landscape architect, I co-wrote and published a free project management template called The Buddhist Center Environ- mental Action Plan Toolkit,4 which has been downloaded hundreds of times from my site. I then reached out to 108 North American Buddhist centres with rural properties, with an invitation to participate in mapping and auditing their environmental practices. I received many warm replies lauding me for my efforts but confessing to understanding and practicing very little in the way of regenerative environ- mental design. Unfortunately, the pandemic has put the proj- ect into suspended animation, but I hope to revive it soon. Another challenge for Green Buddhism is a lack of
interfaith action on the climate crisis and its causes. The Alliance for Religion and Conservation has closed after 24 years. There are a few other interfaith environmental organizations, such as the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, GreenFaith, and Interfaith Power and Light, but Buddhist representation in those organizations is very limited. Many Buddhists are still functioning in the old silo mindset or focusing on the past instead of the future. The last few years have brought the climate crisis into
sharp focus for both young and old. We see the blah blah blah. This is when the real work begins. But the environ- mental movement and faith community leaders have failed to engage with each other to the degree we need in order to nurture the kind of fundamental values shifts necessary to break free of our current socio-economic paradigm. Children’s television host Mr. Rogers always recom- mended that in any crisis we should look for the helpers.
In Buddhism, those folks are called bodhisattvas. In Green Buddhist practice we call them ecosattvas. Each of us can be an ecosattva in our own community. Saving our only home for future generations is mission critical. If we fail at this, nothing else will matter.
John Negru is an actively retired Technological Education teacher, currently working for the Ottawa Carleton School Board. He also runs Canada’s leading independent Bud- dhist book publishing company, which offers a number of environmentally focused books. In addition, he is the author of six books and many feature articles for technical publica- tions, as well as an award-winning graphic designer. You can find out more about him at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ john-negru-b14a9713/.
References:
1. Gyalwang Drukpa, “The 15th Eco Pad Yatra, led by native His Emi- nence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, has just kicked off…,” Facebook, August 11, 2018,
https://www.facebook.com/Gyalwang.Drukpa/posts/the-15th- eco-pad-yatra-led-by-native-his-eminence-drukpa-thuksey-rinpoche- has-ju/2025333414172940/.
2. Khoryug, 2022,
http://www.khoryug.info/.
3. BD Dipen, “Buddhist “Eco-monks” Work to Protect Thailand’s Environ- ment.” BDG Buddhistdoor Global, August 17, 2018. https://www.buddhistdoor. net/news/buddhist-eco-monks-work-to-protect-thailands-environment/.
4. John Negru, Paul Keddy, and Dennis Winters, The Buddhist Center Envi- ronmental Action Plan Toolkit (Ottawa: Sumeru, 2019), https://sumeru-books. com/collections/engaged-buddhism/products/buddhist-center-environmental- action-plan-toolkit.
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