Urban Agriculture and Green Roofs

Posted at Food for Thought

I am currently in the midst of creating an online documentary about a group called the Urban Orchard, a community-based urban agriculture project in Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs.

The Urban Orchard was initially formed to allow people with backyard fruit trees to get together with others in their local area and swap surplus produce that would otherwise go to waste. So someone with a plum tree, for example, could swap their excess plums for some other fruit that they didn’t have – apricots, say, or lemons or figs. Quickly, though, the project expanded to include vegetables, herbs, seeds and plants, and even home-made jams. Members now meet once a week at the CERES market in Brunswick East, where they swap produce, as well as gardening advice, recipes and general neighbourly chit-chat.

As well as the simple pleasures of being able to grow and share one’s own food, the program has a myriad of beneficial outcomes: it reduces food miles and environmental impacts associated with food production and transportation; it supports biodiversity through seed saving and sharing; it encourages the consumption of healthy, seasonal produce; and it strengthens local community networks.

It has been a fascinating process to visit and interview members of the group. Their gardens range from the modest to the awe inspiring - it’s amazing to see how productive a small urban backyard can actually be.

But it is inevitable that as cities grow, the space for gardening will shrink. Like most Australian cities, Melbourne’s long-term urban planning vision involves increased subdivision and the development of higher density housing in existing suburbs, to counter the negative environmental and social impacts of urban sprawl.

Will this trend towards increased densification reduce the ability to produce food in the city? Take a look at the satellite-view of Melbourne on Google Maps and you’ll soon see a vast under-utilised area that could be turned into productive green space – the city’s rooftops.

Check out the Green Roofs for Healthy Australian Cities blog to learn more about green roofs and urban rooftop ‘micro-farming’. The benefits and possibilities seem endless, and extend far beyond urban agriculture:

“Green roofs can provide a wide range of public and private benefits, including significantly reduced fossil energy use, reduced peak runoff of roofwater, aesthetically pleasing cityscapes, longer roof life, and reduce ‘heat island effects’ of cities.”
- Green Roofs for Healthy Australian Cities

There is some innovative research and development in this area going on in Queensland at the moment, including a CQU study looking at the production of ‘roof-food’ using urban organic waste. Read about it at the Urban Agriculture Network blog.

Also, have a look at this post on Dwellblog for some awesome photos of green roofs in the US and Europe. And more inspiring pics here, at Urban Agriculture online.

Water, Water Everywhere...

By Bhakta Chris, Life Comes From Life

Last Tuesday night, at a jam-packed program at the Astanga Yoga Studio and Sri Ganesh Temple in Manhattan, His Holiness Radhanath Swami spoke about the need to clean the pollution from the ecology of our hearts,so that we will be able to clean the pollution from the ecology of our surrounding natural environment.

Maharaja gave a startling, personal example, in which he related that during a recent visit to the Himalayan Mountains, the same mountains he had wandered through thirty-five years ago in search of the Truth, he noticed that the formerly pure-white snow-capped peaks had become stained gray and black from the immense air pollution spewing from India's major cities.

He then related a very sobering bit of news he had heard from one of his scientist associates, in which because of this pollution and its resultant climatic alterations, there is every chance that two of India's biggest and most sacred rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna, may dry up by 2050.

The fact is that the body of this planet and our own physical and emotional bodies are on the verge of chaotic collapse. Who can chant Hare Krsna in the streets of Manhattan when the streets of Manhattan have been swallowed up by the Atlantic Ocean?

My first reaction, being a prideful rascal, was one of dare I say pleasure to hear one of the most spiritual personalities alive on this planet using the plight of our earthly environment to forcibly get across his point of the drastic need for a immediate re-spiritualization of the planet.

As I try to become more absorbed on this path of devotion to Krsna, to rid myself of my lusty attachment to all that is material, I cannot shake the plain truth that unless we as devotees move more towards the forefront of the worldwide movement for sustainability, we will be losing a grand portion of our ability to spread the rays of the benediction moon that is this sankirtana movement.

What must we do within our institution of ISKCON to make these environmental issues a priority in our outreach? What can we do as individual devotees and as individual temples to help make these issues a priority? At New Vrindaban, even though we live in a vegetarian community and are trying to systematically protect a number of cows, we struggle to convince the majority of the community to not use wasteful styrofoam, and previous composting and recycling programs have been lost in a haze of inefficiency and indifference. It is a very uphill battle.

