Diliny De Alwis's blog

Greenhouse gas ocean burial can start Feb 10 By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent (Reuters)

"International rules allowing burial of greenhouse gases beneath the seabed enter into force on Saturday in what will be a step toward fighting global warming, if storage costs are cut and leaks can be averted. "

An AP article "Some cool to hot term, 'carbon neutral' " for 31 Jan. 2007.

So is the increasing trend to 'cancel' out your carbon emissions by contributing to eco-friendly, carbon-reducing activities? Somehow, the trend reminds me of the buddhist concept of 'karma' and what goes around comes around. Is it really of benefit to 'cancel out' bad emissions by aiding 'emission reduction' somewhere else? OR is it simply better to make the right choice at the right time and simply not emit the carbon emissions (i.e. flying to destinations which could be easily done via ground transport, etc).

A brainwave of thought after studying the socialogical aspects of warfare and the psychological effects there of. I decided to spontaneously type in the words "warfare" and "ecological practices" into a google web search. The result, was surprising - there isn't much to say.

I persevered and clicked on the first 'relevant link'. A book review for

Russell, E. 2001. War and Nature: Fighting Humans and Insects with Chemicals from World War I to Silent Spring. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, New York, USA. [Link to book review ]

This weekend in Galway was a free event sponsored by Prajna Community & Ard Bia at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Galway.

Venue title: Spiritual & scientific aspects of Global Warming for a Future to be Possible
Time: Sunday 10th December 2pm - 5pm
Presenters: Dr John Stanley UK Health Protection Agency and Khenpo Karpo Senior Meditation Master from Bhutan

The agenda was as follows:

A Terrible Beauty is Born
Climate chaos: facts & solutions
Wisdom, Compassion, Energy & Environment
Images & insights from the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan
Ceremony for an endangered planet
Healing the mind, protecting the Earth

Summary:

I found an interesting article on the web: "There's no such thing as Eco-Tourism" (By Anneli Rufus, AlterNet. Posted August 14, 2006.). I was thinking about the people I meet in Galway and the 'tourists' as such who will tell me how they spent two weeks in Thailand making furniture out of coffins or how Steph is volunteering in Mongolia for 2 weeks at an orphanage. Travelling along the lay of the land and experiencing 'local life' for what it is. But is this really the case?

I think about my own native Sri Lanka. How I would spend the occasional day working in my mother's garment factory back in the day, usually applying labels to finished clothing or helping them package the clothes into plastic wrappings. I remember playing with huge spools of thread and how the ladies treated us with a certain amount of respect because we were the "Madam"'s children. They were more worried about what we were reporting back to my mother - suffice it to say we did nothing of the sort and really, we were just trying to be useful to make her happy while we waited for a few hours at the factory.

I think about the "hired help" who looked after us. I think one wasn't all that much older than me. But by living with our family, she had the opportunity to learn sinhalese, english, and to better herself. That was the implication. Its common in Sri Lanka to have people hired to cook and clean and to drive you around. Its a different sort of lifestyle. Not to mention, everyone needs to be employed. If you stop hiring domestics, then they end up flying out to saudi arabia or who knows where and being abused because there aren't sufficient laws to protect their rights.

It's a different world. Tourists to Sri Lanka would only see things from a western view - probably that the rich oppress the poor. Yet, the poor are happy and content in their lives - they are well provided for and chances are they have less worries. People are content and make a living for themselves - the literacy rate is high. There's loads of water and food and there aren't any starving orphans as the buddhist culture is one that provides for those who have not.

The beggars in Sri Lanka are generally via profession. Yet, someone coming from here would be appalled to see a man with his legs wrapped dragging himself on a board on wheels asking for money. Funny thing is, try giving him change and see how greatful he is - he's looking for bills.

I may sound cynnical - but trust me - I've lived there.. and I've seen things first hand. Generally the people who do need things are the people who won't get what they need because someone more corrupt stands in the way. Its why with aid I always recommend you find someone who actuallly has access to the person who needs what you're offering.

So I'm thinking about other countries. People will see you as a tourist and treat you like there's a silver spoon in your mouth. They want you to go away with good feelings. You're not really getting the 'real' experience. You'd have to actually couch it in a family's home for a month before you got a 'real' experience. So in the meantime, whatever your means and whatever your method of transport - you're a tourist. You're looking at things like we look at fish in a fish tank. There's no real way of mixing though you can swim with the fishes on occasion.

That's my beef.
:)