What is Hinduism's policy on enviromental issues?

Question

By enviromental issues I mean the extiction of animals and deforistasion, it's for a school project. So try not to get too tecnical!

Answer 1

Hinduism is perhaps the only religion which cares for Nature and animals.

Fixing veg diet for a quarter of its followers, it saves the animals from extinction

Hinduism teaches rivers and forest are sacred...and to tell this to common people, it called most of rivers as Mother...and asked hindus to protect them by not polluting them or misusing them

Many of the trees and animals are declared sacred by hinduism to save them from extinction

Bishnoi, a part of hinduism, preserve the nature strictly and it is forbidden to cut trees and kill wild animals in their area (Salaman Khan Indian actor was nabbed by Bishnois for killing a black buck in India)

Answer 2

Animals are sacred in Hindu mythology. Notice the snake god (Sheshnag), notice the monkey god (Hanuman), notice the vulture whom one of the gods rides on, notice the cow, and so on.

Deforestration: trees are also sacred in Hindu mythology. A widowed woman can marry a tree. So no wanton destruction of trees can occur.

Human remains are also returned to nature in 'pure; forms (burning bodies). Earth cannot be polluted. Bodies floating in the Ganges is a travesty of ancient Indian practice.