Passing the torch to a new generation
Dear Friends,
Last year we announced a pause in our activities in order to assess the future direction and work of Bhumi Global. As we noted in that statement:
For the past 15 years, the leadership team at Bhumi Global have been at the forefront of international Hindu environmental education, action and advocacy.
During that time we have seen a significant rise in Hindu leaders and communities in all parts of the world working to address environmental challenges.
During this pause in activities we have taken stock of the breadth of global Hindu environmental leadership. We have been overwhelmed in the sheer scale of positive action, and humbled at the role we have played in developing the contemporary field of Hindu environmental activism. As we reflected on this, we concluded that after leading this work for 15 years - first as The Bhumi Project (housed at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies) and now as Bhumi Global, we have met our goal of fostering an international Hindu movement for Mother Earth.
While there is always more work to be done, it is also good to know when to step aside in order to allow others to step into positions of leadership. We have therefore decided the time is right to end our work. We do this with joy in our hearts, comforted in the knowledge that the spirit of our work will be carried forward by a new generation of leaders, and the many communities and individuals we have worked with over the years.
We have been immensely grateful to serve all of you over the years, and for your support, dedication, and partnership in our mission to promote Hindu environmental education, action, and advocacy. Your commitment has been a driving force in our work, and we are deeply thankful for the impact we have been able to create together. To preserve this legacy, in the coming months our website will be updated to serve as an archive of our major achievements and key resources.
As we close this chapter, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our volunteers, donors, partners, and supporters who have been part of the journey. Together, we have made a meaningful difference in advancing the cause of environmental care.
With deep gratitude and warm regards,
In service to Mother Earth,
The Bhumi Global Board
We’re pausing our activities…
For the past 15 years, the leadership team at Bhumi Global have been at the forefront of international Hindu environmental education, action and advocacy.
During that time we have seen a significant rise in Hindu leaders and communities in all parts of the world working to address environmental challenges.
This reflects broader shifts in society, where an increasing number of people are concerned about the environment and committing themselves for action.
Despite this uptick in awareness and action, we still see a troubling lack of ambition from global decision makers and certain industries to address matters with the urgency they deserve.
Nonetheless, significant progress continues to be made, and we at Bhumi Global are proud of our contribution.
This work, however, is difficult. Studies have shown the high level of anxiety, stress and burnout from those working on environmental concerns.
At Bhumi, we have always been guided by the Hindu value of seva - meaningful and selfless action. Over the past few years we have been asking ourselves - and others - a simple question: What is our role in restoring balance and harmony to the natural world? If we’re honest with ourselves, we have increasingly struggled to answer this question with certainty and conviction.
It is for this reason we have made the decision to step back from our activities and programming for the next several months. During this time we will take stock of our work, current networks, and the broader environmental landscape, in order to make a decision about the future of our work. By Spring / Summer 2024 we plan to have made a decision.
The Bhagavad-gita teaches that everything is temporary; that everything has its time. We therefore undertake this review process with an open heart and spirit, ready to let go of what is no longer serving us, and willing to embrace the new.
We thank you for your support over the years. We look forward to being in touch with you again next year.
In the meantime, we wish you well.
The Bhumi Global Board
Statement on passing of the Inflation Reduction Act
Bhumi Global, the world's leading Hindu-based environmental organization, praised the Congressional passage of the Inflation Reduction Act as a down payment on America's fight against climate change.
The bill, which would add nearly $400 billion in new climate and environmental spending, would reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent below 2005 levels over the next eight years.
"This law is significant because it commits the United States to moving away from fossil fuels and giving ordinary Americans more clean energy options," said Bhumi Co-founder and Director Gopal Patel. "It's a game changer that could make the green economy the norm in America."
Bhumi Global will work over the next few weeks and months to explain the law to various stakeholders and the ways it can benefit community members, temples and other organizations.
To learn more about and support Bhumi Global's work, please visit www.bhumiglobal.org
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Additional quotes:
Neha Pathak, MD. Bhumi Global Board Member and Founding Member of Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action: “We know that our children will suffer some of the most severe consequences of climate inaction. The climate change protections passed within the Inflation Reduction Act will move us closer to a healthier environment and give me hope for our children's future.”