Radhanath Swami said that the waters of the Ganges are always completely pure, but when mixed with polluted elements, the waters appear to be unclean. We must remember that the Ganga water, like the nature of the soul, is never contaminated.

Like the filtering of this water, we must begin by filtering out all polluted elements within our selves so that we can face the challenges of this world with positive, forward-thinking consciousness. True action begins within ourselves, but we must begin now, and move quickly, because it may already be too late.

Hey Bigfoot...

What is your ecological footprint? Take the quiz.

Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?

By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross, The Independent

It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.

They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.

The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers, like so many apian Mary Celestes. The vanished bees are never found, but thought to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives.

The alarm was first sounded last autumn, but has now hit half of all American states. The West Coast is thought to have lost 60 per cent of its commercial bee population, with 70 per cent missing on the East Coast.

CCD has since spread to Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. And last week John Chapple, one of London's biggest bee-keepers, announced that 23 of his 40 hives have been abruptly abandoned.

Other apiarists have recorded losses in Scotland, Wales and north-west England, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted: "There is absolutely no evidence of CCD in the UK."

The implications of the spread are alarming. Most of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left".

No one knows why it is happening. Theories involving mites, pesticides, global warming and GM crops have been proposed, but all have drawbacks.

German research has long shown that bees' behaviour changes near power lines.

Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause.

Dr George Carlo, who headed a massive study by the US government and mobile phone industry of hazards from mobiles in the Nineties, said: "I am convinced the possibility is real."

The case against handsets

Evidence of dangers to people from mobile phones is increasing. But proof is still lacking, largely because many of the biggest perils, such as cancer, take decades to show up.

Most research on cancer has so far proved inconclusive. But an official Finnish study found that people who used the phones for more than 10 years were 40 per cent more likely to get a brain tumour on the same side as they held the handset.

Equally alarming, blue-chip Swedish research revealed that radiation from mobile phones killed off brain cells, suggesting that today's teenagers could go senile in the prime of their lives.

Studies in India and the US have raised the possibility that men who use mobile phones heavily have reduced sperm counts. And, more prosaically, doctors have identified the condition of "text thumb", a form of RSI from constant texting.

Professor Sir William Stewart, who has headed two official inquiries, warned that children under eight should not use mobiles and made a series of safety recommendations, largely ignored by ministers.

See Video: Bumble Bees & Killer Cell Phones

National Vegetarian Week May 21st- 27th

The fifteenth National Vegetarian Week, sponsored by Cauldron Foods, aims to celebrate vegetarianism in its broadest sense and prompt media discussion on the topics of vegetarian food, health benefits, lifestyle and commitment.

The range of veggie food stuffs and products just keeps on growing, provision for vegetarians when dining out is getting better and better and people are taking much more of an interest in the food that they eat and how it is produced. As a result vegetarianism today is no longer seen as something cranky or hippy, but instead, very much part of the mainstream. Go into any supermarket in the UK and you will find aisle upon aisle stacked full of delicious veggie food products.

As well as an increasingly huge range of exotic fruit and vegetables on display, almost all supermarkets now have exclusively vegetarian freezer sections storing vegetarian sausages, bacon, burgers, mince, stir-fry pieces, fillets, pies and other meat alternatives. In fact becoming a vegetarian has never been easier, tastier or more nutritious. So if you’re looking for fresh ideas and some inspiration to take you forward towards a more compassionate lifestyle choice you are already in the right place.

The week's success relies significantly on the involvement of businesses, community groups, vegetarian groups, organisations and individuals so we're asking YOU to get involved!

Why is it green to go veggie?
http://www.vegsoc.org/vegweek/reasons.html

Chocolate Unsuitable for Vegetarians

By Hugh Muir
The Guardian

Perhaps there was a sense that the major battles facing Britain's vegetarians had been won. Veterans recall the fight for better labelling along with the quest for menu choices that didn't begin and end with ambiguous lentil bake.

Yesterday, 200 years after the Reverend William Cowherd first publicly advanced the principle of abstinence from flesh-eating, senior figures in the vegetarian movement found themselves rallying the troops for one more skirmish.

On May 1, Masterfoods began using animal products in famous chocolate bars such as the Mars Bar, Bounty, Snickers, Twix and Milky Way. The taint also affects Maltesers and Minstrels, which have traces of whey - a product of cheesemaking which itself involves the use of rennet, a chemical from calves' stomachs. The recipe change also applies to the popular ice cream versions of the confectionery bars.

