Against much that has been written in the literature on religion and ecology, I have come to the conclusion that Advaita Vedanta's potential contribution to ecological awareness has been vastly overestimated. No doubt, classical Advaita represents a profound spirituality. In positive relation to the interests of ecology, it fosters values such as simplicity of life, frugality, and-for the ascetic at least-nonviolence. But Advaita also encourages attitudes of devaluation and neglect of the natural universe. While not, of course, directly responsible for environmental degradation, such attitudes, as they filter out into the general culture, carry the potential to seriously undermine environmental concern.