-to-day struggles with life so it can be hard to think about huge issues like this and it is all too easy to feel powerless, and I have fallen prey to this myself.

We neither need to become completely overwhelmed by the situation, nor look away, but keep an open heart. Anything we can do to keep our leaders motivated and know we are concerned is worth doing.

Saving all beings can look like becoming informed and writing, emailing or calling your political representative. It can look like eating less meat and taking fewer flights. It can look like asking your pension fund or bank what their policy is on investing in fossil fuel companies.

I hope that next year, Jundo willing, we will look at EcoBuddhism with some book study and action as I think and hope that this is an area that many wish to engage with.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Thank you for this post

Doshin
ST

Shinshi
11-01-2021, 07:45 PM
Hi all

Today marks the opening of the 26th Conference of the Parties, COP26, in Glasgow, UK, to talk about tackling the huge issue of global climate change.

I have mixed feelings about this as although the UK Prime Minister and US President are talking big, the recent UK budget included reducing the cost of internal flights and the UK government is looking at opening a whole new offshore oil field. Similarly, the US is creating new oil pipelines and in the first six months of the Biden administration, around 2,500 new oil and gas permits were authorized while the much maligned Trump presidency took a year to reach the same number.

To keep warming to a predicted 1.5 Celsius we need to cut carbon emissions by 28 billion tonnes by 2030 from the 53 billion tonnes it is estimated to be at that point if we continue as we are. At present, the pledges from world governments amount to 4 billions tonnes of cuts.

This said, this kind of landmark conference does focus the eyes of the world on the actions of their leaders and hold them accountable and push for new and better targets. But, it cannot be a short-term effect - we need to hold them to their pledges.

I know that everyone has day-to-day struggles with life so it can be hard to think about huge issues like this and it is all too easy to feel powerless, and I have fallen prey to this myself.

We neither need to become completely overwhelmed by the situation, nor look away, but keep an open heart. Anything we can do to keep our leaders motivated and know we are concerned is worth doing.

Saving all beings can look like becoming informed and writing, emailing or calling your political representative. It can look like eating less meat and taking fewer flights. It can look like asking your pension fund or bank what their policy is on investing in fossil fuel companies.

I hope that next year, Jundo willing, we will look at EcoBuddhism with some book study and action as I think and hope that this is an area that many wish to engage with.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

gassho2

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

Doshin
11-02-2021, 12:18 PM
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59088498#comments


Good News! Devil in the details But I nurture my hope when the winds blow in the right direction.

Climate change may be the main reason in the mind of many but the value to the continuance of biodiversity can not be over stated in my view.

Doshin
St with hope

Kokuu
11-02-2021, 01:14 PM
Thank you for posting that, Doshin. It is definitely a really promising statement and I was really happy to see it on day one of the conference, as well as the inclusion of indigenous people who live in some of these areas.

As you say, the forests really are pivotal in both the fight against climate change as well as the preservation of vast amounts of biodiversity so this is a really good initiative on both counts.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Doshin
11-03-2021, 12:21 AM
Please do post once you have the links. My brain is struggling with the Half Earth concept. Is it intended to feel more achievable and less overwhelming than trying to save the whole Earth?


EDIT: I went off to educate myself and very quickly found this https://www.half-earthproject.org/discover-half-earth/ which very nicely explains some of the math behind the concept.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Tairin,

Thank you for your interest.

Here is the link to the talks

https://vimeo.com/showcase/8938312

Doshin
St

Tairin
11-03-2021, 02:09 PM
Tairin,

Thank you for your interest.

Here is the link to the talks

https://vimeo.com/showcase/8938312

Doshin
St

Thank you Doshin

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Heiso
11-12-2021, 04:05 PM
This isn't an environmental film per se but t's beautiful and well worth 12 minutes:

https://vimeo.com/242346365

'Sea Pilgrim is a meditative film on Brazilian sailor Tassio Azambuja. While sailing alone this past year, the silence I felt petrified me. It opened up a great amount of insignificance in my own life. As a response to this, I set out to create this film exploring silence in a day and age infiltrated with busyness. We’ve become conditioned that the pursuit of fame and commercial success are the only ways we can be content. My hope is simply to propose an alternative. Living a life dedicated to the surrender of something greater than yourself. Something unknown.'

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Kokuu
11-13-2021, 12:32 AM
'Sea Pilgrim is a meditative film on Brazilian sailor Tassio Azambuja. While sailing alone this past year, the silence I felt petrified me. It opened up a great amount of insignificance in my own life. As a response to this, I set out to create this film exploring silence in a day and age infiltrated with busyness. We’ve become conditioned that the pursuit of fame and commercial success are the only ways we can be content. My hope is simply to propose an alternative. Living a life dedicated to the surrender of something greater than yourself. Something unknown.'

