We have to accept: this civilization can be destroyed, not by something outside, but by ourselves. In fact many civilizations have been destroyed in the past. If we allow despair to take over, we have no strength left in order to do anything at all. And that is why we should do anything in order to prevent despair from happening.
When we meditate on civilizations that have been destroyed in the past, if you can accept, you may have peace, and thus become a better worker for the environment. Because people who know what is happening, but allow it to happen and cannot do anything, there are so many of them, because they have despair in them, they only try to survive, and if you have them to have hope, to have peace in themselves, suddenly they have the strength to come back to themselves and give a hand of contribution. That person will be an instrument for the protection of the environment.
One hundred years, two hundred years in nothing, when you talk about the geological time. This civilization might be destroyed, and it may take one billion years more in order to have another civilization, and that only happened in the past, and we have to accept reality as it is. Accepting like that can bring us peace. And with that kind of peace we have force to do anything, and we can reverse the situation.
Meditation plays a role. To meditate means to look deeply, and to look deeply, you get insight, and right with that insight you are free from despair, anger, and you are a better worker for the environment.
Thich Nhat Han
