FAQ
1. What is World Silent Day?
World Silent Day (WSD) is a community-based moral movement to provide space for earth to breath even if only for one day. The earth is currently facing environmental degradation, social conflicts over scarce resources and climate change caused by human activities especially unsustainable production and consumption. A momentum is needed to create awareness that this earth, which has been providing for humans seven days a week, 365 days in a year, has to be given time to heal herself from toxins and ecosystem damages.
The WSD was proposed to the members and secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be adopted and implemented.
2. How was the WSD idea conceived?
The idea of WSD was conceived prior to Climate Change Conference (COP 13 UNFCCC) in Bali, December 2007, as a contribution of the Balinese community to tackle climate change. Several non-government organizations (NGO) in Bali i.e. as Bali Organic Association (BOA), Pusat Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup (PPLH) Bali, Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI/ Friends of the Earth Indonesia) Bali, and Yayasan Wisnu established Bali Collaboration on Climate Change (BCCC) to facilitate community participation in conveying the aspiration on climate justice. BCCC is supported by other religious and cultural figures, academic and other groups in Bali.
Through several village meetings, NGO meetings and focus group discussions, some Balinese people raised the idea of applying one of the Balinese traditional wisdoms, i.e of Nyepi, as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emission. In the Bali Saka new year, all communities on this island stay inside the house, refrain from travelling (i.e. do not use motorized vehicles), and turn on the lights only when needed. The airport and harbours are temporarily closed, while the hotels limit the activity of their guests within the hotel compound, all markets, shops and restaurants are closed. The Earth is given one day to breathe without pollutants, human beings are given one day to rest physically and emotionally. If this is implemented in the whole world, i.e. a Silent Day, one can imagine how much greenhouse gas emission can be reduced.
Although Nyepi applies theological and cultural approaches from the past, the BCCC thinks that the ecological aspect can be offered to the international community. That is why the campaign is called World Silent Day (WSD).
3. When is WSD?
World Silent Day is proposed to be held on March 21 every year.
4. Why March 21?
March 21 is selected because the sun is at vernal equinox point, moving from the equator towards the north. This symbolizes the shift to a new life. The next day, March 22 is the World Water Day, also symbolic of life.
5. What to do during WSD?
As the name suggests, humans are asked to be silent during this day, i.e. to reduce activities, reduce the use of motorized vehicles and energy, and to reduce consumption as well as natural resources.
6. Will WSD Create Economic Loss?
No! The loss of one day of work might seem to reduce profits or income. But from the social and ecological perspectives, when the earth, and the human body and spirit are given one day of rest, it is part of a rejuvenating system, a recovery process towards sustainability. The economic loss, if any, is far less than the cost to be paid due to climate related disasters because we have not given space for the earth to recover from damages. In fact, reducing consumption has economic dimension. For example, the State Electricity Company of Bali said it could save Rp. 3 billion (US$ 325,000) during the Balinese Nyepi Day.
7. Does the WSD have a Hindu nuance?
WSD is inspired by a practice of traditional wisdom in Bali, i.e. Nyepi. During Nyepi humans, as part of the nature, conduct a sacrifice by doing nothing. But WSD is different. Nyepi uses theological and cultural approach, while WSD uses an ecological approach. Unlike Nyepi whose date changes every year based on the Balinese calendar, the date of WSD will be fixed every year.
8. Does the WSD have a Hindu nuance?
Although related to the Hindu Saka New Year, Nyepi is practiced only by the Balinese (and Javanese) Hindus, not by Hindus in other parts of the world. Thus the concept of Nyepi (Silence) is a traditional wisdom in Indonesia, that is still practiced today, in the 21st century in Bali. Based on this wisdom, WSD encourages individual contribution from all humans, of any nationality, religion and race, to reduce green house gas emission. WSD is to be practiced without the cultural or religious rituals, thus devoid of the Hindu nuance.
9. What is the goal of WSD? How to measure it?
The main objective of WSD is every one on earth to contribute to reducing green house gases, especially those that use excess of energy and materials. In trying to reduce consumption, WSD also advocates for climate justice. Millions of people in the rural areas of developing countries have not even enjoyed the benefits of electricity, while some in the industrialized countries use electricity excessively. Through the silent day, we hope communities in developed countries, in cities such as New York, for example, can also experience the feeling of having no lights, as part of their contribution to reduce green house gas emissions.
The ultimate goal is to shift unsustainable production into a clean production sytem, ensuring also that consumption is environmentally friendly and not excessively wasteful. WSD will try to collect 10 million signatures to support the implementation of this idea worldwide so it can become part of a cheap and fair solution to tackle climate change.
It is a challenge at this point to measure the emission reduced through WSD. To illustrate, one day of Silence in Bali (the Balinese Hindu New Year known as Nyepi), can reduce green house gas emission equivalent to 20,000 tons of CO2 based only on calculations of motorized vehicles and airplanes that do not operate on that day. A more effective methodology will be formulated. The most important aspect, however, is that WSD is a moral movement, a solidarity movement that can contribute to reducing green house gas emission.
10. What activities have been and will be conducted by WSD?
Other than introducing the concept of silent day to the world through a short duration movie at the meetings of UNFCCC in Nusa Dua, December 2007, WSD has launched a website http://worldsilentday.org/ for campaign and information sharing. In addition, public campaign and dissemination on climate change issues have been conducted through the media, workshops and public events. On March 21 March 2008 WSD called on the public to turn off some electronic appliances for four hours as a first step towards a complete Silent Day. Campaigns and public education will be continued in the future, in order to gain public support for WSD as well as to initiate other local actions to tackle climate change.
11. Who can participate in WSD? How to participate?
Everyone can participate in World Silent Day and think of creative ways to reduce the consumption of energy or other resources. Being silent for 24 hours may be difficult for people in this era. But there are many ways to reduce consumption, by switching off many electronic appliances and lamps, by going on a bike to work, by not watching television for a few days, etc.
Everyone is encouraged to devise their own silent day. Please send your experience of silence to share with others through mysilent@worldsilentday.org. Individuals can also contribute funds, campaign ideas, time and commitment or can opt to become a WSD volunteer in their areas.
12. What are the constraints of WSD?
The main constraint is to convince people that action, however small, will have a benefit. It is also a challenge for many people to sacrifice their life comforts for the common interest. WSD campaign which is lead by local groups in Bali face problems in getting access to information and to policy makers, funding and support, technical support and human resources. All these constraints can be overcome through worldwide cooperation.
13. How to contact WSD? Are there local committees?
The contact for WSD is:
Bali Collaboration on Climate Change
Address : Jalan Pengubengan Kauh No. 94 Kerobokan, Badung – Bali
Telp. / Fax : +62 361 735321 / 735320
E-mail : bali.climatechange@gmail.com
Website: http://worldsilentday.org/
Local committees are at the moment not formed yet, but some people have opted to become individual volunteers to spread the concept of WSD. We welcome any suggestions on forming local committees.
14. What will be done in the following years?
Bali Collaboration on Climate Change will continue to intensify the campaign in the following years. For 2009, the quality of WSD call and the dissemination will be improved. We hope to put a mechanism in place to monitor the interest of communities and to calculate the reduction of green house gas emission through this campaign. WSD will also cooperate with members of community groups, volunteers and governments to disseminate the WSD concept as an easy and fair way to reduce green house gas and make it possible for earth to breathe, even if for one day!
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