It means that for the diligent vegetarian, the products are all out of bounds.

The move has been strongly condemned by the Vegetarian Society which has urged its members to pressure Masterfoods to think again.

To help the company reach this period of reflection, the society has posted the number for Masterfoods' customer services department on its website. Members pining for their favourite chocolate bars are being advised to ring the multinational and "express your concern".

A spokesman for the Vegetarian Society said: "For some incomprehensible reason they are using animal products when all these items have previously been produced using vegetarian alternatives. There are about 3 million vegetarians in the UK which is a significant part of the UK market. It is very disappointing that Masterfoods products are no longer vegetarian friendly. We hope the company will reconsider this move."

There is no sign of an early retreat but Paul Goalby, corporate affairs manager for Masterfoods, said the company at least deserved credit for being honest.

"Since changing the sourcing of our ingredients we are no longer able to ensure our chocolate will be animal rennet-free and so we made the principled decision to admit it was not guaranteed to be vegetarian," he said.

"If the customer is an extremely strict vegetarian, then we are sorry the products are no longer suitable but a less strict vegetarian should enjoy our chocolate."

He told the Grocer magazine that products with a "best-before" date up to October 1 are still suitable for vegetarians. The company is also offering a refund to those who cannot eat animal rennet on bars that have a later best-before date.

The vegetarian with a sweet tooth has long lived a perilous life. Many boiled sweets and mints contain gelatine. Boiled confectionery and other popular sweets can contain the colouring cochineal, which is made from insects.

Shambu Speaks

Shambo the Bull. You can add your signature to the petition at www.skandavale.org

I went to hospital this morning for what should be my final blood test of this current illness. While I was breaking my fast with a home made cheese and pickle sandwich, a young medical student came up to my table and asked if he could speak with me.

“I saw your hair at the back” he began, “and was wondering - are you a Hindu?”

“Yes I am,” I replied, smiling, “a white one”. He laughed, sat down, and continued, “Its just that I thought you might be from that Hindu temple in Wales that’s been in the news recently. I’m heading up a campaign at my university to gather signatures to protect their sacred bull.”

He referred to the Community of the Many Names of God, a Tamil Shaivite temple which, up in the Welsh Hills, has been in the British national news recently because of their valiant attempts to protect Shambo, one of their bulls, threatened with slaughter by local government officials because of his being diagnosed as having TB.

I expressed my gratitude to him for his campaign, giving the reason that protecting bulls, cows, and other innocent creatures was the foundation of Dharma. I explained that some of my colleagues were giving assistance to the campaign for Shambo, and then asked him more about his life at university. He ran the students Hindu Society, he said, but was more interested in the spiritual aspects of Hinduism than the cultural. “I was raised by parents who were strict Hindus” he continued, “but it wasn’t until quite recently, when I travelled in India for some months, that I felt really connected. I took a vow of brahmacarya while I was there.”

I raised my eyebrows and complimented him. “That’s the best possible thing you could have done for your spiritual life. It will give you great determination and the necessary power for spiritual growth.”

He seemed a little taken aback that an Englishman – albeit Hindu – should have demonstrated such enthusiasm for his undertaking and replied: “You really think so? Do you know something about brahmacarya?” When I replied that I had also been a brahmacari monk for eight years and looked upon that period of my life as my happiest time, he leaned forward and listened intently.

“But any vow (vrata) you undertake – especially for spiritual development – must be supported by a group of friends who are also on the same path,” I began. “Keeping to such vows without supportive sadhu-sangha is quite difficult.” He nodded his head and agreed that his fellow medical students could not understand his enthusiasm for the spiritual life. And for taking the vows of a monk while everyone was partying around him.

“That’s because spiritual life is all about discovering the transcendent reality above all the labels of this world,” I continued. “Everyone around you projects their mental labels and logos onto you according to how they see the world, how you fit into their world and what they passionately want from you. If you are not strong in your own identity and your spiritual goals, you can end up taking on those projected labels. You’ll believe yourself to be the sum total of everything other people tell you that you are, rather than who you actually are.”

Unfortunately, its even more acute for animals,” I went on, “On one living being we project the label ‘pet’ and upon another we project the label ‘food.’ Both four-legged creatures with fur and a face, but one is the object of our affections while the other is the object of our knives. Nobody would dream of killing a pet dog, but killing a cow or bull – or paying someone else to - is done without a thought.”