That was beautiful! Thank you, Heiso.

A content warning for anyone who is squeamish - it contains a scene of killing a fish with a knife. It is a real account of living on a boat and what comes with that.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Kokuu
11-13-2021, 01:16 PM
Dear all

I hesitated to post this link but decided to do so with a disclaimer. This is an essay by the prominent Buddhist environmental activist Catherine Ingram. It is an incredibly sobering read, as she sets out the reasons for which she believes that we have already passed the tipping point beyond which humanity and many other species can be saved and talks about what practice looks like in this situation.

If you feel able to read this, I would recommend it. If you do not wish to, that is fine too. It had a large impact on me, as it leaves us in no doubt as to just how critical the situation we are in is and the limit to which technology is able to step in an save us. Optimism and hope are good things but at present they are very much leading to a 'business as usual' approach to governments and most individuals, and I would include myself in that.

However, as someone once paraphrased Rudyard Kipling - if you can keep your head while others around you are losing their's, you probably haven't understood the situation. As we saw with the beginning of the pandemic, things can look totally fine until suddenly they aren't.

https://www.catherineingram.com/facingextinction/

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Doshin
11-13-2021, 01:43 PM
Kokuu thanks for posting this essay.

It is not an easy read but to avoid these issues is to be deluded. After reading it I thought of the nightly news I watched an hour or two before, these topics are seldom shared there. In fact stories of the individual financial problems of celebrities received greater attention. To have an understanding requires effort but that is what is needed. Otherwise is to give in to denial.

I thought back 12 years when I first learned of the immense quantitative decline of other sentient beings. In fact a later version was the genesis and first post to begin this thread several years ago. Though I read of the issue in the conservation news I follow , I only heard it told on TV once. I remember it clearly and where I was sitting far from here. Just like my memory of a President’s assination when I was young. I am sure it was repeated elsewhere but I did not see it or hear it so I assumed that it was not considered ‘news” that many felt worthy of sharing. I wondered is it that those who “inform” us didn’t think we cared, didn’t want us to know, or they didn’t think it important. Any of those reasons anger me. Anger is one of the poisons but it arises.
Delusions are inexhaustible I vow to end them.

Doshin
St

Doshin
11-14-2021, 01:45 PM
We can feel overwhelmed with the challenges that face this planet as our population has grown. However change is needed. That change starts with us and ripples forward. We can do things locally that when combined with billions of others are significant. Our choices as consumers can change the paths of corporations. Our pressure on government can move them in the direction needed.

A quote attributed to Margaret Mead “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” The hope within those words has been debated by some and analyzed by others. Whatever is the of kernel of reality within those words is one path forward.


Some of the posts in this thread are difficult to hold in one’s mind but we must. To truly see and understand the challenges will hopefully motivate us to be change.

There are positive things happening and some have been shared here. I invite you to share lights of hope so we can offer ideas of good to others as was done previously with the Half Earth efforts. I will try to bring more of those stories here.

Doshin
St

Tairin
11-14-2021, 02:18 PM
Thank you for your message Doshin. Like many people here I have been reading quite a bit about the environment, COP26, species extinction etc. I agree it is hard to not get overwhelmed or feeling that all hope is lost. My wife and I talk about this quite a bit and have made many adjustments to our lives. We remind ourselves that with enough drops we can eventually fill an ocean. Every little bit helps. We also keep in mind that we can’t give up and assume it is too late to make the changes needed.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Kokuu
11-14-2021, 02:26 PM
Some of the posts in this thread are difficult to hold in one’s mind but we must. To truly see and understand the challenges will hopefully motivate us to be change.

There are positive things happening and some have been shared here. I invite you to share lights of hope so we can offer ideas of good to others as was done previously with the Half Earth efforts. I will try to bring more of those stories here.

Thank you, Doshin. It is definitely good to have that balance of hard-hitting facts and stories of hope and positivity.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

Doshin
11-14-2021, 04:29 PM
Thank you for your message Doshin. Like many people here I have been reading quite a bit about the environment, COP26, species extinction etc. I agree it is hard to not get overwhelmed or feeling that all hope is lost. My wife and I talk about this quite a bit and have made many adjustments to our lives. We remind ourselves that with enough drops we can eventually fill an ocean. Every little bit helps. We also keep in mind that we can’t give up and assume it is too late to make the changes needed.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

https://youtu.be/Y-lPsziO-4M


You have probably heard this story but I like to remind myself once in awhile.

Doshin
St

Tairin
11-14-2021, 05:42 PM
https://youtu.be/Y-lPsziO-4M


You have probably heard this story but I like to remind myself once in awhile.

Doshin
St

Exactly!

