Monday, February 18, 2013

Bhutan Leads the Way

Trey Smith


I write a lot about American Exceptionalism -- it's an exceptionalism that predominantly is negative. In this instance, however, I'm going to share with you a news story that speaks to positive exceptionalism. It would be nice if the snippet below was about America, but that isn't the case at all.
Bhutan plans to become the first country in the world to turn its agriculture completely organic, banning the sales of pesticides and herbicides and relying on its own animals and farm waste for fertilisers.

But rather than accept that this will mean farmers of the small Himalayan kingdom of 1.2 million people will be able to grow less food, the government expects them to be able to grow more – and to export increasing amounts of high quality niche foods to neighbouring India, China and other countries.

The decision to go organic was both practical and philosophical, said Pema Gyamtsho, Bhutan's minister of agriculture and forests, in Delhi for the annual sustainable development conference last week.

"Ours is a mountainous terrain. When we use chemicals they don't stay where we use them, they impact the water and plants. We say that we need to consider all the environment. Most of our farm practices are traditional farming, so we are largely organic anyway.

"But we are Buddhists, too, and we believe in living in harmony with nature. Animals have the right to live, we like to to see plants happy and insects happy," he said.
Gee, it makes me wonder, if more Americans embraced Buddhism or Taoism, that maybe, just maybe, we would lead the world by example and truly be a beacon on the hill...like Bhutan!

4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. which god?

      Delete
    2. I should have saw that coming

      Delete
    3. Well, I just could not resist it!
      Anyway I do wish Bhutan peace and prosperity, and hope that they attain their goals.

      Delete

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