March 29, 2015: Gurjosh Singh helped steady the small Kwanzan cherry tree, avoiding the maze of tender branches swollen with soon-to-bloom buds. Standing beside the 14-year-old, his parents, Inderjit Kaur and Rajinder Singh, shoveled dirt to cover the tree's root ball.
The family, members of Guru Nanak Foundation of Tidewater, the only local Sikh community south of Richmond, took on a hands-on approach to celebrate Sikh Environment Day on March 15. They were part of a dozen or so members who planted three trees outside their community temple, Gurudwara Sahib, located on Finck Lane.
Gurjosh not only planted and shoveled outside; inside he addressed congregants during their weekly service.
"In Sikh belief, a concern for the environment is part of basic human morality," he said, speaking Punjabi. "The well-being of Earth should be a concern for all human beings, or else humans will have nowhere to worship and prosper."
Gurjosh encouraged all to show "small but humble gestures of respect " to the earth which included using less paper, organizing local cleanups, reducing the use of plastic bags, recycling and of course, planting trees.
"He's been involved in this since he was nine years old, trying to recycle all the plastic he could find," said his father.
An over-all theme of the day's gathering was preserving the earth for future generations. Children wandered or crawled across the floor of the temple quietly throughout the service only to be scooped up by a parent if they strayed to close to the front where readings from the Holy Book take place.
"Involving the children in Sikh Environment Day is an important way for adults to recognize how their actions impact children," said Surinder Dhillon, one of the event coordinators. "And then the children develop a respectful relationship with the environment."
This is the fifth year of Sikh Environment Day and it is celebrated worldwide. It is the date Guru Har Rai Ji became Guru. He was known for his love of animals, collecting of plants, massive gardens and the establishment of an Ayurvedic medical hospital. EcoSikh, an organization launched five years ago, works to integrate Sikh values and beliefs in the solving of environmental issues.
"Reverence for nature is part of our belief," said Nishan S. Sidhu, who also helped organize the event. "We have been trying to save water here and we used to use Styrofoam, but it takes so long to break down."
The temple doesn't use any plastic when serving langar (lunch) after the service. They use steel to cook and biodegradable utensils. Future plans include an expansion of the current temple to feature an eating area. Currently, members sit on the floor of the main temple area where services are held.
"We'll go back to using more steel for plates, cups and other utensils that aren't disposable after we build and install water-saving dishwashers," said Nishan S. Sidhu. "This is all about, as a religion, how can we solve a world-wide problem."
And community members are working in their own ways to solve it.
"Gurjosh Singh's family set up containers at gas stations for recycling in Carrsville, where they live," said Surinder Dhillon. "And a Hindu community has followed our lead and started using eco-friendly products."
"It is really simple to cut down waste," said Surinder S. Channa. "Very little to nothing here goes in the trash."
For more information check vagurudwara.com/about-us.html.
Barbara J. Woerner
The Virginian-Pilot ©