Jain Declaration on Nature; Diet patterns and its impact on

environment

JAINISM

• The word Jain is derived from Jina, which means the one victorious over the self and the external world. The Jinas are regarded more respect than the Gods. They include the 24 Tirthankaras or ford-finders (holy men), the last Tirthankara Mahavira (599-527 BC) is the founder of Jainism.

JAINISM SYMBOL

JAIN TEACHINGS

• Ahimsa (non violence)‑“Ahimsa parmo dharmah” (Non‑violence is the supreme religion).

• Parasparopagraho jivanam (interdependence)All life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence.

• Anekantavada (the doctrine of manifold aspects)• Samyaktva (equanimity)• Jiva daya (compassion, empathy and charity)‑

JAINS CODE OF CONDUCT

• The five vratas (vows)• Kindness to animals• Vegetarianism• Self restraint and the avoidance of waste‑• Charity

 Three Jewels of Jainism

• The aim of Jain life is to achieve liberation of the soul.

• This is done by following the three jewels of Jain ethics.

o Right faith - Samyak darshanao Right knowledge - Samyak jnanao Right conduct - Samyak charitra

JAIN FOOD HABITS• Jains are vegetarians, eat vegetables, squash, beans, peas, tomatoes, fruits, and

lettuce.• Jains do not eat steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, or any other kind of meat, chicken,

eggs, turkeys, or any poultry items , fish, lobsters, oysters, or any kind of seafood.• Honey is forbidden, because honey is a collection of eggs, excreta, dead bees,

and saliva of bees.• Jains avoid food products which involve injury to any life.• Jains try to minimize violence even to plants; therefore, jains avoid eating root

vegetables, such as onions, garlic, beets, carrots, and potatoes.• Jains also should not drink beer, wine, liquor, whiskey, or any kind of alcohol.• Jains should not waste any food.• Jains offer food to poor people.• Jains fast on certain religious days.• Jains prefer to drink boiled water.• Jains don't eat after sunset and before sunrise.

DIET

• An individual's diet is the sum of food and drink that he or she habitually consumes.

• Dieting is the practice of attempting to achieve or maintain a certain weight through diet. People's dietary choices are often affected by a variety of factors, including ethical and religious beliefs, clinical need, or a desire to control weight.

DIET TYPES

• Vegetarian diet• Lacto vegetarianism• Lacto-ovo vegetarianism• Vegan diet• Flexitarian diet • Kangatarian• Pescetarian diet• Plant-based diet• Fruitarianism

• Economic vegetarianism• Environmental vegetarianism

IMPACTS• The diets are accessed according to their damage to human health, ecosystems and

resources.• 3 to 4% of the impact on environment is due to eutrophication. • Farm animals produce waste cannot be used as fertilizers due to their content. They enter

water bodies and pollute them.• One calorie of beef requires 40 calories of fuel and milk needs 14 calories. Grains, requires

only 2.2 calories.• Beef have the greatest impact on the environment, followed by fish, cheese and milk.• Grazing cattle consume more water than that required for growing cereals. • 25% of the total land area in the world is undergoing desertification. The increase

requirement for land use for animal husbandry is associated with deforestation. Most of the forest cleared from the Amazon (88%) is used for cattle grazing.

• Consumption of animal products within the same way of food production (organic or conventional) also had a greater impact on the environment.

• The greatest percentage of the total impact (41 to 46%) comes from water consumption.• Vegetarian and vegan diets help preserve environmental resources and reduce hunger and

malnutrition problems in poorer nations.

US DIETERY PATTERN

• Researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that switching from standard American diet to a vegan diet is more effective in the fight against global warming than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid.

• In its report, the U.N. found that the meat industry causes local and global environmental problems even beyond global warming. It said that the meat industry should be a main focus in every discussion of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortages and pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

REFERENCES• http://www.jainworld.com• http://www.pachpadra.com/History-Of-Jainism.php• http://www.religionfacts.com/jainism/ethics.htm• http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/religion/jainism.html• http://www.hinduwebsite.com/jainism/jainismintrod.asp• http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/diet• http://web.archive.org/web/20121007180810/http://www.alternet.org/story/134650/

the_startling_effects_of_going_vegetarian_for_just_one_day• http://web.archive.org/web/20121114192717/http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/

health/economic-advantages-vegetarian-diet• http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?

_r=2&scp=2&sq=Rethinking+the+Meat-Guzzler&st=nyt&oref=slogin&• L Baroni, L Cenci, M Tettamanti and M Berati "Evaluating the environmental impact of various

dietary patterns combined with different food production systems" European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006), 1–8.

• http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?13659-Dietary-patterns-and-environmental-impact