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Shokai
11-14-2021, 08:33 PM
lovely

Gassho, Shokai
stlah

Heiso
11-23-2021, 04:03 PM
Dear all

I hesitated to post this link but decided to do so with a disclaimer. This is an essay by the prominent Buddhist environmental activist Catherine Ingram. It is an incredibly sobering read, as she sets out the reasons for which she believes that we have already passed the tipping point beyond which humanity and many other species can be saved and talks about what practice looks like in this situation.

If you feel able to read this, I would recommend it. If you do not wish to, that is fine too. It had a large impact on me, as it leaves us in no doubt as to just how critical the situation we are in is and the limit to which technology is able to step in an save us. Optimism and hope are good things but at present they are very much leading to a 'business as usual' approach to governments and most individuals, and I would include myself in that.

However, as someone once paraphrased Rudyard Kipling - if you can keep your head while others around you are losing their's, you probably haven't understood the situation. As we saw with the beginning of the pandemic, things can look totally fine until suddenly they aren't.

https://www.catherineingram.com/facingextinction/

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

That's a very sobering read, although she lost me a little when she quoted Ivermectin enthusiast, Bret Weinstein.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Kaishin
11-30-2021, 01:55 AM
https://youtu.be/qtlPTE-UmY4

-stlah

Doshin
12-19-2021, 12:48 PM
A year ago this Christmas Barry Lopez, a well known nature writer, passed. He wrote many well known books. In a sense he chronicled the natural world as I lived through those times.

Here is a little about him and a visually nice memorial video that Emergence Magazine released.

https://emergencemagazine.org/film/horizons/

Doshin
St

Kokuu
12-19-2021, 03:45 PM
That was beautiful. Thank you, Doshin!

I have his book Arctic Dreams, on great recommendation but have yet to read it.

I love this quote from Barry: “Everything is held together with stories. That is all that is holding us together, stories and compassion.”

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Doshin
12-07-2022, 07:29 PM
Hello,

It has almost been a year since I posted here. Of course we discussed similar topics in our EcoDharma group and life events have occupied much of my time this past year.

I am reading a new book that some of you may have an interest in. It is about the impact humans have had on wildlife for the last 13,000 years in North America. Many ideas are advanced, some of which I was not aware of but find fascinating.

The book is Wild New World by Dan Flores. If you decide to read this, or already have, please share your thoughts here so I can learn from others’ perspectives.

Be well,

Doshin
St

Naiko
12-07-2022, 09:29 PM
Hi Doshin,
Thank you for sharing this book recommendation. I look forward to reading it.
Gassho,
Naiko
st lah

Doshin
12-11-2022, 04:49 PM
There is a UN Conference on Biodiversity in Montreal taking place now…

https://www.unep.org/un-biodiversity-conference-cop-15

Doshin
St

Kokuu
12-11-2022, 05:44 PM
In reference to that, this is a pretty good summary of what needs addressing in relation to global biodiversity and habitat protection:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/10/cop15-what-are-the-key-targets-for-the-biodiversity-agreement

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

Doshin
12-17-2022, 05:52 PM
I started this thread 4 years ago with the Report from the World Wildlife Fund about the state of biodiversity. I am now sharing the 2022 updated report.

https://livingplanet.panda.org/en-US/


In future posts I am going to offer ideas for how we, as individuals, can contribute in our way “to saving all sentient beings” as it applies to biodiversity.

I encourage others to help in offering positive actions. Each act we take makes a difference.

Doshin
St

Kokuu
12-17-2022, 09:08 PM
In future posts I am going to offer ideas for how we, as individuals, can contribute in our way “to saving all sentient beings” as it applies to biodiversity.

I encourage others to help in offering positive actions. Each act we take makes a difference.

gassho2

aprapti
12-17-2022, 09:09 PM
In future posts I am going to offer ideas for how we, as individuals, can contribute in our way “to saving all sentient beings” as it applies to biodiversity.

I encourage others to help in offering positive actions. Each act we take makes a difference.

gassho2

Doshin
12-18-2022, 08:07 AM
As we share ideas about how we can live more ecologically sustainable to protect biodiversity and ensure a healthier planet for all I want to share my perspective of what is most critical. Each of us as individuals can make choices that promote solutions and we can help others understand that they too can make a difference. However, major efforts must be made by Nations. Governments establish policies and ensure that those policies are implemented. Nations must work together because the demands and actions in one country have consequences in others. So as we walk a path of living more gently on the earth we must also motivate our governments to do similarly.

Doshin
st

Doshin
12-19-2022, 05:46 PM
As indicated above I will start giving my thoughts on how we can be more ecologically sustainable and help biodiversity. We all see so much negative and often feel as if there is nothing we can personally do. I worked in a world of negatives during my career/volunteer time in conservation but it is not hopeless. So please add your thoughts as the weeks and month go on.

