Offerings & Overflow: Can Faith and Sustainability Flow Together?

Can Religion and Sustainability Coexist? Haridwar, also known as Hari ka Dwar (Gateway to God), is a revered location in Uttarakhand on the banks of the Ganges River. Eight million religious tourists come here each year on average. Haridwar is really about the Ganges, hundreds of temples, and never-ending chanting. People from all over the world come here to perform good deeds and take a dip in the sacred river, which they believe can wash away all their past karmic debts and release them from any wrongdoings that may have occurred accidentally. One can find stability and serenity in Haridwar. This can be understood by examining the average number alone.

Haridwar is a site of great spiritual significance because it is believed to be the location where drops of amrit (nectar of immortality) fell during the celestial battle between gods and demons. As a starting point for the Char Dham Yatra—a revered pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—it is considered one of the seven holiest sites (Sapta Puri) in Hindu tradition.

However, what is Haridwar now? Trash everywhere. Yes, trash in the rivers, close to temples, etc. Red spits are now all over the painted, god-dedicated walls. Is this the same Haridwar that Lord Vishnu has valued above all others? The degradation of the environment is a growing problem beneath this spiritual vibrancy. Once regarded as a purifier, the Ganges now frequently takes the brunt of the devotion it inspires. An urgent question arises from this paradox: Can Haridwar and similar locations reconcile sustainability with religion?

Every year, events like the Kumbh Mela and the Kanwar Yatra attract millions of people. Even though these gatherings are spiritually enlightening, they frequently result in an excessive amount of waste, much of which ends up in the Ganga. This waste includes plastic packaging, food scraps, artificial offerings, and untreated sewage.

Nowadays, blind devotion is being practiced. People, according to what their spiritual leaders have told them, leave bits of holy clothing, fruits, sweets, and other items in the Ganga. They frequently forget what they are doing—creating yet another problem for the local wildlife. Will the suffering of those living creatures please your god? People need to realize that everything they are doing, under the guidance of some gurus, is a complete mess—a mess for the creatures living underneath. For example, women are sometimes asked to leave their bangles in the Ganga to ensure the goddess always protects their husbands. But that glass bangle, once broken, kills hundreds of organisms. According to researchers, millions—not just hundreds or thousands—engage in destructive practices like these.

When offered at temples, items such as flowers, sweets, incense sticks, camphor, oil lamps, honey, milk, and more stay there only briefly. Afterward, they are often thrown into poly bags or carelessly discarded (even by temples, at a minimum). These items might decompose naturally—but now, wrapped in plastic, they rot, emit foul odors, and contribute to sewage issues.

Temples still do not properly manage the disposal of biodegradables; instead, waste continues to lie around. People come to worship and take holy dips at the Ganga Ghats. But they also come to wash their clothes and return. It’s no longer surprising to see people removing Holi colors with soap and other products at these sacred sites. The Ganges—once divine and revered—has lost its purity. Until the 2000s, it truly represented the flourishing, vibrant goddess said to inhabit its waters.

Today’s question is: How can we overcome these issues that will eventually endanger people’s lives?
The flood of 2013 was supposed to reveal the consequences of our actions in Kedarnath, Rishikesh, and parts of Haridwar. And though COVID-19 demonstrated how our exploitation of nature—like eating animals—can backfire, people have become even more reckless toward the environment since then. Many such events have occurred in the past, yet humans fail to learn. Ask those who have lost loved ones in natural disasters.

The question remains: Can religion and sustainability coexist?
Yes—provided that appropriate measures are implemented and faithfully followed. In fact, there are many ways to reduce waste without compromising faith.

First, we can set up dumping stations in places of worship—temples, ghats, or public devotional spaces. This way, people can make offerings while also respecting the environment. There should be no plastic zones so devotees bringing plastic bags, bottles, and other items leave them outside instead of throwing them in the river. They can bring metal bottles instead, and filtered water coolers can be provided for drinking purposes.

Since temples are open 24/7, installing solar panels would reduce electricity usage and promote eco-conscious behavior.

Sacred offerings like puja cloth should be made from khadi, or if that is too expensive, biodegradable organic material. Teaching devotees to care for Mother Earth is just as important as teaching them to care for and protect their own mothers—your Dharma includes both.

In short, change begins with the individual. Religion and sustainability not only can coexist—they can thrive when faith is paired with responsibility and rituals are performed with mindfulness. Real development means growing sustainably—and that is our shared responsibility.