Bhutan Celebrates Birth Of Newborn Prince — Eco-Friendly Nation Plants 108,000 Trees In His Honor
In the Green community, there is emphasis in establishing organic, natural farming as a means of feeding oneself, as well as the general population, and utilizing green technology, especially solar and wind, for power usage. However, there are still those in the Green community who still adhere to traditional means to save the planet.
Due to excessive deforestation, especially in the Amazon Rainforest, the planet has seen an uptick of carbon in our atmosphere. It is from this situation the theories of the Greenhouse Effect have increased, which in turn contributes to what we know as man-made climate change. If one believes in it or not, that one has to at least admit the planet is experiencing some peculiar weather patterns. Powerful storms, irregular ocean activities, melting ice caps, and many other incidents.
As an attempt to counter the effects of deforestation, many have taken up the mantle of replanting trees. It is hard work that is often time-consuming, but the people who do it are dedicated. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative, for example, has made planting trees a challenge, setting a world record of planting 200,000 trees in one hour. Even technology companies are assisting, too, creating drones that plant up to a billion trees annually or “seed bombers,” planes that plant up to 900,000 trees per day.
For the eco-friendly country of Bhutan, though, planting trees are actually a way of life, not just a lifestyle choice to save the planet. A recent display of this way of life caught the attention of the Green community, when Bhutan planted 108,000 trees in honor of the birth of their newborn prince.
Planting trees with thousands of volunteers to celebrate the birth of HRH, our Gyalsey. Well done Tendrel Initiative pic.twitter.com/i0hxFF9EHa
— Tshering Tobgay (@tsheringtobgay) March 6, 2016
It should be noted there are particular reasons why 108,000 trees were planted in Bhutan to honor the newborn prince. First and foremost, Bhutan is a Buddhist country. In Buddhist tradition, trees are seen as a source of life. Secondly, the number 108 is sacred in Buddhism. Therefore, 108,000 trees were set aside exactly for this ceremony. Tenzin Lekphell, the CEO who managed the planting of 108,000 trees for the ceremony, also provided a statement clarifying the reasons behind it.
“In Buddhism, a tree is the provider and nourisher of all life forms, symbolizing longevity, health, beauty, and even compassion. Each sapling encapsulates a prayer and a wish from the person who planted it to His Royal Highness the Prince so that just like the bountiful tree, the Prince also grows up healthy, strong, wise, and compassionate.”
According to Inhabitat, the planting of 108,000 trees is another step in Bhutan’s progression in moving past human rights issues and to become a environmentally friendly, happy nation. In 2015, they earned their first Guinness World Record for planting 49,672 trees in one hour. The land they used for the trees was set aside for protected national parks as they move forward to become a completely organic country.
The next major event for the newborn prince of Bhutan will happen next month in April, when King Jigme and Queen Jetsun announce the name of their newborn prince. Until then, he is known as The Gyalsey.
[Image via Queen Jetsun Pema/Facebook]
