Ecosikh an environmental organization based in Washington is "planning to engage the Sikh community to plant one million trees throughout the planet to mark the 550th birth-anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism."
Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469 in Nankana Sahib near Lahore in present day Pakistan.
The President of EcoSikh, Dr. Rajwant Singh, as quoted on Ecosikh's website said,
“Guru Nanak was a nature-lover, and in his writings and pronouncements, he always inspired people to look at nature as the divine presence of the Creator and to form a loving relationship with nature. Planting trees to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak will be the best way to celebrate this visionary. We appeal to all Sikh institutions, gurdwaras, and colleges and Punjabi organizations all across the world to take on this initiative to plant trees in their respective locations between now and the end of 2019.”
Bawa Sigh Jagdev OAM, The National Sikh Council of Australia, Secretary, tells SBS Hindi
"If you go by the sayings of Guru Nanak Dev ji, he has stressed a lot on keeping the environment safe. We tell people in the community, don't cut trees, don't spread garbage, don't throw rubbish on the road, don't throw plastic bottles at the beach"
"In Guru Granth Sahib there is a Shabad 'Pavan guru paani pita mata dharat mahat, divas raat dui daee daya kheylai sakal jagat', this is in Japji Sahib. This is for the environment."
"Guru Nanak Dev ji says 'Air is our Guru, water is our father, the earth is our mother. They give us life, we sleep in their laps night and day, so we should not spoil them."
Bawa Sigh Jagdev OAM tells us that there are many such saying in the Guru Granth Sahib.
"Pehla pani jeo hai jit harya sab koye, this means that there are living beings even in water and if we spoil the water then those living beings that live in the water, they will die and the people who drink water, they will also be harmed so we should not pollute the water."
"Guru Nanak Dev ji had also said that even in stones there are living insects and that God feeds them as well, now science is telling us that there are microbes in stones."
