PLEDGE OF COMMITMENT

We bear witness to some of the strongest lessons this shocking and cruel pandemic has taught us – that in times of great crises and extreme difficulties, many aspects of our lives can be swiftly suspended from economic activities to leisure and entertainment, and even education, but not our need to have food and eat, and to have homes to feel safe and secure.

We fully recognize that the seemingly obvious but often neglected truth in the past has now reclaimed its importance – that living in a healthy environment is essential to our survival, as we humans, have survived this pandemic with the bountiful abundance nature has provided us. And this, despite the sad reality that it is humanity’s brutal intrusion to the natural cycle of our environment that has caused this health pandemic.

Armed with such lessons from the pandemic, we believe now is the best time to turn things around for our environment and give it the rightful and deep care it deserves. Such will also allow our overly abused and stressed nature to breathe, recover, regenerate, and in the process continue to bless us with provisions for our daily essential needs such as food and water.

We pledge to amplify our voices and maximize the potential and reach of our platforms to urge those in power to implement sound government policies and programs for the environment.

We commit to tirelessly work with our lawmakers until the urgent Rights of Nature (RoN) bill becomes a law. It is imperative for us to finally have a law that recognizes that nature, like the other creations of God such as humans and animals, has fundamental rights. Respecting RoN in the same manner we honor human rights and animal rights, will make the processes easier for us to uphold, protect and defend the environment.

We affirm to embrace as individuals ‘’Sapat Lifestyle’’ by living simpler, just, and sustainable lives. We will endeavor to correct the ‘’sins’’ of our old lifestyles which the pandemic has unwittingly exposed – over consumption, excessive consumerism, wasteful practices, unjust economic and market systems that breed so much inequalities and injustices, while our other fellow beings live in abject poverty, with little or no means to survive.

We vow to always make a conscious decision to do right by the environment with our daily habits by choosing healthier and environmentally-friendly options on food, transportation, material things, and others, more aware that a ‘’sapat’’ way of life will allow us to all partake of nature’s loving generosity, without any creation being left behind.

We promise to persevere until our twin dreams of having a RoN Law and ‘’Sapat Lifestyle’’ movement of practitioners are realized to harmoniously lead to healing and regeneration of nature, our one and only irreplaceable home.