image by Jennifer Chong/Flickr Creative Common

I had another post lined up to go today but, probably like you, I am unable to stop thinking about the tragedy that is unfolding hour after hour in Japan this week. My heart aches at the suffering that people in that part of the world are experiencing and will continue to go through in the coming months and years.

The earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 were devastating; the nuclear crisis that followed is worsening with every day. Under such conditions, it feels almost incomprehensible to wonder what we can do, especially those of us who are on the other side of the world.

Even so, I’d like to suggest four things to consider (and act on) as we send love to our brothers and sisters in Japan, and to the whole planet.

1. Realize that we are all interconnected
Even though we may be far away, this disaster affects all of us. Realizing the truth of our interconnection can help us to make wiser life choices in the future – ranging from the kinds of energy sources we use to how we treat one another each day. This week, Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh shared this beautiful letter with the people of Japan:

Dear friends in Japan,

As we contemplate the great number of people who have died in this tragedy, we may feel very strongly that we ourselves, in some part or manner, also have died. The pain of one part of humankind is the pain of the whole of human…kind. And the human species and the planet Earth are one body. What happens to one part of the body happens to the whole body.

An event such as this reminds us of the impermanent nature of our lives. It helps us remember that what’s most important is to love each other, to be there for each other, and to treasure each moment we have that we are alive. This is the best that we can do for those who have died: we can live in such a way that they continue, beautifully, in us.

Here in France and at our practice centers all over the world, our brothers and sisters will continue to chant for you, sending you the energy of peace, healing and protection. Our prayers are with you.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

2. Consider alternative energy sources for your home
Nuclear power plants currently supply about 15% of the world’s energy. On the one hand, they are a largely carbon-free energy source and so have been considered by some to be part of a solution to climate change. And yet, as we have seen this week, they carry huge safety issues.

There are ways that we can begin to move away from these potentially destructive technologies and toward other energy sources that are sustainable.

For example, you can explore more about alternative energy options such as solar for your home or business at the Real Goods website. Real Goods has been around since 1978 and they offer all the information you could ever need to determine if solar energy is a good fit for your home, as well as the resources to make it happen. They also offer free consultations to residents of California and Colorado. If you live in other states, check out this national directory of solar contractors.

3. Change the system to support non-nuclear energy sources for your community
You can also take actions to make it more possible to wean ourselves away from nuclear energy and toward other energy sources. One way to do this is to invest in companies that are developing these technologies. Here are two options to explore:

• New Alternatives Fund, a U.S.-based socially responsible mutual fund emphasizing alternative energy and the environment.
• Polaris Energy, a private equity company based in Luxembourg, that provides a gateway to renewable energy investments for investors worldwide.

You can also get involved in larger efforts to support these alternative energies. Check out the Worldwatch Institute, a great organization that researches innovative solutions to some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our times, including climate change and energy needs. If you want to educate yourself on how various energy sources impact the planet, one of the best sources of information is this excellent report from the Worldwatch Institute: “Low-Carbon Energy: A Road Map.”

4. Reduce your own consumption
At the most basic level, there are many things you can do to reduce your own energy usage and thereby reduce the need for nuclear power plants down the road. Here are just a few steps you can take:

• Make this the year that you plant a vegetable garden, or support a community garden in your neighborhood
• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
• Unplug appliances when you’re not using them. Use a “smart” power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts “phantom” or “vampire” energy use.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline rather than machine drying.

As we all bear witness to the terrible events in Japan this week, let us hold one another with much compassion and care, accompanied by positive steps to help prevent the possibility that such a massive human-generated disaster will ever happen again.

P.S. On my other blog, The Jizo Chronicles, I included this list of relief organizations to which you may consider making a donation in support of the people in Japan.

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