Wendi’s Wanders

Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his prosperity, his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power is, as ordained by God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. Bahá’u'lláh, Bahá’í writings

(Painted by Marion Prentice)

Today, 15 October, is `Blog Action Day‘. Today thousands of bloggers around the world are focusing on one issue - the environment. As a Bahá’í and a member of the International Environment Forum (IEF), I totally support this initiative!

I am happy that Al Gore has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to raising consciousness on the issue of climate change. Co-winner was the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). There has been a lot of flack about these winners and whether they deserve it. Much criticism has been levelled at the winners - and at the Nobel committee - because there are still quite a few people who do not think that human activity has anything - or anything much - to do with climate change.

Well, although I take a different view from these people, I also think it does not matter now. I attended a fascinating IEF conference on climate change last year and came away realising that even if human beings have had nothing to do with climate change (and I for one believe the evidence that we have had a LOT to do with it!), the climate is definitely changing and we now have to adapt our lives to live with the new situation. In addition, climate change is only one dimension of the environment, although right now the most topical and probably among the most pressing. We still contribute hugely to all forms of environmental pollution and degradation, to litter, to water loss, to light pollution so we can’t see the stars at night even in the countryside, to noise pollution, to over-fishing, to deforestation, to the loss of biodiversity (those of you who know me know my concern for local glow worms and great crested newts), the change of beauty spots to car parks, to traffic jams and ugly beaches and the death of coral reefs. We are still using up a lot of natural resources that don’t seem to be easily replaced and we still don’t seem to think we need to address this globally. So, yes, I think we humans should talk about these issues with each other, try to live lightly and rightly and see if we can find ways to make our planet healthier and more live-in-able for longer for all of us.

The International Environment Forum, a Bahá’í inspired organisation, has just concluded its annual conference on the subject of `Responding to Climate Change: Scientific Realities, Spiritual Imperatives’ - you can listen to all the speakers on line and get the Bahá’í perspective.

Tahirih Naylor gives the view of the Bahá’í International Community, which can be summarised thus:

The Bahá’í Faith teaches that, as trustees of the planet’s vast resources and biological diversity, humanity must seek to protect the `heritage [of] future generations’; see in nature a reflection of the divine; approach the earth, the source of material bounties, with humility; temper its actions with moderation; and be guided by the fundamental spiritual truth of our age, the oneness of humanity. (Bahá’í International Community, `Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Bahá’í Faith’)

Bahá’u'lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith, addressed the issue of the environment in the 19th century. Interestingly, in 1993 Al Gore picked this up and mentioned it in his book Earth in the Balance, which is now in a new edition:

One of the newest of the great universalist religions, Baha’i, founded in 1863 in Persia by Mirza Husayn Ali, warns us not only to properly regard the relationship between humankind and nature but also the one between civilization and the environment. Perhaps, because its guiding visions were formed during the period of accelerating industrialism, Baha’i seems to dwell on the spiritual implications of the great transformation to which it bore fresh witness: `We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and ever abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.’

And again from the Baha’i sacred writings comes this: `Civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and scientists will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men.’

Having so leapt, we are now having to learn how to adapt. Let’s hope the earth accepts our apologies and continues to support us.

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