Darrin Rowe, Bhumi Global Advisory Council Member: "The Inflation Reduction Act can unlock a green economy that will help our future generations, and more importantly, help communities of color confront climate change. I'm proud of Bhumi for leading efforts to make this law’s benefits more accessible to the community."
Simone Jhingoor, Advisory Council Member at Bhumi Global and Co-director of Jahajee Sisters. "The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is an important start to addressing the deep seated concerns that many marginalized communities of color in the US are grappling with. Climate change affects all of us, but it disproportionately harms communities of color, who are most vulnerable due to systemic racism linked to economic injustice. I see this in my work in NYC with the Indo-Caribbean community. Last fall, heavy rainfall, the remnants of Hurricane Ida, created conditions for severe flash flooding, the first the City has ever seen. Several families lost their lives as they drowned in their basement apartments, their only option for affordable housing, rented illegally from community owners of one family homes who also need the rent to pay their mortgage. I applaud the passage of this bill, which will move us closer to tackling climate change and the harsh reality that its consequences will continue to hit marginalized communities of color the hardest.”
Announcing our Board and Advisory Council
To kick off Climate Week, Bhumi Global, the world's foremost Hindu-based environmental organization, unveiled its board and advisory council while also promoting its climate change programming.
Bhumi Global's board includes leaders from nonprofits, academia, and business. The board includes:
Murali Balaji, Interim board chair
Aneesh Deshpande
SriVani Ganti, Co-founder
Durga Iyer, Interim board treasurer
Mat McDermott, Co-founder
Gopal D. Patel, co-founder and director of Bhumi Global, said the new board would help to implement Bhumi's new and ongoing initiatives, including the greening of Hindu temples, the integration of Hindu perspectives on domestic and global climate policy, the facilitation of partnerships to promote sustainability, and the cultivation of a new generation of faith-based climate leadership through the Bhumi Academy.
“It is an honor and delight to announce our board and advisory council members. We’ve got to this point through the hard work and dedication of many people over a number of years. The real work, however, starts now. With more and more people being affected by the environmental crisis, it’s important that Hindus rise up to address these concerns.”
In addition to the board, Bhumi Global also announced an advisory council featuring faith, business, healthcare, and nonprofit leaders, as well as multi-faith allies representing a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. The advisory council includes:
The Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum
Simone Jhingoor, Co-Founder & Co-Director, Jahajee Sisters Empowering Indo-Caribbean Women
Sujane Kandasamy, Co-Founder and Director of Education, The Starfish Canada
Vanitha Mahalingam, Senior Program Manager, The Coca-Cola Company
Shefali Mehta, Founder and Lead Principal, Open Rivers Consulting
Neha Pathak, MD, Founding Steering Committee Member, Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action
Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan, Director for Dharmic Life & Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University
Shyla Raghav, Vice President of Climate Change, Conservation International
Harshita Mira Venkatesh, Business Fellow, Breakthrough Energy
Interim Board Chair Murali Balaji said the advisory council members will help Bhumi Global to expand its role as a voice in combating environmental challenges and promoting a Hindu and Dharmic perspective in green policy and eco-discourse.
"With our leadership structure in place, we can work expeditiously to address the existential threat of climate change and other environmental concerns," Balaji said. "Environmental care and the divinity of all species are pillars of Hindu philosophy, and it is our aim to put that Dharma into practice as we work to implement a more holistic approach to humanity's relationship with nature and the environment."
Bhumi Global will be using Climate Week as a starting point for its activities leading up to COP26 and other programming it has planned for the fall to address the urgency of climate change.
Bhumi Global launches international environmental survey
Bhumi Global recently launched the Global Hindu Environmental Survey - the first ever survey to gather the thoughts, opinions and perspectives of Hindus worldwide on the environment. The survey was launched on World Environment Day, June 5th.
As more Hindus become actively involved in addressing environmental concerns, the findings from the survey will help to better inform Hindu global grassroots action and political advocacy on the environment.
The survey is open to all. Responses can be submitted here: http://bit.ly/BhumiSurvey. It will be open until early August. The findings will be made available in late September.
Help spread the word
If you would like to publicize and share the survey on your website or social media channels, you can download our resource toolkit along with social media graphics.
