GREED TO GREEN CULTURE

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Organic Farming is one of the key activities in GEV, around which all the other activities are centered. Food is life! The Vedic system emphasizes how food that we eat is interconnected with our physical being as well as our mental consciousness. Therefore, the purity of the food we eat determines the wellbeing of the society. GEV has a strict policy of 100% chemical free farming there by ensuring the safety of the land, the farmers and the consumers.

A green economy is described as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The fallacy of consumerism is coming to light in a blatantly painful way. The recent economic meltdowns and the astronomical price rise are making people all over the world rethink the current models of development.

The fundamental flaw lies in the way we approach our planet. We have just one planet to live in and how well we utilize its resources will define the state of our existence on this planet. More and more nations today are adopting this concept of 'green economy' by reducing their carbon emissions and improving their resource efficiency. But is that really enough?

The Vedas present a holistic solution to this problem and it begins in redefining the conception of earth. It describes our planet not as a glob of matter floating in the unlimited space, but as a sentient entity whose personification is Bhoomi Devi. The Vedas proclaim that our attitude while accepting the various natural resources must be that of gratitude and respect. Then Bhoomi would respond in abundance like a loving mother eager to see her child grow. Unfortunately the modern attitude of exploitation and greed has only shown us her face of fury in the form of tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes and forest fires.

Skeptics may find this concept to be anthropomorphic, but the conception of treating earth as a mother or as a deity is commonly observed in many world cultures. Earth has been worshipped by many names such as Bhoomi, Gaia, etc., all proving that there is a far deeper understanding beyond our limited perception and which holds the key to green living. Our ancestors in the past knew it and it enabled them to live peacefully for centuries.

However the modern era, especially post industrial revolution, has only been an era of short lived comforts with long term repercussions. The solutions we have created in the recent past have only resulted in creating bigger problems for future. And the so called advancement has only been "fire-fighting" at best and is far from being the ultimate solution for human well-being. It’s high time we look back into the past at the ways of the wise and cultivate this culture of respect for Mother Earth. That alone will ensure the success of all the green initiatives we take. So this World Environment Day lets be a part of the planet that cares for Mother Earth. Let's witness the dawn of a Green Culture. Well, does it include you?