Go Green Teachings & Practical Tips
On this page you will find ‘Go Green’ tips you can apply everyday and tips to make SSSIO events more sustainable and study circle guides from the Serve the Planet initiative led by Young Adults.
What are the teachings we can practice to develop a sustainable life?
Go Green Tips!
The solution to climate crisis starts with each of us and our values. Watch the video to learn how we can lead an environmentally friendly life.
We need to think in terms of values
What are the values we can use to develop a sustainable life? We will need several earths to maintain this current standard of living, so something has to change.
As spiritual students we need to practise certain disciplines. Sri Sathya Sai Baba gave us two solutions to the climate crisis:
- 5 Human Values – Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, and Non-violence
- Ceiling on Desires – we should place a ceiling on our desires
If we gradually practise these two disciplines in our daily life, we will live life with ‘Love all, Serve all’ driving our thoughts and actions. We will be more mindful of our thoughts and actions and more aware of our impact on the environment. We will learn to treat natural resources, i.e. air, water, land etc., with respect and reverence and use them sparingly.
The root cause of the environmental damage is that we’re seeing in the world today as a place to satisfy our uncontrolled desires. We want more and more, and so we consume more and more. In truth, our happiness and spiritual growth comes when we are freed from the compulsive need to consume excessively and we only consume in moderation.
The Ceiling on Desires programme is a method to stop exploitation of nature, and the wasting of food, money, time, and energy, and to use the saving to serve others.
The Five Rs are a great way to help you remember: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle
Practical tips for daily use
Get simple tips to follow in your day-today life to protect Mother Earth by practising ceiling on desires
Please follow this link for quick tips for an eco-conscious lifestyle, covering food, waste, plastics, energy, water and transportation. If you enjoyed reading these, please share!
Personal Sadhana Checklist for Young Adults
Guidelines to Reconnect, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Checklist for Children and Teen Youth Download Checklist
Checklist for Adults and Young Adults Download Checklist
Watch this video of our Young Adults Envirocare activities taking place around the globe! Watch Now
Outreach guides and study circle material for Food, Waste, Plastics, Energy, Water and Transportation
Food
We can significantly reduce our carbon footprint with the food we eat every day. Can you eat more locally sourced food? Are you able to eat a meat free diet and, where possible, dairy free?
READ ABOUT FOOD
FOOD STUDY CIRCLE
Plastics
Plastic items take hundreds of years to decompose. Carry around a cloth bag instead of a plastic one and carry a reusable bottle and take-away container.
Plastic Community Outreach Guide
Reduce Our Plastic - Study Circle
Energy
By turning off our devices, each of us can save more power. When we use power, we can use renewable energy sources like solar. View 108 tips to save energy.
Energy is Divine - Study Circle
Energy: Origin and Impact on the Environment
Water
Keep showers under 5 minutes, fill glasses of water halfway to ensure none is wasted, run washing only when the washing machine is full and on eco mode.
Water - Community Outreach Guide
Water Study Circle
Transportation
We can look at swapping our car rides with public transport, cycling or walking where possible, and limiting our air travel.
Transportation Study Circle
Hosting an Event at Your Sai Centre?
Use these shareable checklists to make your events more environmentally sustainable.
- Plastic Use – Identify current plastic use, and alternatives that can be used instead
- Sustainable Food – identify ways to only buy and consume what you need, and to compost what is left over
- Meetings & Events – covers what to factor in before, during and after the meeting
Questions?
Reach out the SSSIO Environmental Sustainability Committee at gogreen@sathyasai.org with any questions, ideas or comments.
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