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Emit love, not carbon || Acharya Prashant, with Bard College (2022)
Prakrati
367 views
2 years ago
Srimad Bhagvat Gita
Climate Change
Consumption
Mental Health
Conscience
Self-help
Sustainability
Human Mind
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that climate change is essentially a consequence of the internal state of the human mind and soul. He argues that traditional awareness campaigns often fail because people are preoccupied with their personal problems, desires, and ambitions. Instead of urging people to heal the climate directly, he proposes teaching them to heal their own lives and minds. He asserts that the external environmental crisis is a reflection of an internal fever or sickness. When individuals address their inner hollowness and lack of contentment, the climate will be automatically taken care of as a secondary consequence. He further discusses how the current economic and social systems act as predators that feast on human vulnerability and sickness. He critiques the modern definition of a 'good life,' which is often distorted to mean high production and consumption to boost self-esteem. Acharya Prashant points out that even sincere climate discourses often ignore fundamental causes like food choices because people are unwilling to change their core habits. He suggests that if people find an alternative way to live that addresses their internal suffering, they will naturally move away from carbon-intensive lifestyles. To reduce one's carbon footprint, Acharya Prashant suggests redirecting money from wasteful, carbon-heavy consumption toward worthwhile projects and missions. He explains that people often splurge money in a futile search for satisfaction. By investing in meaningful causes, they can find genuine satisfaction while emitting less carbon. He also provides an example of personal relationships, noting that when a relationship lacks real love and depth, it often becomes carbon-intensive as people use material luxuries and travel to fill the void. Better individuals in deeper relationships naturally leave a smaller carbon footprint.