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HR 5113-492
Kathryn Augsburger
Ryan Clancy
Clarissa David
Michael James
Deborah Newman
Dylan Newman
Jennifer Williams
Agenda
Introduction
Global Problems and Statistics
Global Solutions
Christianity
Judaism
Hinduism
Islam
Buddhism
Confucianism
Taoism
Bahai
African perspectives
Conclusion
References
Introduction
It is undeniable that the world is in need of a global ethic to
Chart1-1
U.S.
World
% U.S. Total
1
Oil
Natural Gas
Coal
1
40 %
21.34 tcf/year
82.2 tcf/year
23 %
23 %
and natural gases we use and still have plenty of energy to use
that wont deplete the environment. There are many alternative
energy sources rapidly being developed. These include Biomass
(using plant matter and biodegradable waste to produce energy),
geothermal technologies (using energy from the earths core),
hydrogen fuel cells, solar energy, wind and hydropower, all of which
provide different ways of producing energy that will help to reduce
the acceleration of the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Unfortunately, only 7.5 percent of total U.S. energy consumption
came from renewable sources in 1998.
Worldwide, some 2 billion people are currently without electricity.
By channeling the energy from the sun, wind and water, not only
could there be an infinite amount of energy, but countries around
the world could be able to supply their own energy sources without
having to rely on others to produce them. For the 2 billion people
without access to electricity, it would be cheaper to install solar
panels than to extend the electrical grid.
Global Solutions
The global community is embracing this crisis but most of the
Christianity
Stewardship
Caretakers
Rotation of crops
Because they were created in Hisimage,God gavemen
Fair Share
Christianity (cont)
Question of Responsibility
Gods Plan
Human Disregard
Christianity (cont)
Christian Environmental Rights Groups
Christian Environmental Association - "Serving the Earth, Serving the
Poor"
Target Earth - The service trips are holistic, combining a desire to share the
love of Jesus while caring for the earth and the people who inhabit it. The
short-term service opportunities are offered in 14 countries.
The Eden Conservancy - Buys up endangered lands - caring for creation
one acre at a time. Individuals, churches and schools raise funds to secure
rain forest at $100.00 per acre. Currently, 8,000 acres is being purchased in
Belize in partnership with the Belize Audubon Society
European Christian Environmental Network - Address the environmental
concerns implicit in the biblical command to work and to care for God's
creation. A network to share and work togethera European Environmental
Ethic.
Christian Ecology Link The UKs leading Christian environmental group
California Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) - Educates churches, including
many Catholic parishes, on how to make a dent in global warming while
promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation. The group
also indorses the Oil Tax Initiative to reduce consumption by 25% over the
next 10 years.
Judaism
Stewardship
Care Takers
"Year of the Environment: Sept 1993 - Aug 1994
(The Center for Judaism and the Environment
Webpage)
Judaism (cont)
Question of Responsibility
Judaism has very powerful teachings related to the
environment:
Judaism (cont)
Israel and the Environment
Religious and National Interest Conflict:
Rapid population growth; Rapid industrialization
Environmental concerns ignored for yearssecurity
top priority
Environment Problems:
Jerusalem Post article "Rivers of Darkness" indicated
most of Israel's rivers are much more polluted than
rivers in Europe and US
Solid waste crisis due to discharge of increasing
amounts of garbage yearly
Less than 5% of the garbage in Israel is recycled
(1997)
Slide Source: Schwartz,
Environmental Issues in
Hinduism
Stewardship
Care Takers (Govt)
Environment Protection Act (1986): created the
Hinduism (cont)
Stewardship
Care Takers (Priesthood)
Before the foundation of a building is dug, a priest is
Question Responsibility
Hinduism (cont)
India and the Environment
India's ongoing population explosion and its
move toward urbanization and
industrialization has placed great strain on
the country's environment
Deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution and
land degradation
Islam
Relationship between God and Earth
Measurement
Protection
Islam (cont)
Responsibility
Gods Plan
Human Disregard
The main purpose of human beings is nothing else but to serve God, to be
grateful to Him, and to worship Him alone. Human beings are invited to
use this opportunity for the good and not to corrupt the Earth
and do not cause corruption in the earth,when it has been in
Buddhism
Relationship between Buddhism and the Environment
Karma and rebirth (cyclic existence)
Buddhists believe not in a creator, but in beings fashioning their destiny by their own
actions
Living creatures perform virtuous or non-virtuous actions when create predispositions for
rebirth in any of the six realms of cyclic existence
Virtuous actions bring about pleasant rebirths in the upper realms of gods, demigods and men
Non-virtuous deeds bring about suffering and rebirth in the animal, hungry ghosts,
and hell-beings realsm
Attain Buddhahood in order to liberate all sentient beings from the sufferings of the
cyclic existence
When beings have exhausted the karma which caused their rebirth in a particular
realm, in dependence on other accumulated karma, they take rebirth in another
realm, wandering endlessly which the limits of cyclic existence until they find a way
out to liberation or Buddhahood
Six Realms
Though men and animals are the only tones ordinarily perceived by humans, others such
as demi-gods and hungry ghosts are believed to be present in the human realms greatly
influencing many aspects of animal life, thus they should be treated equally
The rationale for universal compassion is based on the same principle of spiritual
democracy. It is the recognition of the fact that every living being has an equal right to
and desire for happiness. (The Dalai Lama on Compassion)
Buddhism (cont)
Question of Responsibility
Buddhas Plan
Among all creatures of the six realms, humans are the most
fortunate and have the best opportunity for attaining the ultimate
achievement
At the heart of Buddhist philosophy is the notion of compassion for
others (The Dalai Lama on Compassion)
Rituals which please the local deities and ensure harmonious
natural conditions
Therefore, in order to achieve more effective environmental
protection and conservation, internal balance within the human
being himself or herself is essential. (The Dalai Lama on
Compassion)
Buddhism (cont)
Human Disregard
Since humans cannot survive without some form of land
exploitation and building, Tibetans take certain measures to
prevent unnecessary mishaps:
Prayer flags
When choosing a site for building, a lama is consulted as to the method
by which the nagas and sa-dag (guardian deities dwelling in individual
places) might be appeased and treated
Limit mining and exploitation of natural resources to avoid disrupting not
only the animal life and ecological system, but the unseen creatures
believed to dwell at the site
Destruction of nature and natural resources results from ignorance, greed
and lack of respect for the earths living things. (The Dalai Lama on the
Environment)
This lack of respect extends even to the earths human descendants, the
future generations who will inherit a vastly degraded planet if world peace
does not become a reality, and if destruction of the natural environment
continues at the present rate (The Dalai Lama on Humanity and Ecology)
Confucianism
Stewardship
Values Constitute Key Elements:
Promoting harmony amidst change
Embeddedness of each person in concentric circles of
Confucianism (cont)
Question of Responsibility
See nature as intrinsically valuable and for understanding
the role of the human in relation to natural processes as
critical.
