Story at a glance
- In the book, the Dalai Lama urges his followers to no longer think about “my country” or “my people” and instead join together to preserve the environment.
- “More and more people understand that the survival of humanity is at stake. Simply meditating or praying for change is not enough. There has to be action,” he writes in the book.
- He says people should eat less meat as cattle ranching is a primary driver of deforestation.
The Dalai Lama is calling on world leaders to do more to tackle the climate crisis and have a greater compassion for the Earth.
The Buddhist spiritual leader has co-authored a book on climate change that warns of environmental destruction that could affect billions of people and emphasizes the urgent need for global action to curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.
“Buddha would be green,” the Dalai Lama writes in the book, titled “Our only home: A climate appeal to the world,” according to The Independent. The book is co-written with German environmental journalist Franz Alt.
In the book, the Dalai Lama urges his followers to no longer think about “my country,” or “my people,” and instead join together to preserve the environment.
“More and more people understand that the survival of humanity is at stake. Simply meditating or praying for change is not enough. There has to be action,” he writes in the book.
“I am now 84 years old and have lived through many of the upheavals of the 20th century: the destruction and suffering brought by war, as well as unprecedented damage to the natural environment,” he said. “Over-exploitation of our natural resources results from ignorance and greed, and a lack of respect for life on Earth.”
In an interview with NPR, the Dalai Lama offered advice for individuals looking to do their part to fight climate change: eat less meat.
Cattle ranching is one of the primary drivers of deforestation in the Amazon and cattle also produce methane, a greenhouse gas and contributor of global warming.
“Not only is it a question of a sense of love [of these animals] but itself, you see, very bad for ecolog,” he told NPR. “The beef farm, I really feel very uncomfortable. Large number of animal only for food. We should promote vegetarianism as much as we can.”
READ MORE LIKE THIS FROM CHANGING AMERICA
POLL FINDS 7 OF 10 VOTERS FAVOR STRONG GOVERNMENT ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
ICE IN BERING SEA HITS LOWEST LEVEL IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS
ANTARCTIC GLACIER RETREATED 3 MILES IN 22 YEARS
10 THINGS WE CAN ALL DO ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
WE DON’T BELONG ON MARS, WE HAVEN’T LANDED ON EARTH YET
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
