What happens when your religious practice clashes with environmental protection? Palm Sunday celebrations require palm fronds that may come from shrinking rain forests. Buddhists who practice the “mercy release” of small animals often release them into inappropriate habitats, where they prey on native animals and can destroy ecosystems. In India, toxic lead-covered statues of the Hindu God Ganesh are thrown into the sea. Professor and author Jay Wexler traveled the world observing these religious rituals to understand their complexities, and to ponder how society should address them.
Jay Wexler, professor of law at Boston University and author of When God Isn't Green
