Editor's Note: In this issue, we showcase Prince Philip who went out of his 'way', literally, to launch Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), a network of faith groups (from 11 religions) working on ecological and development issues. ARC has achieved some remarkable turnarounds, with some help from God! Also check out how Novak Djokovic serves (himself) to win by following a gluten-free, organic, self-cooked meal (yeah, we hope he gets into farming next :)
--Ragu & Nisha

Imagine you are busy planting a tree, and someone rushes up to say that the Messiah has come and the end of the world is nigh. What do you do? The advice given by the rabbis in a traditional Jewish story is that you first finish planting the tree, and only then do you go and see whether the news is true. The Islamic tradition has a similar story, which reminds followers that if they happen to be carrying a palm cutting in their hand when the Day of Judgment takes place, they should not forget to plant the cutting. There is a tension in the environmental world between those who wish to tell us that the end is nigh and those who want to encourage us to plant trees for the future.

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He is meticulous about when and how he eats. Djokovic buys organic food wherever possible and cooks almost every meal himself; when on tour he always tries to stay in hotels which will let him use their kitchen. After saying a short prayer before meals – not to any specific god but to remind himself never to take food for granted – Djokovic eats slowly and deliberately. He never watches television or uses his phone or computer while eating. His dedication to his diet is extraordinary. After winning his near six-hour final against Rafael Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open, Djokovic had a craving for chocolate, which he had not eaten for 18 months. His physiotherapist brought him a bar. Djokovic broke off one small square and let it melt in his mouth – but left the rest.

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Be The Change Idea

Discover a myth, a ritual, a priest or a sacred book from your faith (including atheism) and find out if it inspires and informs you about the all-nourishing and fragile environment better than doomsday preachers or jargon filled scientific papers. Make a commitment to personally cook a meal, even if it is junk food, once a week.