Earth from above
When I was on the last leg of my world trip I landed in Auckland, New Zealand. As I was wandering around I found the ‘earth from above’ exhibition by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Photos were taken from an hot air balloon. The photos will be uploaded to this blog. You can also visit the website for photos and explanations at http://www.earthfromabove.com.au/gallery.html
The message of the exhibition was to inspire and inform people to appreciate and value the world in which they live. The core message is of a global need to advance sustainable development, the photos are accompanied by information to provide a report on the planet to help us preserve it.
my own trip around the planet was to look at the physical affects of human cultivation from the sky and on the ground. I was particularly interested in the environmental situation, globalisation and to connect with other peoples through clowning. My intent was to reflect on inner peace and how that affects outer peace. So for me, this exhibition spoke to the heart of my questions. Some interesting facts were as follows:
• In the world military expenditures are 12 times more important than the development aid
• Costa Rica 4 million inhabitants. In 1948 the President of the Republic, Jose Figures, Ferrer abolishes the army and chooses to transfer the military budget to provide the development of the living standards. Life expectancy reaches 79 years and the literacy rate is 96% and the social security system covers more than 80% of the population. Costa Rica dedicates 20% of its GDP to health and to education. This country based all its economy on exploitation of natural resources in 2007 by adopting its initiative ‘peace with nature’
• 20% of the worlds population consumes 80% of the energy produced in the world
• 320 million acres (13 million hectares) of natural forest disappears every year
• 87% of the energy consumed in the world is non renewable
• The average temperature of the last 10 years was the highest ever registered
• Livestock emits 18% of greenhouse gases, it’s more than the transport sector
• A mammal out of 4, 1 bird out of 8 and 1 amphibian out of 3 are threatened by extinction