global briefs
Planetary Planning
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Keeping Half the Earth Natural
A study led by the National Geographic Society and the University of California (UC), Davis, published in the journal Global Change Biology compared four re-
cent global maps of the conversion of natural lands to anthropogenic (human activity) land uses. It concluded that if we act quickly and decisively, there is an opportunity to conserve about half of the planet’s ice-free land. The developed half includes cities, croplands, ranches and mines. The authors note that areas having low human influence do not necessarily exclude people, livestock or sustainable management of resources. A balanced conservation response that addresses land sovereignty and weighs agriculture, settlement or other resource needs with the protection of ecosystem services and biodiversity is essential. Approximately 15 percent of the Earth’s land surface and 10 percent of the oceans are currently protected in some form. Lead author Jason Riggio, a postdoctoral scholar at the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, says, “The encouraging takeaway from this study is that if we act quickly and decisively, there is a slim window in which we can still conserve roughly half of Earth’s land in a relatively intact state.”
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
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RELAX andRESTORE The mind can overreact to the rush of everyday living, leaving us on edge and out of sorts. We forget that help is as near as a few moments in contemplation. At least once a day, let the Sound and Light of God enliven you with spiritual impulses. Gently chant HU, and the silent wind of God will enter the sacred temple of consciousness in the heart. Once tensions relax, it is just moments until the healing current of Spirit begins to restore you.
—Sri Harold Klemp The Mahanta, the Living ECK Master
HU k
Sacred Sound Ancient Mantra
The Path of Spiritual Freedom
www.Eckankar.org
HU (rhymes with you) is an ancient name for God that has been sung for thousands of years in many lands for spiritual unfoldment. Visit HearHU.org to learn more about its transformative and healing power.
September 2020
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