Extinction Rebellion

adamcrossley

Dear Sangha,

As a friend of mine is currently among those camped in Parliament Square (London) and has asked me to spread awareness however I can, I’d like blow his trumpet here if I may. After all, spreading awareness is something of a Buddhist speciality.

The protesters are campaigning for, among other things, a state of Climate Emergency to be declared in the UK, which would allow more funds to be directed into renewables and so on. They are not planning to cease disruptions until the government has taken real action.

Michael Gove (our environmental secretary) has said, “We’ve got the message,” but more than lip service is required. We have precious few years to save the planet from mass extinction of species and catastrophic warming.

Let’s do what we can in our own lives, let’s vote for positive changes, and let’s keep discussing these issues.

Thanks for your time, friends.
Metta for Mother Earth ❤️

adamcrossley

I asked my friend what things people could do, and he sent me this incredible list, which I’ll share with you:

People can actively go out and call for change.
Join XR.
Join other groups.
Write to their politicians, local and national.
Donate time and money.
Teach about climate change.
Send solidarity.
Write to the media, local and national.
Call into radio shows.
Dump plastic in supermarkets until they choke in their own waste (metaphorically).
Take to social media, if they have it.
Lean out of their windows and scream. Bang pots and pans.
Wear a sign, like my friend Abie, that says: “I meditate with love for all life on this planet. Anyone want to join me?”
Join community groups and talk about supporting biodiversity locally.
Call for better public transport.

Jeroen

I found this an interesting read, on their website:

https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/the-emergency/

When you put it all together like that, its pretty clear that the science indicates that we are doing significant damage to the planet and its ecosystems. So it’s a worthy cause to protest about, I think.

Jeffrey

Maybe a boycott of packaging that is non-recyclable?

federica

@Jeffrey said:
Maybe a boycott of packaging that is non-recyclable?

I do that already. Every time I go shopping in my supermarket, I take paper bags for my mushrooms, remove fruit and veg from their packaging, and even pre-packed meat... I refuse to use their wrappings, transferring everything possible to my own containers. At the moment I use tupperware type tubs, but I also have 2 glass containers with rubber lids, which work well...

I leave all the debris at the checkout for them to dispose of. If everyone did this, there would be more and quicker response form the Grocery Giants....
My cold blocks are two old washing up liquid bottles 2/3 filled with water and then frozen. Why buy blocks when you can easily fashion your own?

Currently, liquids are a problem, but I will find a way....

lobster

@adamcrossley said:
Metta for Mother Earth ❤️

I'll join.

@federica supermarket checkout is radical.

The other day a pied wagtail was walking ahead of us down a London street. Bodhi Mother Earthing is always supporting us.

• We have two compost bins and use a biodegradable plastic for the kitchen veg/compost collection.
• I mostly wear handed on clothes (30% of UK landfill is discarded clothes)
• Fight to keep trees. I have an elder ('weed' tree) growing into my gate
• Grow food, herbs, plants. Some of my herbs survived winter.
• Walk. We have surprising wilderness areas even in London.
• Do not eat processed junk food. It is against Nature.

We are Bodhi Green ...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_party