Then, somewhat conspiratorially, I also leaned further forward and said, “You know, even the term Hindu and Hinduism is a label given by others”. He nodded in agreement. “What we are all interested in, every believer of every ‘ism’, is reaching the spiritual level where all the artificial designations disappear and we understand the essential unity of all life.”

I invited him to come to Bhaktivedanta Manor, which, as it turned out, he’d only remotely heard of, coming from the north, and I gave him some website addresses to visit through which he could connect with more students on the spiritual path. “Nothing happens by accident does it?” he said as we shook hands. “Nothing at all” I replied.

I had another similarly uplifting conversation with the nurse/counsellor stationed at the Cancer Backup office. I’d first chatted with her before my operation and she wanted to know how I was adjusting to the next chapter of life. That was cue for another spiritual discussion. We talked feelings and emotions and the spiritual side of marriage, and I also invited her to come to the temple.

I had no sooner turned the corner into the corridor when I saw a devotee I had not seen for some years. He was old in years now and a little unwell, and I was glad to sit with him and his wife and offer them some positive scriptural thoughts for the weeks ahead.

Then to round off an enlivening day I returned home to discover that the Back to Prabhupada editors had not only given me a whole two pages in their magazine, in which they’d featured one of my blogs, but they’d also given me a large yellow by-line on the front cover as well. I shall have to reciprocate their recognition of me in another piece, on another day…

Article taken from: http://deshika.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/labels-and-logos/

Shambu the Bull in Danger of Slaughter

Haribol Prabhus,

I have recently been informed about Shambu the Bull, who is part of a faith
community that is being targetted for slaughter from the Welsh and UK
government. This bull has reacted to a TB test. It has also reacted to a
second test. The government has issued a notification of their intention to
slaughter this bull.

The community are practitioners of karma and bhakti yoga and as such they
allow their animals to live out their full lives. The community has moved
the bull into their temple room and are prepared to resist moves to
slaughter the bull.

The implication for the ISKCON herds especially in the UK and perhaps Europe
is that if this cow is slaughtered for potentially carrying TB then if any
ISKCON or other protected herds get TB or other similar diseases then they
will also be liable to be slaughtered.

The community are asking for support which at this time means they are
asking for people to sign their online petition.

Please spare a few minutes to check out the website, see the latest
development and sign their petition.

It is very important that we help this community as far as we can.

Their website is as follows:

http://www.skandavale.org/shambo.htm

ys syamasundara dasa
Farm Manager
Bhaktivedanta Manor
UK

Varnasrama Without Cow Protection: Surrealism In Action

By Ekendra Das

Have a look at this painting called The Persistance of Memory by the famous surrealist Salvador Dali. How does it capture you? Does it even draw your attention at all?

Many people find this painting captivating and definitive of the surrealistic movement in art. Here you have something familiar and distinctive - a clock. Clocks of this sort are usually found hanging on walls; yet here one is melting whilst hanging from the branch of a dead tree. Taking something out of context and superimposing it into an artificial environment is one aspect of surrealism. Even though it is sometimes said that 'a picture is worth a thousand words', this concept in relation to application of the Varnasrama culture in modern times is what I want to focus on in this article.

To help us to understand the four different divisions of varna Srila Prabhupada gave us the analogy of a human body. He likened the head of the body to the brahmanical or intellectual class of people. The arms of the body are compared to the ksatriya or administrative/warrior type of person. Just as arms can be used to activate, enforce and defend - the ksatriya class dutifully protects and administrates social injunctions under the guidance of the intellectual class. The vaisyas are like the stomach of the body. Those in this merchantile order are expected to generate an economy based on agriculture and are also expected to protect cows. The sudras are considered to be the legs of the body rendering their service by performing labour in support of the other social divisions.

Thus all four social divisions function as a whole just as the different parts of the body comprise a singular entity. So, despite that the four varnas are considered divisions of human society, they are inseperable and inter-dependent. To try to take the head, for instance, without the stomach renders a useless body. This is called ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya, "the logic of half a hen" wherein one is impressed by the egg laying capacity of one part of the chicken but not so enthusiastic about the head which requires to be fed - so the logic is to chop off the head to remove the unwanted part .