Bhumi Global announces board and advisory council
In advance of World Environment Day, Bhumi Global, the world's foremost Hindu-based environmental organization, unveiled its board and advisory council while also promoting its climate change programming.
Bhumi Global's board includes leaders from nonprofits, academia, and business. The board includes:
Murali Balaji, interim board chair
SriVani Ganti, co-founder
Durga Iyer, interim board treasurer
Mat McDermott, co-founder
Gopal D. Patel, co-founder and director of Bhumi Global, said the new board would help to implement Bhumi's new and ongoing initiatives, including the greening of Hindu temples, the integration of Hindu perspectives on domestic and global climate policy, the facilitation of partnerships to promote sustainability, and the cultivation of a new generation of faith-based climate leadership through the Bhumi Academy.
“It is an honor and delight to announce our board and advisory council members. We’ve got to this point through the hard work and dedication of many people over a number of years. The real work, however, starts now. With more and more people being affected by the environmental crisis, it’s important that Hindus rise up to address these concerns.”
In addition to the board, Bhumi Global also announced an advisory council featuring faith, business, healthcare, and nonprofit leaders, as well as multi-faith allies representing a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. The advisory council includes:
The Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum
Acharya Arun Gossai, Spiritual Leader, Bhuvaneshwar Mandir NYC
Simone Jhingoor, Co-Founder & Co-Director, Jahajee Sisters Empowering Indo-Caribbean Women
Sujane Kandasamy, Co-Founder and Directer of Education, The Starfish Canada
Vanitha Mahalingam, Senior Program Manager, The Coca-Cola Company
Shefali Mehta, Founder and Lead Principal, Open Rivers Consulting
Neha Pathak, MD, Founding Steering Committee Member, Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action
Brahmachari Sharan, Director for Dharmic Life & Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University
Shyla Raghav, Vice President of Climate Change, Conservation International
Interim Board Chair Murali Balaji said the advisory council members will help Bhumi Global to expand its role as a voice in combating environmental challenges and promoting a Hindu and Dharmic perspective in green policy and eco-discourse.
"With our leadership structure in place, we can work expeditiously to address the existential threat of climate change and other environmental concerns," Balaji said. "Climate preservation and the divinity of all species are pillars of Hindu philosophy, and it is our aim to put that Dharma into practice as we work to implement a more holistic approach to humanity's relationship with nature and the environment."
To kick off World Environment Day, Bhumi Global will feature two webinars on Wednesday. We’ll be discussing the current state of the planet, how Hindus worldwide are increasing their environmental leadership, and the importance of multi-faith environmental action. We’ll also be sharing news about upcoming initiatives and how you can get involved with and support our work.
To sign up for the webinars, click here and here.
For more information about Bhumi Global, visit www.bhumiglobal.org or email us at info@bhumiglobal.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Statement on the passing of HRH Prince Philip
The following is a personal statement from Gopal Patel, Co-Founder & Director of Bhumi Global:
Prince Philip's leadership in mobilizing the great faith traditions of the world to work in service to Mother Earth is unparalleled. He saw the potential in this work at a time when no else did. He had a vision, and worked to make it a reality.
The focus of my work for the past 10 years has been to mobilize Hindus for environmental action. It was immensely helpful and empowering to know that Prince Philip personally felt it was important that Hindus use their traditions and teachings to protect nature.
I had the good fortune of meeting him twice. I remember experiencing his trademark wit and humor first hand, but what really struck me in my conversations with him was his deep concern for the planet and the vital importance of ensuring we protect it for future generations.
The environmental movement has been forever changed for the better by his vision and work.
yad yad acarati sresthas
tat tad evetaro janah
'Whatever action is performed by a great man, others follow in his footsteps' – Bhagavad-gita 3.21
Gopal Patel (right) with HRH Prince Philip at an event in 2016 at Lambeth Palace, London
Bhumi Global Welcomes Biden Administration Climate Picks
Bhumi Global applauds the selection of Gina McCarthy as climate czar and the nominations of Rep. Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary and Michael Regan as EPA Administrator. Climate change is an existential threat to our country and our planet, and Bhumi Global, as the largest Hindu-based climate group, is committed to working with partners to finding solutions. We hope McCarthy, Haaland and Regan will work with diverse partners to addressing our most pressing issues related to the climate emergency