Our ongoing programs

Conserve of the nature by conserving the indigenous knowledge!

1 – Local courses for environment awareness development
2 – Organic Farming
3 – Legal Cases towards environmental injustices
4 – Campaigns against environmental destruction
5 – CENS Center/Library/ and Organic Farming Model Project in Netiya, Wariyapola
6 – Buddhism and environment
7 – Spiritual mind and nature

1 – Environmental conservation and nature resources courses
•Length: 1 year and 2nd year of volunteering practices
-one weekend per month / 2 nights theoretical studies and 2 days of field practices
– 3 days environmental camp – it takes place 3 times a year during the students vacation of April, August and December Teachers. from outside are invited to give lectures
– Field visit outside the village – ancient way of water management

•Courses presently going on in:
-14th course: Kuda Bubula village – 2nd year going on
-15th course: Walasmulla village
•Local: Religious Centers of the villages
•Final project: At the end students must prepare a final project according to their interest and based on what they can practice
•Certificate ceremony
•2nd year: students are invited to keep taking part of the project by doing volunteer work, such as:
-Providing the information acquired in the local schools
-Practicing in their own home as they can
-The groups keep gathering in order to study some chosen subject. Usually English classes as organized.
•Results:
-Many locals have changed their home gardening – from pesticides to organic – after the 1 year course.
-Students spread the knowledge acquired in the local schools
-Students are developing their own project based on their final project
•Future project: first upload the 32 classes online and then start developing online courses
2 – Organic farming projects
•Kuda Bumbula Buddhist temple
Started in 2014 and grow vegetables.

•3 Paddy fields in the village of Kaudulla
Started in 2013 and local farmers grow rice and vegetables. These three farmers have changed to organic farming with the advice of the volunteers.

•Private organic gardening
Near the city of Haputale and developed by the university student Priante, former student of CENS environment course.

• Kuda Bubula local farmers
The government agriculture officer Mahesh provides indigenous seeds and knowledge to local farmers around the village of Kuda Bubula who do not produce in organic way. He provides a small pot of seeds so the farmers can grow and compare with the non organic way, so then they can decide whether to change the whole field or not.

3 – Legal Cases towards environmental injustices
-Port City project case
-Chunnakamam water case

For instance, regarding Chunnakamam water case – One thousand liters of home oil was dumped on the ground and it is leaking and polluting the water wells. Our lawyers are fighting to stop the pollution and to provide water to people from other places until the soil solves the problem by itself

4 – Campaigns against environmental destruction
-Against water privatization
-Seeds privatization
-Lands privatization

5 fund _see the Donation category

06.Buddhism and environment
The spirit of Buddhism has however, restrained the people of Sri Lanka for large scale bio-degradation and Sri Lanka remains the best bio-diverse and well-forested country in Asia.

One of the key principle of Buddhist teaching is ‘pratiyasamutpada’ meaning independent co-arising or ‘dependent origination’ whereby Buddhist see all things and phenomenon as inter-dependent and arising from multiple causes and conditions (Thich Naht Hanh, 1998: 221-249), analogous to sustainable development. Sustainable Development is based on the principle of matching human resources and needs of the beings without undermining the sustainability of natural systems and the environment, so that the needs of the future generations are also preserved (World Commission on Environment and Development report of 6 June 2013).

Buddhism teaches that the idea of separateness is an illusion. The health of the whole is inseparably linked to the health of the parts, and the health of the parts is inseparably linked to the health of the whole. This means that caring for the environment begins with caring for oneself: ‘When our hearts are good, the sky will be good to us.’ Buddhist practice makes one feel one’s existence is no more important than anyone else’s. If one treats nature as a friend and teacher, one can be in harmony with other creatures and appreciate the interconnectedness of all that lives. Buddha taught people to live simply and appreciate the natural cycle of life. Craving and greed only bring unhappiness, since demands for material possessions can never be satisfied and people will always demand more, so threatening the environment. This is why the real solution to the environmental crisis begins with the individual.

The principle of ‘inter-being’ provides a very meaningful tool for guiding human beings in relating holistically and responsibly with all other beings and parts of nature and our universe. It the people continue to destroy the environment, all humanity will suffer, for the consequences of pollution, loss of biodiversity, desertification, deforestation and climate change. The Buddhist teachings of compassion and love or loving kindness complement the vision of sustainable development. Not only should human beings act compassionately and lovingly towards other species including protecting biodiversity and avoiding harmful, inhumane or violent treatment of other sentient beings and parts of the universe but avoid unsustainable actions of ecological destruction, cruelty to animals, wars and militarization which also affect the environment negatively.