Master Cheng Yen, a highly respected religious leader in Taiwan, issued the call during a preview activity prior to the foundation’s upcoming 41st founding anniversary celebrations.

Expressing concern about the state of affairs in the world, Cheng Yen said quite a few areas around the globe have suffered serious flooding or drought as a result of the Earth’s warming and overdevelopment.

She said people have forgotten the normal “ventilating” function of forestry, and that reckless pollution and exploitation of natural resources have fueled a greenhouse effect.

The best way to ease the greenhouse effect is for people to adjust their way of thinking, change their attitude toward life, cherish resources, and drop the pursuit of convenience and pleasure.

Cheng Yen continued that whenever she makes a tour of Tzu Chi environmental protection stations, she finds waste in the form of furniture, paper, cans, bottles, packaging boxes, and other refuse “piled up here and there,” and it makes her very upset to observe such an undesirable situation.

It’s mankind that has damaged the globe, but it is also people that can save the Earth, Cheng Yen stressed.

Meanwhile, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation will hold a series of activities in May to mark the 41st anniversary of its inception, officials of the foundation said yesterday.

Tzu Chi, a non-profit organization founded in 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen, has risen to prominence because of the relief aid it has provided to all corners of the world.

According to Tzu Chi officials, in addition to the foundation’s missions of charity, medicine, education and culture, Tzu Chi volunteers have spared no efforts to educate the public on recycling over the years. In 2003 alone, Tzu Chi’s 40,000 volunteers helped recycle 123,000 tons of garbage in Taiwan.

Responding to the issue of global warming, Tzu Chi will also hold a two-week, large-scale exhibition from May 6 in front of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to raise public awareness about environmental protection.

In addition, the philanthropic group will hold several activities around Taiwan on Mother’s Day, May 13, to wash the image of Buddha, a ceremony traditionally held on his birthday; at the same time expressing appreciation to mothers around the world.

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