Acknowledging the correlation between the four varnas, the question then arises "Does the existence of one particular class of people depend upon the existence of the other three?" The answer is plainly, "No". A head is a head just like a brahmana is a brahmana like a clock is a clock. Obviously an individual with distinctive intellectual capacity is who he/she is. Division, therefore, of a group of people into different classes of society solely according to their innate qualities and abilities is feasible.

"Do the activities of one particular social order depend upon the activites of the other three?" This is an entirely different question altogether. Previously we questioned whether or not a brahmana could exist without the other types of people. Why not? "Can, though, a brahmana perform his function without the other social orders?" Not sustainably. This is largely due to performing their function out of context - just like the clocks in the image above. We can say - brahmana - but if the brahmana's activities are not beneficial what to speak of in consideration of the complete social body then this definition falls into the realm of the surreal.

Article continued at: www.gopala.org/node/29

earthling (urth ling), n. 1. An inhabitant of earth.

"This is the single most powerful and informative movie about society's treatment of animals. A must see for anyone who cares enough to know."
- Woody Harrelson

EARTHLINGS is a feature length documentary about humanity's absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called "non-human providers." The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix (GLADIATOR) and features music by the critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby.

With an in-depth study into pet stores, puppy mills and animals shelters, as well as factory farms, the leather and fur trades, sports and entertainment industries, and finally the medical and scientific profession, EARTHLINGS uses hidden cameras and never before seen footage to chronicle the day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. Powerful, informative and thought-provoking, EARTHLINGS is by far the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests. There are many worthy animal rights films available, but this one transcends the setting. EARTHLINGS cries to be seen. Highly recommended!

Check out the 7 minute trailer at: http://www.isawearthlings.com/trailer.html

We Must Do Something

By Adi Radhika Dasi, 2007. May 02.
http://smileofkrishna.com/?p=74

It is the nature of human being… till it comes to ourselves, we do not care.

Monday morning we returned back to our village; Krishna-valley. We were quite sleepless and tired, we rested and yesterday we went out for a walk, chanting Hare Krishna mantra. We mentioned to each other of the clean air, fresh aromas, sweet chirping of the birds after the city life of Istanbul and we felt very good. We are able to rediscover the values of our environment only when we stay away. We met with neighbours, villagers, chatted long and laughed.

As our steps continued on the way, a kind of sadness wrapped the happiness I had like a heavy mist slowly slowly sitting down in the evening. Since we left to Turkey - nearly two months - there had been no rain. I dont know whether we mentioned or not, but this winter I lived the first winter in my life without snow. Rain was also quite rare. We continued walking. Everywhere my eyes could reach was carrying the serious signs of drought. All the flowers were budded and blossomed from the unusual warm weather, and the leaves were tired and pale looking. Distinct cracks were lying on earth. I thought… we are in the month of May. What will happen in August?

Inspite of this hard climate condition, we cheered up seeing our young trees growing very nicely and we reached the Goshala. When the temperature doesnt drop down enough in winter, the pests and microbes continue living and this causes various environment problems. In the beginning of spring, our cows got cold for a serious period. We lost our Advaita. We continued walking and to the side of Goshala we saw our sweet calves. We watched, caressed and then walked to the garden of cows. I thought… it takes sensitivity to see how the nature is distressed, but an animal’s distress, her face expression is with us. I have never seen our cows this much tired and stressed. The suffering of the mother earth was appearing through their hearts. I felt pain.

Upon returning home in the evening, while I was washing my hands, a terrible feeling of shame covered my heart. Was it me deserving this water, while outside many living entities are in drought? In seconds, I faced with the fact that global warming, climate change, kyoto protocol… - few of the countlessly named condition we have been hearing around us- HAD REALLY COME.

I dont know how I slept… but as I woke up in morning, I turned to my husband and said, “we have to do something.” Water means life. So, how does this water come? From where it comes and gives life?

There is a verse from Bhagavad-gita in my mind;

annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavaha
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavaha
BG 3.14

“All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.”

