What is the importance of a balanced ecology to sustain life?
The ecology of the earth is the creative matrix out of which all living organisms evolve, and by which they are sustained. The term “matrix” comes from the Latin word that means “womb.” The term suggests as well a complex pattern of interrelated processes and elements. The Gaia hypothesis tells us that this ecological matrix within which we are inextricably embedded is itself a living whole. Like any other organic system it can be either vital and healthy, or it can suffer from debilitating disorders. It is now abundantly clear that many human processes are threatening the integrity of the ecology of the entire earth. If the ecosystems that sustain all life become unhealthy, then human beings will necessarily fall ill. Key Issues We learn through ecology to see the whole as well as the parts, to appreciate the intricate interconnectedness of all things, and to approach other life forms as subjective systems – as ways of being in the world that have their own intrinsic value. In their b
