on Nyepi, part 2 — as the Environment Preservation

Published 5 months, 1 week ago in Environment & Nature by Kunta Yuni | 571 Views

In the opening of United Nation Climate Change Conference (UNCCC), Nyepi day was proposed to be world day in order to minimize the carbon dioxide ratio in the air. It is stated in local Balinese media that the world need silence for a while and Nyepi, the celebration of Caka Lunar Calendar in Bali, will be applied to fulfill the necessity.

In fact, the philosophy of Nyepi day itself does not have any correlation to the nature conservation. It is just a New Year celebration which is conducted by doing nothing and without any big party. Yes, this is a unique thing of the Balinese in celebrating their New Year while the other New Year celebrations are carried out with a lot of food, drinks, joy, and always in crowd situation but the Balinese consider the New Year day as a good chance to purify the senses and get closer to God to have a better life on the new day. Coincidentally this way of custom gives the nature chance to breath.

Amongst the world air pollution which causes the global warming Nyepi is noticed as one of the ways to save the nature because no vehicles is allowed to operate on that day. It means tons of dangerous emission gas can be stopped during the day. But the question is would it be effective enough to save the environment considering it is just held in a day? Even though Nyepi day will be conducted twice or four times a year it will not give a lot of progress for the nature conservation as long as the deforestation keeps on going day by day. The environment needs more than just a silence. The forests need reboization, the ocean needs to be cleansed from the factories’ waste and rubbishes, the trees are needed to make the air fresh and to avoid flood and erosion and deforestation must be stopped.

In fact, the world needs to be balanced. If we take 50% from the nature we have to give 50% in return. The nature of the Balinese is to balance their life towards God, human, and environment. Hopefully this good habit will never disappear from the Balinese custom and Nyepi will not become the only way to save the environment.

Editor’s Note:
Photo: Kuta on Nyepi day.

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