Purport by Srila Prabhupada:
Food grains or vegetables are factually eatables. The human being eats different kinds of food grains, vegetables, fruits, etc., and the animals eat the refuse of the food grains and vegetables, grass, plants, etc. Human beings who are accustomed to eating meat and flesh must also depend on the production of vegetation in order to eat the animals. Therefore, ultimately, we have to depend on the production of the field and not on the production of big factories. The field production is due to sufficient rain from the sky, and such rains are controlled by demigods like Indra, sun, moon, etc., and they are all servants of the Lord. The Lord can be satisfied by sacrifices; therefore, one who cannot perform them will find himself in scarcity—that is the law of nature. Yajna, specifically the sankirtana-yajna prescribed for this age, must therefore be performed to save us at least from scarcity of food supply.

And in Bhagavad-gita 9.19, Krishna says; “O Arjuna, I give heat, and I withhold and send forth the rain.”

I am thoughtfull… surely, we deserved this situation and we deserved even much more. We exploited the nature recklessly and we never even questioned, how, why and who is giving us this opulence? Have we ever become grateful to the rain, fruit and the earth? We are eating what we sow.

In such extreme conditions, some of us blame God, telling He is bad, or even He does not exist. However, the first step of spiritual life is humbleness. It continuously fills our hearts with joy however hard the conditions are. In Vaisnava culture this is described as being lower then a blade of grass.

I am happy, Krishna is giving us this big opportunity. Now it is time to really be conscious every moment, to be heartily grateful and to develop our humbleness. Lets do sankirtana; lets remember Him, lets gather together and chant His holy names.

"You're a Cow Herder Now, Young Skywalker."

I am a self-confessed city boy, shamefully and shamelessly addicted to the many maddening modern comforts of the Western world. Still, I am drawn to the pastimes of the cowherd boy like the tidal pools under a full moon.

I am thinking my past life consisted of being a simple village boy in India, doing a lot of farming, a little devotional service, and one particular visit to Mumbai where I became so fascinated by the neon lights and mach-speed delights that when I left that particular body, I said “No thanks, my Lord. I wanna go to America!”

Therefore, there I went, and by the inconceivable mercy of Gaur-Nitai, I’m now here in the New V trying to pay my sweet penance for that choice.

Outside of my recent difficulty in just trying to move one cow, I have never ever been involved in any kind of organized exodus of a group of holy heifers. It didn’t begin well. Our first two initial efforts to get the guys and gals out of the Govardhana Goshalla grazing ground was met with indifference and a lot of insolence. Three times I pretty much fell knee-deep in the cold mud-dung combination that posed as solid ground.

Our boss-das Jaya Prabhupada was very confused about the udder lack of cooperation going one between man and animal. Usually, he has no problem getting the herd into the barn. Plus, the guys and gals were hungry for fresh grass and knew where to go. So, why the fuss? We blamed it on Alycia’s bright-yellow jacket, and with a rousing cry of “third time’s the charm!”, we gave it another go and got the herd out and on the march.

What I thought was going to be a mellow day under the blue sky quickly turned into a intense workout as the herd crossed the field towards the forest path. Sprinting, yelling, sweating, pleading. A number of the gals decided to go off in each possible direction and munch away at the feast at their feet.

Out of breath, but starting to feel an internal glow, I began to understand that we were not leading the pack, but following the hoofsteps. As the herd hit the path, I noticed two cows deciding to take the scenic route off the beaten path through the forest, so I took charge and care and followed.

After being led-through about three dozen thorn-bushes, we came to a very steep hillside that my bovine companions decided to scale, all of us doing this scaling with varying degrees of difficulty and determination. Here, I faced my mortality in a way I have never faced it before.

One of the young ladies was having a bit of a deal getting her four legs up the steep hill. I came near her and gave her some verbal encouragement, at one point standing directly behind her as she slowly made her way up.

For one small moment, I realized I was standing steeply downhill behind a 2000-pound cow, who if she slipped and came backwards, would crush my poor, useless body into mulch. I politely but quickly moved aside, and we eventually hit the path again.

After that experience, I realized that I had no choice in this matter and other larger matters. I must only put my faith in following Krsna and His cows, because they know where they are going, and I certainly have much less of a clue.

The task at hand eventually began to wash away some of the fatigue of the soul. The natural surroundings beckoned deep serenity, the old cabins and houses of past devotional scenes loomed with ghostly mystery.

A walking stick in my left hand, chanting Hare Krsna on my right hand, cows in front of and behind me, I whispered that now would be a perfect time to leave this mortal frame, but, alas, there is still a lot more work to do.

My pace began to match one particular cow, red-hair with a bad, cloudy eye. I took particular care to let her know we were almost there, suggesting to her to stop at nearby water puddles for what seemed like a much needed drink.

