Activity Summary 1 - The Sacred Balance by David Suzuki

In the short, three part segment "The Sacred Balance" by David Suzuki, the message is simple. We need to pay attention to what is happening to the Earth. We need to take into consideration the ancient paths of the indigenous people from around the globe, and learn to appreciate what we have before it's too late. It's all about the "bigger picture", as David Suzuki says. The message was clear to him wherever he went, where people use the Earth as a provider that is much more than rocks and rivers. Through experimental projects we are able to see how far we can push nature until it pushes back. Suzuki discusses the removal of humanity from nature into technology, and living in urban areas, losing our "sense of interconnectedness," as he says in part 1 of his video. Sustainable development is key in securing a life for future generation, and it is our job to succeed.

Working together in cleaning up our air pollution, reducing carbon emissions and reducing dependency on non-renewable resources is key, as our actions can effect other regions across the globe. The fact that we are losing our appreciation and interconnectedness with the Earth as a provider, differs us greatly from people like on the island of Bali. In Bali they utilize the Earth's provisions as much as possible with self sustaining systems, wasting as little as possible and appreciating as much as possible, as everything is sacred. They have been using ancient practises for thousands of years, and clearly it works. Because we have gotten so caught up in our "advanced" industrial lifestyles, we have lost the interconnection with nature and our ancestors abilities to sustain it.

This idea is similar to James Cameron's in "Avatar". The characters in that movie are one with nature and have a deep appreciation for everything they have been given. Every grain of dirt and every beast is appreciated and is sacred. It is greatly important for us to look beyond the beauty of our landscapes and realize that we owe so much more than visual stimulation. As Suzuki says, we have forgotten and we need to see "the bigger picture," and work together using science, technology, and ancient practises. We are all connected, and break away from our segregated lives to help our planet sustain.

The Sacred Balance. Prod. Kensington Communication Inc. Assoc. CBC Television, See It On PBS, National Science Association, Vision TV. Part. Canadian Television Fund, 2002. Accessed January 18, 2010, from http://www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/at_Work/sacredbalance.asp