(this is a guest blog by my wife, Ann)
The COP26 conference in
Glasgow starts at the end of this month. At present, the hopes of the world
rest on this conference, where the leaders of the world should be making
commitments in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Just recently, the
Environment Agency in England published a report giving dire warnings about the
dangers of floods and droughts in this country, plus a rise in sea levels
around the coast (and Britain has a lot of coast!). The report said that we
need to do more as individuals to protect ourselves and our property, playing
our own part, while at the same time the government agencies will restore areas
to their natural state to better hold back water, for instance. Governments and
individuals both need to act, one can’t solve the global warming problem
without the other.
We each have our own part to
play in a more general way too. Bahá’u’lláh (the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith)
said about 150 years ago, “Take from this world only to the measure of your
needs, and forego that which exceedeth them.” Unfortunately, many of us in the
developed world have been taking more than we need. More than our fair share,
in fact. Sadly, it seems that many people do not realise that we are spiritual
beings living in a material world, and
that it is our spiritual development which matters, not accumulating material
things. In the Bahá’í Writings it says, “Man is in reality a spiritual being
and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy.” Everything in the
world can be lost, but spiritual happiness is eternal. All of the religions
have taught us to concentrate on improving our spiritual life – loving and
serving others, for example. None of them has told us to be greedy! If we
really care for one another we will not take everything for ourselves. In any
case, common sense should tell us that the good of the individual is found in
the good of the whole.
So what can we do to ensure
that there is enough of everything for everybody, now and in the future? How
can we avoid climate change bringing disaster to us all? I’m sure we all know
many ways we can make a difference. A “make do and mend” approach is a good
start, not buying things we don’t really need. There are many changes which
don’t cost anything – like planning meals ahead so as not to waste food, eating
less meat, switching off unnecessary lights, using low-energy bulbs, walking or
cycling instead of driving. Other things are more expensive, like insulation, electric
or hybrid cars, or heat pumps. We need to do whatever we can to play our part.
The Bahá’í Writings say that
the inner life of each person must change, as well as the outward environment,
if we are to save humanity. If we concentrate on the spiritual aspects of life
– on kindness, empathy, honesty, generosity – we will not be wishing for
material things. It is only by a change of heart that we can avoid the disaster
of overwhelming climate change.
On a personal note, I tend to
do a check every 6 to 12 months to see where else I could use less, save energy
or reduce my carbon footprint. These small changes add up over time.
Maybe, with COP26 coming up,
it is time for us all to look again at our lifestyles and see what is really
necessary and how we could make a difference to the future of the world.
And if we can change the
world for the better, on both a spiritual and a physical level, the sum total
of human happiness will be so much greater.
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Paddy and I have recently edited
a book on climate change for a Buddhist friend. It is called “The Climate
Emergency and Green Spirituality Activism – a last chance to change our
values?” It has just been published and is available on Amazon as a paperback
or e-book. The views expressed in the book are not necessarily the same as
ours, but it has lots of information on how climate change is affecting us now
and on how it will do so in the future. It also has collections of inspiring
quotations from all major faith traditions (including Bahá’í) on the subject of
looking after the earth, maintaining a balance and avoiding greed and
materialism. The third part of the book suggests ways in which we can help reduce
climate change by our own actions - in our own personal lives or by supporting
various groups. At 300 pages it is an interesting read!
