Gandhi's Approach to Global Warming

The world right now is trapped in a vicious cycle that knows no racial, religious or economic boundaries and spares not even the most innocent. There are no bystanders. But perhaps the worst part of this cycle is the fact that those hurt by it are the same ones who are willingly keeping it going. This cycle is known as Global Warming. Many would say it does not exist, but the sum of scientific data obtained over the years is simply too great to deny its existence. Yet almost nothing has been done despite all the years of research, and each generation simply adds on to the problem, leaving it up to their own children. So we now must ask ourselves what we can possibly do to stop this man-made cycle, which so many insist is an essential side effect of modern living. For an answer, we must turn to the most well-known master of simple living, Mahatma Gandhi. Though he never delivered any specific speeches on this issue, we can piece together his approach by studying his beliefs on affairs such as the development of countries and simple living.

Gandhiji left us many little sayings, even hints, as to how a country should handle the problem of development. It was his dream that, "...electricity, ship-building, machine-making and the like (should exist) side by side village craft." So clearly he felt there was a way for us to retain at least some of our modern economic bases without doing too much harm to the environment. However, he was in favor of simpler tools; tools that found a balance between human labor and efficiency. Rather than rely completely on machinery powered by electricity, generated through polluting fossil fuel usage, he stressed the use of tools that would achieve the same purpose, only through man power. He felt that using devices that would multiply the output of human labor while still being powered only by humans was a big part of solving the problem. And it makes perfect sense. In developing countries like India, where there is a surplus of human labor and yet a need for jobs, the use of simple tools instead of large machines could very well prove to be just as effective, and of course less harmful to the environment, seeing that the energy comes from humans not large coal burning factories. As Gandhi himself says to us, "since labour is an abundant resource, encouraging its use is generally consistent with rapid and efficient growth."

Another part of Gandhi's solution to global warming, would be to reframe our economies so that they are based on renewable resources rather than non-renewable ones. This means moving away from oil and other fossil fuels, towards both cleaner and lasting resources like solar and wind power. Not only would this reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions given off as a byproduct of fossil fuels, but it would give economic security to the countries that do it. Another aspect of Gandhi's approach would be to go to the root of the problem; our wasteful lifestyles. Too much energy and other resources are wasted daily by our careless manner. All of this waste eventually leads to unnecessary pollution, whether it is in the form of landfills or greenhouse gasses. Gandhi's solution would be simple living, where nobody uses more than they absolutely need, and example of which can be seen at his Ashrams in South Africa and India.

Global Warming is a vicious cycle, but it is one that we have the power to stop. What we need however, is the correct approach, and who better to listen to than the man whose predictions and insights have proven to be chillingly accurate over time? Perhaps what makes the Gandhian approach to Global Warming so strong is that it, "suggests appropriate measures to root out the problem, rather than search for a solution to control it." And it is this kind of an approach we need now, as we rapidly approach what may quite literally be the end.

Sources:

http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/articles/kavita_suchak.htm