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Communicating Sustainability within Britain’s Hindu Community

Author

Listed:
  • Sita Rama Das

    (Lotus Trust, The Lotus Trust, The Manor, Hilfield Lane, Aldenham, Watford, Herts WD25 8EZ, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Martin Haigh

    (Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane Campus, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Sheila Chauhan

    (Lotus Trust, The Lotus Trust, The Manor, Hilfield Lane, Aldenham, Watford, Herts WD25 8EZ, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Focusing on the UK’s Hindu community, this explores some modes for the communication of pro-sustainability messages and their affective strength. These campaigns employ the community-center role of many UK Hindu temples to connect Hindu congregations to the cause of environmental sustainability through the medium of Hindu scripture and tradition. The international Hindu Bhumi Project (and its larger “Many Heavens, One Earth” interfaith initiative) provide an umbrella for such pedagogic initiatives. Two are described. First is the festival-ground-based Karma to Climate Change (K2CC) campaign, which encourages pilgrims to pledge pro-sustainability lifestyle changes as part of their religious practice. The second, the Ahimsa Project, is devoted to the popularization and production of ethically pure, cruelty/slaughter free milk, which encourages people to develop greater empathy for the wellbeing of their fellow creatures and, ultimately, to abhor the casual slaughter of animals for meat. These projects are driven by the enthusiasm and concern of a younger generation of British-born Hindu people and their impacts are felt both through the campaigns themselves and the family structures of the volunteers who participate.

Suggested Citation

  • Sita Rama Das & Martin Haigh & Sheila Chauhan, 2014. "Communicating Sustainability within Britain’s Hindu Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:2:p:718-740:d:32778
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Martin Haigh, 2010. "Education for a Sustainable Future: Strategies of the New Hindu Religious Movements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(11), pages 1-20, November.
    2. Sheila Chauhan & Sita Rama das & Martin Haigh & Natalia Rita, 2012. "Awareness vs Intentionality: Exploring Education for Sustainable Development in a British Hindu Community," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(6), pages 361-371, November.
    3. Aimee N. Hafla & Jennifer W. MacAdam & Kathy J. Soder, 2013. "Sustainability of US Organic Beef and Dairy Production Systems: Soil, Plant and Cattle Interactions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-26, July.
    4. Subak, Susan, 1999. "Global environmental costs of beef production," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 79-91, July.
    5. Martin Palmer & Victoria Finlay, 2003. "Faith in Conservation : New Approaches to Religions and the Environment," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15083, December.
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