WHEN HUMAN NEEDS COLLIDE WITH NATURE

WE ARE LOSING OUR TREASURE AT ALARMING RATES AND AS SUCH, LOSING AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OURSELVES

ONLY 400 OF 100,000 TIGERS LEFT IN ASIA -

FARMING  TIGERS TO KILL THEM FOR MEDICINAL, SKIN  DEMANDS http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Experts_suggest_tiger_breeding_to_quash_poaching_999.html  "For some people who live in these parts of the world, poachers act like pest control. Any conservation strategy would have to address habitat, prey, human-tiger conflict and demand," he said.

MASS EXTINCTIONS: http://www.well.com/~davidu/extinction.html

BIODIVERSITY CRISIS AND MASS EXTINCTIONS: http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/01/31_olsond_biodiversity/ "Biodiversity is being irreversibly destroyed by human activities at an unprecedented rate. . . (demanding) urgent and significant action."

What's it going to take for a collective consciousness shift to take place so this ignorance stops?  What will it take for us to collectively understand that every species on this planet plays a major role in the natural balance and health of this planet-including us?  What's it going to take for we humans to understand that we are a species within the whole system, not separate from it?  And what's it going to take for us to realize we are fast approaching a time where a major eco-collapse could be upon us and our world, as we know, it will never be the same again.

This awakening is occuring in some areas of the world, but a greater part is still asleep.  What we want, we take with little regard for the chain reaction or impact this has on both nature and ultimately ourselves.  In this instance, the tiger because of its blackmarket for its skin and for its perceived "healing" parts and properties still being used in some parts of the world.  Additionally, we have killing just for sport and trophy; we have killing because our precious treasure of wildlife is getting in our way of farming our crops; and other times we kill just for pure profit.  This killing leaves families fractured, the young helpless to starve and die and has repercussionsit far and beyond just taking one animal out.  Can we truly find a way to co-habit with our natural partners in life?

Think of Nature. She is always constantly mesmerizing us with her beauty and teaching us great lessons.What will it be like without our beautiful birds, our graceful trees, our blooming wildflowers, our essential wholesome fruits and vegetables.  Nature is constantly mesmerizing us with her beauty and teaching us great lessons through her abundance; Nature's beauty and wonder is every around us.  What will it be like as this diminishes.

Will we ever be able to restore the planet to its original bounty?  With the world population expecting to increase 25% by 2030 we have a huge problem. How are we going to feed everyone?  Where are we going to get enough fresh water from without further damaging our ecosystems (desalination and disposing of extracted salt); We have forgotten our essential purpose and role on this planet, to be good stewards and be mindful of how our actions with Nature affect the greater whole.  Forgetfulness always leaves a trail of consequences.  We have broken the continuity of life and forgetten we are integrally tied to Nature for our health and survival;.

Nature is a ceaseless giver.  Where is our gratitude? She gives so silently, never making a show of all the things she gives us.  Nature gives us everything we need, she is there for us at any given moment.  All we have to awaken to is that, in return, our duty and obligation is to care for her.What would it be like to live on this planet without the wonder of a bird in flight, the incredible orchestration of natural sounds in a forest; the blooming of the flowers in spring; the sight of the  a  whale or dolphin breaking the water surface or indeed all the incredible eco-systems unseen under the water s surface.   What will it be like without a qentle look of a tiger,or the gentle rays of the morning sun, or the gentle movement of an eagle gliding through the air; without our majestic elephants, rhinocerosus, our sensitive deer, elk, buffalo, family of wolves and the magic of the entire symbiotic interactions of life we now enjoy and reap the benefits of.

What will it take not to dismiss all of Nature's wonders and needs and, instead,  dive into scientific and technology solutions that could create even greater havoc (nanotechnology, GMO foods) instead of reconnecting to that which we are an essential part of - the incredible, sustaining Natural World?

To restore and respect Nature  is to restore respect and dignity to ourselves.

AND THEN THERE'S THE MALI ELEPHANTS - VIDEO                                http://planetark.org/wen/53735

I could go on and on.   Bottom Line:

To the Degree Nature is Sick and Out of Balance - so Are We.   As Nature goes so do we?  We must return to our sense of dignity and respect and extend this to all beings, sentient and insentient, for every species on this planet has a purpose in the greater web of life and eco systems.  We humans are part of this greater web and we need to reintegrate into it so that we have a better understanding of our natural world and her needs, that, ultimately are our needs.