She didn’t heed, and simply marched forward. I checked off another lesson in staying on the straight-and-narrow path towards the goal of Godhead, not straying off into side roads for comforts I don’t essentially need.

We finally hit the Palace Road, and I watched in glee as a large dump truck had to slow its pace to near nil in order to accommodate the six or so cows moving at their own natural pace in front of it. Chalk up a small victory for the future I want to see.

Into the pasture behind Bahulaban, a few stragglers bringing up the rear. Sweet success for all. One of the perfections of devotional service this was. Actual practical hard-working Krsna-pleasing engagement.

One realization: A cow-herder is much like the sannyasi. Both carry a big stick. Both wander the wildernesses of this planet. The cow-herder herds cows to where they need to go. The sannyasi herds the lost human souls to where they need to go. Both jobs are quite difficult, but they are the essence of doing the needful.

As we walked and hitch-hiked back to the New V, Jaya Prabhupada regaled us with stories of his conversion to the Vaisnava sphere, saying he had once been a wandering craft-making hipster whose line to all others was that “I’m looking for a new planet.” One day, he picked up Easy Journey to Other Planets, and the rest has been golden for him.

He might agree with me here, but in the fine two-and-four step of herding Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s beloved holy heifers, there is nothing wrong with being on this planet at this particular time in the ol’ grand scheme of things.

Rise of Cow Slaughter in India

It may be hard to believe, but "Independent" Hindu India now kills more animals than ever before. Even more than the enslaved India under Christian British rule, or even the very ruthless Moslem emperors . . .

More animals have been butchered in the last decade than any previous decade in India's history!!

After independence, we have tried to catch up with the industrialization of the 20^th century. For that we needed foreign machinery, for which we needed foreign exchange, for which we had to export many of our resources -- even the ones scarce to our poor masses or important to our future generations. Most lately we have resorted to exporting meat. The government has issued licenses to huge slaughterhouses with an eye on the market in Arab countries. We have ignored that ours is a culture of nonviolence and this business does not fit in it at all. This has raised a big cry in the animal-loving community of Hindus and Jains. Here are some of their thought-provoking views.

Article continued at: http://jivdaya.org/rise_of_slaughter_in_india.htm

Air Quality Awareness Week

The National Weather Service has designated this week Air Quality
Awareness Week.  There are many kinds of air pollution. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates the Air Quality
Index for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act:
ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur
dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Ozone and particle pollution are two
common pollutants found in many parts of the country.

Ozone is a colorless odorless gas. It's the same kind of gas that's
found in the ozone layer. But in the ozone layer - high in the Earth's
stratosphere - ozone protects us from the sun. At ground level, where
we live, ozone pollution is unhealthy to breathe. Ground-level ozone
forms when pollutants from cars, trucks, power plants, industries,
and some consumer products "cook" in the sun. Ozone usually peaks
during the afternoon hours, when sunlight is the most intense.

Particle pollution consists of microscopic particles in the air. It can
be a problem in the winter or summer, depending on where you live.
Particle pollution causes haze, blurring the view in many cities and
national parks. And like ozone, it's not healthy to breathe.

You can help reduce pollution in your community by following these
guidelines. These recommendations are especially important when
ozone is expected to be unhealthy:

Conserve electricity and set your air conditioner at a higher
 temperature.

Choose a cleaner commute-share a ride to work or use public
 transportation.

Combine errands and reduce trips.

Bicycle or walk to errands when possible.

Defer use of gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment for
 later in the day, or for days when the air quality is better.

Refuel cars and trucks after dusk.

Limit engine idling.

Get regular engine tune ups and car maintenance checks
 (especially for the spark plugs).

Avoid spilling gas and don't top off the tank. Replace gas tank cap
 tightly.

Properly dispose of household paints, solvents and pesticides.
 Store these materials in airtight containers.

Paint with a brush, not a sprayer.

Buy low VOC paints for indoor and outdoor painting jobs.

You can help prevent or reduce unhealthy levels of particle pollution
with these actions: :

Reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use.

Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

Avoid burning leaves, trash and other materials.

Use household, workshop, and garden chemicals in ways that keep
 evaporation to a minimum, or try to delay using them when poor
 air quality is forecast.

Replace your car's air filter and oil regularly

You can track Air Pollution by checking out this website:
http://www.airnow.gov/