Reference: The Happiness Rundown
12-3. Help take care of the planet
The idea that one has a share in the planet and that one can and should help care for it may seem very large and to some, quite beyond reality. But today what happens on the other side of the world, even so far away, can effect what happens in your own home.
Recent discoveries by space probes to Venus have shown that our own world could be deteriorated to a point where it would no longer support life. And it possibly could happen in one’s own lifetime.
Cut down too many forests, foul too many rivers and seas, mess up the atmosphere and we have had it. The surface temperature can go roasting hot, the rain can turn to sulphuric acid. All living things could die.
One can ask, “Even if that were true, what could I do about it?” Well, even if one were simply to frown when people do things to mess up the planet, one would be doing something about it. Even if one only had the opinion that it was just not a good thing to wreck the planet and mentioned that opinion, one would be doing something.
Care of the planet begins in one’s own front yard. It extends through the area one travels to get to school or work. It covers such places as where one picnics or goes on vacation. The litter which messes up the terrain and water supply, the dead brush which invites fire, these are things one need not contribute to and which, in otherwise idle moments, one can do something about. Planting a tree may seem little enough but it is something.
In some countries, old people, the unemployed, do not just sit around and go to pieces: they are used to care for the gardens and parks and forests, to pick up the litter and add some beauty to the world. There is no lack of resources to take care of the planet. They are mainly ignored. One notes that the Civilian Conservation Corps in the U.S., organized in the 1930s to absorb the energies of unemployed officers and youth, was one of the few, if not the only project of that depressed era that created far more wealth for the state than was expended. It reforested large areas and did other valuable things that cared for the U.S. part of the planet. One notes that the C.C.C. no longer exists. One can do as little as add one’s opinion that such projects are worthwhile and support opinion leaders and organizations that carry on environmental work.
There is no lack of technology. But technology and its application cost money. Money is available when sensible economic policies, policies which do not penalize everyone, are followed. Such policies exist.
There are many things people can do to help take care of the planet. They begin with the idea that one should. They progress by suggesting to others that they should.
Man has reached the potential capacity to destroy the planet. He must be pushed on up to the capability and actions of saving it. It is, after all, what we’re standing on.
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Exercise
0. Make sure you have completed the exercise section at Happiness: Precept 12-2. Study the precept above.
1. Check the responses to the following questions for false data (see false data steps at Happiness: Prologue).
(a) “Have you been told or taught not to take care of the planet?”
(b) “Do you have any rules or ideas contrary to taking care of the planet?”
(c) “Have you been led to believe that you shouldn’t help take care of the planet?”
(d) “Do you know of anything that conflicts with helping take care of the planet?”
(e) “Do you have any false data about helping to take care of the planet?”
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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers:
(a) “How have others transgressed against the precept: ‘Help take care of the planet’?”
(b) “How have you transgressed against the precept: ‘Help take care of the planet’?”
Do a quick review to see if you did not miss any answers on this step. You should be feeling good about this step.
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3. See if the following question definitely brings up some name you know of:
“Is there any specific person in your past who really transgressed against the precept: ‘Help take care of the planet’?”
If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:
“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”
If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.
“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?”
“Is there any time when you decided that not helping take care of the planet was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? (Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
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4. Handle any anomalies that come up on the following question by looking at the anomaly more closely.
”Do you have any reservations about helping take care of the planet?”
If the anomaly does not resolve then review the precept as well as all the exercise steps above to see if anything was missed. Then do step 4 again. When there is no anomaly go to step 5.
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5. Contemplate on the following question.
“Do you have any reservations about getting someone else to help take care of the planet?”
If any reservation comes up, then consider the following:
“How would that be a problem?”
Get answers to this question until there are no reservations.
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Wrap up Precept 12
0. Review Precept 12.
1. Contemplate over the following question.
“Is there any conflict between safeguarding and improving your environment and any other ideas you have encountered?”
Handle any conflict with false data steps.
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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers:
“Have you thought of any other transgressions of others against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”
“Have you thought of any other transgressions of your own against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”
“During these sessions have you thought of any withhold?”
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3. Consider this question:
“Do you have any feeling that you wouldn’t be yourself if you followed the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”
If this is not the case, go to the Step 4. Otherwise, ask yourself,
“Can you recall any person who felt the way you do about the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”
If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:
“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”
If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.
“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?”
“Is there any time when you decided that not safeguarding and improving your environment was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? (Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
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4. Check over the following questions. and handle any anomalies that come up.
“Do you have any other considerations about safeguarding and improving your environment?”
“Do you have any other considerations about others safeguarding and improving the environment?”
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