The 2010 Forum of Saving Nature with Calm Mind reminded participants to make good use of limited global resources to ensure sustainability of the earth and its future inhabitants. This was known as living the ‘eco-life’. Honorable guests, including President of Dharma Drum Buddhist College Venerable Hui Min, cabinet Minister of the Council of Agriculture Dr. Wu-Hsiung Chen, Chairman of Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy Dr. You-Hsin Chien, Professor of Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies Dr. Chong-Pin Lin, were invited to share their point of views with over five hundred attendees.

Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong said that disasters have occurred more frequently in recent years as a result of climate change. As well as direct physical impacts, these disasters have at the same time unsettled people’s minds. “The more harsh the circumstances, the more stable mind must be,” the Abbot President advised.

Chairman Chien quoted from the United Nation’s data which stated the biggest contributing factor to global warming is the overconsumption of fossil fuels by humans. Dr. Chien stressed that reducing carbon pollution has become an imperative.

Minister Wu-Hsiung Chen said that climate change is a global crisis that inevitably includes Taiwan. Chen also stressed that even small acts such as turning off the light while walking out of the living room can have a positive impact on the environment.

Venerable Hui Min agreed that one should not discount seemingly trivial acts, as environmentalism is built upon by every positive act by each individual, no matter how big or small. He suggested that one should focus on the idea of Spiritual Environmentalism, living with less material desire, as the key strategy for living in peace. The late Master Sheng Yen once said that the success of environmentalism actually originates from the transformation of oneself, by listening more to nature and living harmoniously with our surroundings to support sustainability of the earth’s resources.


(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)