考古學家、同時也是古瑪雅文明的專家漢森(Richard Hansen)對人類文化研究的非常細微。他知道文明崩毀的跡象是甚麼樣子。
漢森表示，「瑪雅人的盛世維持了一千年，但是到了一個時候，權力和展示權力的欲望出現，於是「炫耀性消費」 時代開始，也為古瑪雅時期帶來了衰敗。
現今的資源消耗文化和過去衰敗的跡象有著極為相似之處。在墨西哥猶加敦召開的「第九屆世界荒野大會」中，正討論並剖析這類生態不永續的案例。此會議匯集了全球最高階的保育官員們和環保人士，以解決跨境的自然議題。
墨西哥總統卡爾德龍(Felipe Calderón)於開幕式上，宣布美、墨、加三國簽署一項關於荒野保護的備忘錄(MOU)。
卡爾德龍表示，如果各國批准這項協議，「將有助於交流成功經驗，促進監測和人力資源的培訓，以及可保護和恢復荒野地區的項目融資」。
該協議將成立一個政府間委員會，以協助指導跨境保育策略、改善野生動物棲地，並幫助動物遷徙。
隨著聯合國氣候變化會議很快將於下個月在哥本哈根舉行，這個由「荒野基金會」約每四年舉行一次的大會，正大力強調自然環境可減緩氣候變遷的能力。與會者於會中通過了口號：「荒野是氣候的最大盟友」。
第九屆世界荒野大會的主席和執委員於10日發布「梅里達宣言」，呼籲保護關鍵的陸域和海域荒野地區，以減緩氣候變遷，保存生物多樣性，並保護可提供人類至關重要的產品及服務的健全生態系。
各式關於保護荒野的方式都在此會議中進行討論和質疑，包括生態旅遊，以及透過可預期的全球碳市場擴張以保護森林。
Archeologist Richard Hansen, an expert in early Mayan civilization, studies human culture down to the microscopic level. And he knows what the signs of collapse look like.
"In the Mirador area, the Maya lived very well for a thousand years," Hansen said. But at some point, power and the desire for grander displays of that power, took hold. A period of "conspicuous consumption" began, bringing on the end of the Early Maya period.
The similarities of those signs of collapse to today's extractive culture are hard to escape. Examples of ecologically unsustainable practices are being discussed and dissected at most sessions here at the Ninth World Wilderness Congress in Mérida, Yucatán, an event that draws together top conservation officials and activists from across the globe to tackle trans-national wilderness issues.
At the opening of the working congress, Mexican President Felipe Calderón announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States, Canada, and Mexico for wilderness conservation.
Calderon said the agreement, if ratified, "will make it easier to exchange successful experiences, facilitate monitoring and the training of human resources, as well as financing projects that will protect and recover wilderness areas."
The agreement would create an intergovernmental committee to help guide conservation strategies across borders, improving wildlife habitat and helping to facilitate migration.
With the fast approach of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next month, this congress, organized by The Wilderness Foundation and held roughly every four years, is placing a strong emphasis on natural areas' ability to help mitigate climate change. The gathering adopted the slogan: "Wilderness, the Climate's Best Ally."
The chairman and Executive Committee of the 9th World Wilderness Congress today issued The Merida Message, calling for the protection of critical land and sea wilderness areas to mitigate climate change and conserve biodiversity and healthy ecosystems that provide products and services vital to human well-being.
Various models of wilderness protection are being discussed and questioned at the congress, from dependence on eco-tourism to forest protection via an expected expansion of carbon-credit markets worldwide.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
