Olympic Peninsula Environmental News

The Dalai Lama on respecting the Earth

2 Responses

1. 

   Al B., on April 23, 2014 at 8:30 am said:

   I understand your thoughts, but the unfortunate reality, and it is unfortunate, is that the only way we get to solutions on these issues in a capitalist society seems to be by placing a value on things, like clean air and water. If you have to build a water purification plant because you can’t drink the water, you have a cost. This has helped get buy in from most people who don’t usually think about saving the environment. Democrats and other center to left supporters of the environment only got so far on making people feel guilty or spiritual in order to action. When they started showing economic value to the environment, they were more successful. a simple story is the anti-smoking campaign. There is a real health cost to smoking, which is measurable. Recently I’ve seen economic models built for ecosystems, and they are very convincing to use in arguments around policy. It makes it harder for right of center conservatives to argue against, and helps frame the debate for change to something they understand. But it is still a very limited solution.

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2. 

   dianasomerville, on April 23, 2014 at 7:18 am said:

   I was deeply moved by Tom Goldtooth’s message from the Indigenous Environmental Network:

   IEN firmly believes the need for all people of Turtle Island and the world to speak out for the needs of nature and our Grand Mother Earth as a whole. As Indigenous Peoples, within our traditions and teachings of our many Native Nations of the North, we understand our responsibilities to live within the natural order that is sacred to all life on Earth.
   Consistent with the Indigenous prophecies, a reawakening to our true human nature is sweeping through both indigenous and non-indigenous societies. For millennia, the wisdom keepers of indigenous societies kept alive the deep wisdom of our traditional indigenous worldview, passed down by our understanding of the Original Instructions, from generation to generation.
   There is a need for a new paradigm in this world of living in peace with Grand Mother Earth to ensure harmony with Creation – not to treat her violently as if there was a war against her well-being. There is a need to redefine the dominant economic system that recognizes the ecological limits and vital natural life-cycles of water, air, soils, all of nature and all Life.
   The “green economy” being promoted by this dominant economic system places a monetary price on Nature and creates new derivative markets that will only increase inequality and increase the destruction of Grand Mother Earth. There is something wrong in treating Grand Mother Earth as if she were a business in liquidation.
   To restore the Earth’s balance, we need to shift from a philosophy of dominion over nature, dominion over self, to a relationship of understanding, respect and human responsibility to the Natural Laws of, and love for the beauty of the female creative principles of Grand Mother Earth.
   Earth Jurisprudence recognizes the concept that we only have one Grand Mother Earth. We must stand together, in solidarity, to protect her. – Mato Awaŋyaŋkapi miye,

   Tom BK Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network, April 22, 2014

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