Attitudes toward nature and environmental connection

¶ … feelings towards nature and the factors which influence them. I come from a Chinese background and follow the doctrines of Buddhism. I like to keep myself updated about the latest news about our environment and make efforts to contribute in any way that I can. The current status of our natural resources is pretty bad. Humans have exploited them in all ways making it necessary to take strong steps to protect it. Environmental Pollution has risen to dangerous levels. According to Buddhism, the word "nature" refers to all parts of the world which are not man-made. However humans have destroyed the original form of nature in several ways. Pollution as we know it did not exist at the time when Buddhism was created. The industrial revolution along with the advent of other technologies has changed the face of wild nature as it was.

I believe that everyone should make an effort to contribute towards the recovery of nature as it used to be, a few centuries ago. The need for this to happen is a lot more than back then. The levels of air pollution have increased manifold. Planting more trees is certainly one way to go. Deforestation cannot be stopped completely as it fulfills the needs of our lifestyle. I believe that starting a revolution against deforestation would not work in the long run. There will always be some people who would keep doing it without thinking about its harms. Planting a tree is easy and anybody can do it. Everyone needs to make an effort to plant trees in the neighborhood around which they live. My family has a garden and I enjoy taking care of plants. I believe that spending some time in the garden is both physically and mentally satisfying. All it takes is tending to them for some time and regular watering. Plants can boost the aesthetic aspect of any house. An organized garden area provides a relaxing place for the family to get together. One does not need to have a garden to stay connected with nature. Not everyone can afford a house with their own garden area. It is easy to live in an apartment and stay involved with nature at the same time. Decorating rooms with plants can add a nice touch to its look.

My religious background and family are the main things which influence my feelings towards nature. Buddhism promotes a healthy relationship with nature as it provides us with most of our daily needs. It also teaches us to restrict ourselves to our needs and not our greeds. Most of our human society is guided by greed causing an imbalance in nature. Consumerism has led to an energy crisis and a pollution problem at the same time. At this rate it does not surprise me that most of our crucial energy sources are getting depleted. I believe in being a part of nature and accepting all its gifts. However my religion teaches me to give back as much as we take. The sooner people realize this; the easier it will be to solve our problems. I support a lot of environmental campaigns in my society. I have participated in various events organized by them which carried out cleaning operations in the neighborhood and their front yards.

Our family has had a garden since I was very young. It has been a part of my life and I would probably have a garden when I get my own house someday. Our family has made us ( me and my elder brother) responsible for maintaining the garden. It is a part of our daily chores to water the plants and check if there are any diseases affecting them. We have taken it a step further and placed decorative plants such as china flower and bonsai inside the house. I think gardening is a good hobby which promotes a healthy attitude towards nature and encourages a curiosity about plants. We use a variety of online resources to learn about plants and search out ways to make new inclusions to our garden.