Home – a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
“We 6 billion human beings are not the only inhabitants of this planet. We share it with billions and billions of animals, plants, and single-cell organisms. And it is not merely a case of cohabitation: our very existence depends on our close links with these other organisms. Albert Einstein once predicted that if the honey bee disappeared, the human race could only last four years: without bees to pollinate their flowers, the majority of plants would fail to reproduce and would die out, along with all the animals that depend upon them for food, and that includes mankind.
All living organisms, including humans, are part of a complex web of relationships that connects them with one another and with their environment. This interdependence relates to the food chain, to the balance of populations, and to natural cycles. As a result of these relationships, all the basic elements circulate and are exchanged between living beings and the environment in a process that is constant and universal, occurring through us and all around us.” – An excerpt from Home, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand.
For some, this film may just be a reminder of where we stand today. For others, it may very well be a wakeup call.
It it an inconvenient truth. That our current lifestyle cannot sustained by our mutual Home for long. Yes, we envision a comfortable life ahead of us. Yet, look around you…do you really need all of those things in that room right now? Or was it a sudden impulse spurred by the GRAND RED LETTERS IN BOLD that reads “BUY ONE GET ONE FREE” or “50% OFF OF ALL SUMMER GOODS” ? Our modern society’s consumerist culture has irrevocably formulated our lifestyles and behaviors. Can such behaviors so deeply ingrained in our culture be changed? That is one question that you can only answer for yourself. And once you have found your own answer, may your thoughts and wisdom steer your actions.
You can watch the movie online by clicking here. However, if you can grab a DVD and watch it with some like-minded friends, I think it’ll be a whole another experience 😀
Best,
– Runbin D.
The even more frightening thing is that the honey bee is in trouble. The varroa mite is wreaking havoc upon honey bee populations across the globe, as are pesticides such as parathion, used by big agriculture. Some farmers in Sichuan province, China have taken to pollinating flowering pear trees by hand. Here’s a link to a study on the impact of hand pollination: http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPS/C-CAB/Castudies/pdf/6-005.pdf
best,
Tori