A kinder, less violent energy
What power system would the Lord Buddha build?
Lord Buddha preached compassion, loving kindness and non-violence to all people and living beings. How might we make Thailand's environmentally
harmful and conflict-ridden power system kinder, gentler and less violent?
Thailand's current electrical system is not so kind to plants, animals
and humans. Hydropower disrupts fish ecology and floods forests, animal
habitats, crop lands and villages.
The process of developing dams in Burma to serve Thailand's electricity
demand has been reportedly implicated in systemic rapes, forced labour
and other abuses against ethnic minorities.
Dust and smoke from coal-powered plants in Thailand have hospitalised or
killed hundreds of villagers from respiratory infections, poisoned water
supplies, and created acid rain that decimated forests and crops.
Petroleum is the cause of terrible wars, and vast oil profits can be
used to prop up anti-democratic regimes.
The construction of natural gas pipelines from Burma to Thai power
plants was the locus for alleged serious human rights abuses, and
profits paid to the Burmese junta for gas exported to Thailand has
strengthened the junta's financial means to inflict violence on their
own people.
All fossil fuels _ coal, oil, gas _ are a major cause of global warming,
which is already responsible for massive species extinctions (and
expected to grow much worse in the coming decades).
Nuclear power, not here yet but strongly promoted by the Thai
government, may be just as bad, if not worse.
Nuclear fission is the basis for the deadliest weapons humans ever
invented and has created such colossal tragedies as Hiroshima, Nagasaki
and Chernobyl.
The current level of nuclear stockpile among ''peaceful'' nuclear
nations is sufficient to annihilate humanity and many other species. And
just a few kilogrammes diverted by terrorists from supply or waste
streams is enough to inflict severe suffering on millions.
The myth of ''peaceful nuclear power'' is shattered when one considers
that 20 of 60 countries with ''peaceful'' nuclear reactors are known to
have used them to conduct covert weapons research or production. In
practice, it has proven far too easy to develop nuclear weapons
alongside _ and hidden by _ nuclear electricity programmes.
Even if such nuclear violence were to be prevented through vigilant
security and high technology, there remains the future legacy of
radioactive waste.
Finding and safeguarding a permanent solution to nuclear waste disposal
will burden our children and descendants for the next thousand years.
Violence comes not only in the form of direct harming or killing.
Limiting others' options without consent is also violence. Nuclear
energy is, thus, inevitably a violent risk forced onto future
generations whose voice is not present at the decision-making table.
In addition to these forms of violence, Thailand's energy sector has a
tragic history of pitting people against people. Tempers rage when
different visions of development, hopes for the future, and assessments
of risk clash. Many communities affected by energy projects have seen
their community members and leaders threatened, injured, arrested and
even murdered.
So how can we as consumers and compassionate beings help shape
Thailand's power sector development towards peace and kindness?
The Lord Buddha's teachings show the way. We must start by cultivating
awareness, by collectively acknowledging the situation, including the
past and present violence. Only when we accept can we begin to truly
address the problem.
The Buddhist Precepts provide key guidance.
We draw on an interpretation of these precepts, particularly useful for
contemporary life, by the venerable Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.
The first precept is to refrain from destruction of life, be it human,
animal or plant. This can be interpreted to include direct killing,
letting others kill as well as condoning any act of killing anywhere,
within as well as outside our own country.
Second, we must refrain from stealing _ ''taking what is not offered''
or exploiting or oppressing to take resources that should belong to others.
This can also be interpreted as not profiting from the suffering of
others and refraining from pillaging nature (clean air, mineral
deposits, flowing rivers).
The third precept (sexual misconduct) does not apply. The fourth precept
is to refrain from unmindful speech and unwillingness to listen to
others. With respect, deep listening and compassion, policy-makers,
consumers and affected villagers could together work out a new power
sector development plan that is gentler and serves society's needs
better. Conflicts in violence-prone project areas could then be avoided.
The fifth precept is to refrain from unmindful consumption (consuming
more than we need or without heeding the suffering inflicted on others).
Energy conservation (literally eliminating waste) or renewable energy,
which cleanly and sustainably taps into natural energy flows (sun, wind)
are more acceptable from the perspective of this precept.
They are also consistent with the Lord Buddha's teachings on moderation.
Many of the ideas in this essay are often referred to as ''green
energy''. We strongly support green energy, but we feel that there is a
lot more at stake than the word ''green'' connotes.
What we're really talking about is a choice between kind and
compassionate versus violent energy. We really do have the power to
choose _ and now is the time to act.
Decisions made now will play a key role in shaping the sector for years
to come. As we consider key decisions, let us keep in mind the question:
''What power system would Lord Buddha build?''