Success Stories

Turning Chinmaya Mission Portland Facility Green

Kishore Pathial, President, Chinmaya Mission Portland

As stewards of our planet, all of us are responsible for nourishing, enriching and protecting our mother Earth. Even as having our own facility is a blessing from our Gurus and the Lord, we feel strongly that we should safeguard our resources not only for us but for successive generations

While we have to consume power for our facility, we sought to find solutions that would mitigate our impact. Towards this, we initiated discussion with our local utilities providers. They, along with the Energy Trust of Oregon, were able to help us retrofit the entire building with maximally efficient lighting. Further, to optimize our heating and cooling energy consumption, we retrofitted the entire building with smart thermostats so that our energy usage was minimal. We have also done energy surveys of our building and kept our HVAC units functioning at peak efficiency to minimize consumption. As part of our recycling efforts we have been recycling and reusing all consumables  maximally.

We are continuing to try and live up to the Chinmaya Mission Pledge given to us by Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda by “producing more than what we consume and giving more than what we take” . These are our efforts towards helping the entire Chinmaya Family live in Harmony with their surroundings while helping the next generation of Bala Vihar students understand their roles in our world and the positive impact that they can bring by their thoughts and actions.

Youth United with Mother Earth, JCHYKs in Albany

Twelve high school students in Albany Bala Vihar have been learning with the Life Lessons curriculum. In 2021-2022, as a team they lived their dharma – responsibility and integration of sustainable living with values. In summer, they planted beets and cut scallions at a volunteer run farm and donates one third of their produce to food pantries.In fall, we kayaked and learned about importance of being in nature from Shri Sumanji. We also watched and discussed Ender’s Game with Sumanji to express leadership for Mother Earth in a sci-fi way!

In spring, they planted peace lilies with other high school students from the community.with free compoted soil from the town, that was not wrapped in plastic bags. They learned the process of introspection, detection, negation, sublimation and committed to a concrete peaceful thought that they will keep with them as they take care of the peace lily at their homes.

With their parents guidance, they also cooked a meal for about 150 people with sustainability in mind – used metal plates and cups and shared an Earth bingo and a quiz on effects of single use plastic on the oceans life with the lunch attendees. With the meal they raised about thousand dollars. JCHYKs actions are some retribution of the acts of himsa committed by our society on Prthvi Devi,as intended in samudra vasane devi…

In summer, they learned about composting and Community Share Agriculture from experts. They also planted four pear trees and 50 pine saplings with a partner organization and presented at Bala Vihar assembly the effects of fast fashion. These Earth centric activities are a catalyst for self-development for them to build friendships, introspect, advocate for a cause, prioritize and commit and follow-through. They are step by step learning to be an adhikari student. 

Book Nook Exchange, Chinmaya Albany,

Pushpa Nadikam and Anukriti Dhawan

As coordinators of the Prthvi Sevasanga team at Albany, Pusha and Anukriti facilitate a 500 books exchange with Bala Vihar and the community. With other participating families, they collected, sorted, organzied and displayed the books at various events and occasions. Particularly, at the graduation, chidlren were delighted to take many books to begin their summer reading. 

Reusing and borrowing are best ways to support the Mother Earth and the book exchange instilled the value of maximum happiness for maximum time for maximum people. The exchange not only introduced a variety fo books to the families, it also helped them reduce the clutter at their homes. Vedanta seekers were able to exchange cherished books and spread the knowledge with the books. The Prthi Sevasanga team at Albany also encouraged the families to donation funds when they took books and these donations were given to the Chinmaya Education Fund. 

Awareness is the foundation for change, Chinmaya Albany,

Pushpa Nadikam and Anukriti Dhawan

As coordinators of the Prthvi Sevasanga team at Albany, Pusha and Anukriti inspired about 80 families in Albany to research and retell critical environmental issue and solution at the Bala Vihar assembly. The team met with individual classes and introduced topics to inspire the children to make them more aware of the topic. Through out 2021-22 the classes presented on topics of simple actions towards sustainable living, such as make your own detergent, build community groups of reusable party supplies, healthy eating and refuse materialiseim and reuse, and hazards of fast fashion.

The Prthvi Sevasanga team engaged the classroom teachers in the process and highlighted the strengths of the children and supported building of presentation skills. The team is gradually building a sustainabiliy culture: children unanimously decided to donate the money that is spent on plastic trophies, teachers and volunteers were gifted plants and online gift cards.