Idea #1

POLLINATORS

Pollinators are critical to the continuance of biodiversity. They come in all types around the world. For example a large variety of insects ( not just bees!), birds, mammals and even lizards pollinate plants as they feed. Pollinators have declined in numbers due to habitat loss, pesticides and climate change.

We can help them out by providing habitat in our yards where they can go through their life cycle or even just drop in for a meal. This is not only helpful to pollinators but soothing for us as we enjoy the beauty of flowers and other plants. Selecting native species of plants is a good start since they are what the pollinator species in your area evolved with. You can determine which species to plant by contacting a Native Plant Society if there is one in your area or a plant nursery that is knowledgeable about native species.

Doshin
St

PS. I am using the word biodiversity often which includes the vast myriad of sentient beings. Keep in mind that what benefits biodiversity also is of benefit for addressing climate change challenges and vice versa.

Kokuu
12-19-2022, 07:03 PM
Hi Doshin

I love what you are doing here and wonder if it should have its own space so that we can continue posting on the living world and your posts won't get lost?

How about starting a new thread called '[ECODHARMA] Saving all Sentient Beings' or something like that?

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

Doshin
12-19-2022, 08:52 PM
Kokuu, if you think locating it within our EcoDharma sub-forum would increase participation I am good with that,

Maybe we could ask for a few Thread name recommendations that capture the goal of posting ideas to live our lives with increased purpose towards a healthier earth supporting biodiversity.

Those reading, please give some ideas. I want this to be “our” path where we learn from all.

Doshin
St

Kokuu
12-19-2022, 09:30 PM
Maybe we could ask for a few Thread name recommendations that capture the goal of posting ideas to live our lives with increased purpose towards a healthier earth supporting biodiversity.

Those reading, please give some ideas. I want this to be “our” path where we learn from all.

That sounds good to me!

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

Ryumon
12-19-2022, 11:49 PM
Re pollinators: a beekeeper has hives a about 50 meters from our garden. Most of the garden is lawn - I live in the UK - but we have planted lots of flowers, and have one section that we let grow wild for a few months in spring.

I have also taken the birdisattva vow to free all sentient birds that visits my garden, and we have multiple feeders. Since we’re in a rural area, we regularly get more than a dozen species at the feeders.

I would lave to have a one, but I rent the house and it would be expensive to make anything big enough to attract more wildlife.

During lockdown, it was solace to watch all the birds.

Gassho,
Ryūmon (Kirk)
Sat

Tai Do
12-20-2022, 04:14 AM
In my current (rented) house, we keep the gardens with what naturally grows there and are visited by some birds and pollinators, as well as some lizards.

Soon we will move to a new house that we are reforming and will be the first house we really own. We plan to plant a garden of mixed native species and culinary herbs.

I liked your idea of feeding birds, Ryumon: I will look for something to them either. And the way we plan to keep the house, we think we can save these sentient beings from our four legged predator sentient beings (3 cats and a dog).

I will try to apply the ideas discussed here in our new house and see if we can contribute more.
Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah

Doshin
12-20-2022, 06:14 PM
Mateus,

Yes, housing cats appropriately is a major conservation good for wildlife. In the United States cats are estimated to kill billions of birds, small mammals and other wildlife each year. There has long been a campaign to “Keep Cats Indoors”. However even with responsible cat ownership (does anyone really own a cat :) ) the number of feral cats is staggering. Some advocate cats are the greatest anthropogenic (because hey are linked to us) impact to birds. That might be so but to me I sense habitat loss is more

Doshin
St

Ryumon
12-21-2022, 12:56 PM
Yes, cats do kill a lot of birds. But the birds they kill are generally the weak ones. These are the birds that would be less likely to survive anyway.

A huge number of birds are killed by windows; are we going to ban windows?

As I mentioned above, I have a lot of birds in my garden. In the past couple of years, the bird population has increased drastically (even though I have two cats; which, together, have only caught about three birds in the nine years I’ve had cats). What made the big difference was when my neighbor, the farmer, trapped the magpies that were in the area. It seems that magpies kill baby birds in huge numbers. Instead of having a half dozen tits around my feeders, we have as many is 20 at a time. We’ve seen the same increase for other species.

Nature is cruel. Animals eat other animals.

Gassho,
Ryūmon (Kirk)
Sat

Doshin
12-21-2022, 02:07 PM
Ryumon,

Do not agree.

Doshin
St

Tai Do
12-21-2022, 03:46 PM
Well, at least in our house, we always keep the animals inside. In the new house we will move to, we will have an outside space for the animals with due fences (including on the "ceiling" so that no pet will get out and no bird will be hurt. I will keep the bird feeding and nesting ground catless on the front garden.
Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah