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Thread: [EcoDharma] Living Earth

  1. #201
    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-

  2. #202
    Quote Originally Posted by Kokuu View Post
    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

  3. #203
    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.

  4. #204
    Treeleaf Unsui Nengei's Avatar
    Join Date
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    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.

  5. #205
    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

    Quote Originally Posted by Doshin View Post
    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/po...ardening.shtml

    Gassho
    Doshin
    St
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  6. #206
    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
    Last edited by Jundo; 10-26-2021 at 11:11 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  7. #207
    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

  8. #208
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post

    ... 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

  9. #209
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaishin View Post
    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
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  10. #210
    Treeleaf Unsui Nengei's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Minnesota's Driftless Area
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    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.

  11. #211
    Quote Originally Posted by Nengei View Post
    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
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  12. #212
    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-
    Last edited by Kokuu; 11-01-2021 at 06:31 PM.

  13. #213
    Quote Originally Posted by Kokuu View Post
    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

  14. #214
    Quote Originally Posted by Kokuu View Post
    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-


    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  15. #215
    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-env...88498#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
    Last edited by Doshin; 11-02-2021 at 12:21 PM.

  16. #216
    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-

  17. #217
    Quote Originally Posted by Tairin View Post
    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.


    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

  18. #218
    Quote Originally Posted by Doshin View Post
    Tairin,

    Thank you for your interest.

    Here is the link to the talks

    https://vimeo.com/showcase/8938312

    Doshin
    St
    Thank you Doshin


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

  19. #219
    This isn't an environmental film per se but t's beautiful and well worth 12 minutes:



    '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

  20. #220
    '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-

  21. #221
    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-

  22. #222
    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
    Last edited by Doshin; 11-13-2021 at 01:49 PM.

  23. #223
    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

  24. #224
    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.


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah
    泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods

  25. #225
    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-

  26. #226
    Quote Originally Posted by Tairin View Post
    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.


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah



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

    Doshin
    St

  27. #227
    Quote Originally Posted by Doshin View Post



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

    Doshin
    St
    Exactly!


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

  28. #228
    lovely

    Gassho, Shokai
    stlah
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  29. #229
    Quote Originally Posted by Kokuu View Post
    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

  30. #230

  31. #231
    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

  32. #232
    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-

  33. #233
    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

  34. #234
    Hi Doshin,
    Thank you for sharing this book recommendation. I look forward to reading it.
    Gassho,
    Naiko
    st lah

  35. #235
    There is a UN Conference on Biodiversity in Montreal taking place now…

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

    Doshin
    St

  36. #236
    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/environm...sity-agreement

    Gassho
    Kokuu
    -sattoday-

  37. #237
    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
    Last edited by Doshin; 12-17-2022 at 05:55 PM.

  38. #238
    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.

  39. #239
    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.

    hobo kore dojo / 歩歩是道場 / step, step, there is my place of practice

    Aprāpti (अप्राप्ति) non-attainment

  40. #240
    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

  41. #241
    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.
    Last edited by Doshin; 12-20-2022 at 04:15 AM.

  42. #242
    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-
    Last edited by Kokuu; 12-19-2022 at 07:11 PM.

  43. #243
    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

  44. #244
    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-

  45. #245
    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
    流文

    I know nothing.

  46. #246
    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

  47. #247
    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
    Last edited by Doshin; 12-20-2022 at 06:26 PM.

  48. #248

    Living Earth

    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
    流文

    I know nothing.

  49. #249
    Ryumon,

    Do not agree.

    Doshin
    St

  50. #250
    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
    怠努 (Tai Do) - Lazy Effort
    (also known as Mateus )

    禅戒一如 (Zen Kai Ichi Nyo) - Zazen and the Precepts are One!

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