Taoism
Stewardship
The Taoist classic The Way and Its Power (tao te jing) gives this advice against the
artificial exacerbation of our desires:
--No lure is greater than to possess what others want,
--No disaster greater than not to be content with what one has,
--No presage of evil greater than that men should be wanting to get more.
--Truly: He who has once known the contentment that comes simply through
being content, will never again be otherwise than contented.
Question of Responsibility
The Taoists suggest that the first step to enlightenment is in awareness of the
patterns of nature, both within our own body and mind and in the natural
environment that we usually think of as "outside". Nature can be for us a template, a
model, a paradigm, an anchor, a beacon.
The nature outside of Taoists can resonate with the natural patterns within and help us to
get back in touch with our natural selves. When humans destroy our natural environment
or make it unavailable for people to tune back into, humans destroy one of the most
precious healing resources for our civilization-jaded psyches.
Baha'i Faith
Stewardship
Balance
Bah'u'llh, the Prophet-founder of the Bah' Faith, said nature and all its
Development
Material development is important to free us from the captivity of the world of
nature
The value of nature and its preservation cannot be expressed in sheer economic
terms.
Question of Responsibility
Gods Plan
Bah'u'llh wrote: "The earth is but one county, and mankind its citizens."
Mercy and compassion must be shown not only to human beings, but all living
creatures and cruelty to animals is prohibited.
Human Disregard
Bah'u'llh "If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as
it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation.
Bah' International Community states the unfettered exploitation of planetary
natural resources is one symptom of a "sickness of the human spirit".
African Religions
Stewardship
Respect
Development
Africans invented ways of using the environment for gain; swamp farming, crop
rotations, crop mixing, and iron tools such as axes and hoes.
They did not seek scientific improvement because they produced sufficient amounts
for their community and had no interest in mass production.
Question of Responsibility
The Plan
Conclusion
As we continue to discuss dialogue and respect among each
other in search of a global ethic, it is imperative that we
apply this concept to other aspects of our life, including our
interaction with the environment. In the same way that we
need to expand our consciousness about other cultures and
religions we also need to expand our consciousness about
our natural surroundings. The same respect and mental
openness we use to learn from our dialogue with others
should be extended to our environmental surroundings. We
should also use dialogue with each other to derive a
successful way of conserving the planet and preventing
further deterioration. By working together we can develop
a global ethic that will help all life, not just human life, on
this planet.
References
United States Energy and World Energy Production and Consumption Statistics. USGS
Central Region Energy Resource Team. 1998.
http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/energy/stats_ctry/Stat1.html#ConsumptionUvsW
West, Larry. Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming. About.com
Environmental Issues. 2006.
http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm
Landau, Richard (2002), Baha'i Faith and the Environment. Retrieved 05 Aug 2003
from Bahai Library Online website: http://bahai-library.com/?file =
landau_bahai_faith_environment
Brooks, Amanda (2003), Religion of Africa. Retrieved 21 Nov 2003 from Geocities
website: http://www.geocities.com/genebrooks/african-religion.html
References (cont)
Gerstenfeld, Dr. Manfred. Judaism and the Environment, Feb 20, 2000.
http://www.besr.org/library/bachrach.html
Dien, Mawil Izzi, (1997), Islam and the Environment, theory, and practice. Journal of Beliefs and
Balues, No 1 Retrieved 14 Oct 2006 from the Captive Minds website:
http://www.captiveminds.org/env/ecome
References (cont)
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama(1986), An Ethical Approach to Environmental
Protection. Retrieved 10 Oct 2006 from The Government of Tibet in Exile
website: http://www.tibet.com/Eco/dleco1.html
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, The Dalai Lama Speaking on Various Topics,
Retrieved 10 Oct 2006 from the Dharma Kara Website:
http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlspeech.html
Yeshi, Kim, The Tibetan Buddhist view of the Environment, Retrieved 11 Oct
2006 from The Government of Tibet in Exile website:
http://www.tibet.com/Eco/eco8.html