Sacredness

This concept refers to the fact that, as part of our spiritual relationship with the biosphere, there are instances when we must value nature for its own sake, or when we should not attempt to

attach a commercial or material value to it.

Many indigenous people, such as the Indian tribes in the Amazon and the Australian aborigines, have viewed their relationship with nature as harmonious and themselves as caretakers. This belief meant that they were able to live as part of a relatively balanced ecosystem, without dominating or over-exploiting it.

For our own well being, we could learn from them to value, or consider sacred, a beautiful, healthy and safe environment. While our survival depends on exploiting other species, we need not use them

wastefully. We could learn from observing how predators behave with their prey. They do not destroy their supplies. They use only what they need. As a result, the population of animals on which they prey

can replenish itself.

At the individual level, we must ask ourselves some important questions about the way we behave toward nature. Among these are:

􀁺 Is my action morally right?

􀁺 Will what I do jeopardise the biosphere and the lives of future

generations?