Author: jnimitz

What can we do as individuals to reduce global warming?

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(Please note: This document is somewhat rough and far from comprehensive. It’s designed simply to stimulate some ideas for action.)

Assembled by Myra Armstrong and Jon Nimitz

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The Earth Holder community in our tradition has been formed to apply Thay’s deep teachings about falling in love with Mother Earth, mindful living, and compassionate action to the climate crisis in order to heal and transform individual, collective, and planetary suffering. Articles are available at earthholder.training including the Earth Peace Treaty Commitment Sheet, which lists many actions individuals can take to help the environment. The Earth Holder Community holds an online Sangha meeting the second Sunday of each month from 8:00-9:30 a.m. Pacific time. 

As you may know, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was started in 1988, to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options. It provides detailed reports on the current state of climate science, measurements, predictions, and policy recommendations. These reports are available at ipcc.ch/reports.

The bestselling 2017 book Drawdown by Paul Hawken reviews the 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming. It is available both in print and audio form from the Albuquerque Public Library. 

“World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency” (Note: This may be one of the most important things you have ever read.) More than 11,000 scientists have signed this statement. They say: “We suggest six critical and interrelated steps (in no particular order) that governments, businesses, and the rest of humanity can take to lessen the worst effects of climate change.” These six steps include 

  • quickly implementing massive energy efficiency and conservation practices and replacing fossil fuels with renewables
  • reducing emissions of short-lived climate pollutants including methane, soot, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). 
  • protecting and restoring earth’s ecosystems
  • eating mostly plant-based foods
  • limiting excessive extraction of materials and overexploitation of ecosystems to maintain long-term sustainability of the biosphere
  • stabilizing the world population
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Nov 17, 2019 — Meeting on what we can do as individuals to reduce global warming

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Dear Friends,

Please join us this coming Sunday from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Albuquerque Zen Center (AZC), 2300 Garfield Ave. SE. At each weekly meeting, you’re welcome to come early and join us for some herbal tea and socializing starting at 4:30 p.m.

Thay has said in his calligraphy “I am in love with Mother Earth”

Thay’s Mindfulness Trainings remind us to do our part in reducing unnecessary consumption and reversing the process of global warming.

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Five Mindfulness Trainings Recitation on Nov. 10, 2019

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Nov 10 from 5-6:30 pm at the Albuquerque Zen Center to recite the wonderful 5 Mindfulness Trainings. These are our good friends on the path.

Two thousand six hundred years ago, the Buddha offerred certain guidelines to his lay students to help them live peaceful, wholesome and happy lives. They are the 5 Wonderful Mindfulness Trainings. With mindfulness as our foundation, we can become aware of what is going on in our bodies, our feelings, our minds, and in the world.

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Sangha meeting for Nov. 3, 2019

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Please join us this Sunday at the Albuquerque Zen Center, 2300 Garfield SE. If you would enjoy visiting over a cup of tea, please come at 4:30. Sangha formally begins at 5 pm.

Our sangha is beginning a two part discussion of breathing. This coming Sunday we will consider how we can use our breath and how to practice breathing meditation. In December we will explore Buddha’s Anapanasati Sutra, the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing.

When we breathe mindfully, our breath connects us to our bodies; it becomes a refuge and returns us to the present moment. As Thich Nhat Hanh writes,

     “Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
      Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
      Breathing in, I calm my body.
      Breathing out, I smile.
      Dwelling in the present moment,
      I know this is the only moment.”

In our daily lives when we find ourselves feeling tense, angry or defensive, we can practice taking three mindful breaths:

      With the first breath, we pause.
      With the second breath, we reconnect our mind
       and body in the present.
      With the third breath, we relax and smile.

Enjoy your breathing.

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After dharma sharing, we will have a brief organizational meeting to think about topics for our 2020 Sangha meetings as well as goals for our sangha. We also have an upcoming holiday potluck (December 8th) and a springtime Day of Mindfulness planned.

Reducing home energy use

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Hello, Rainbow Friends,
When we think about the climate crisis, we know that we as individuals need to do as much as possible to reduce our our carbon footprint, our consumption of energy from fossil fuel. “Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO2 (carbon dioxide), which were induced by your activities in a given time frame.” from https://timeforchange.org/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-definition/ You can learn your own carbon footprint here: https://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator


Home energy use and transportation energy use are the major contributors to our carbon footprint. Today, I focus on  HOME ENERGY USE:

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