“The 20th century has been hard on the Earth's ecosystems. Until recently, many of us saw the planet as a never-ending supply of resources and a bottomless pit for wastes. Entire ecosystems like old-growth forests, streams, lakes, marshes, and grasslands have been wiped out because of our unsustainable deeds.
Today, we realize that we've been consuming the generous gifts of nature so rapidly that the Earth could ultimately lose its ability to meet the needs of wildlife and humans. Signs like acid rain, global warming, a damaged ozone layer, and wildlife extinctions warn us that our activities are hurting the planet that gives us life. Somewhere along the line, we've forgotten one basic truth: our own survival depends on the fate of the planet Earth and the animal kingdom.
In a world where thousands of species fall extinct every year, there's an urgent need for us to understand that all living things are connected -- that none of the five million species on Earth, including us, can survive without each other or without healthy ecosystems.”
“Ating Paraiso” is an environmental song, (lyrics by Elsa Ballesteros and music by Marc Ballesteros, and is endorsed by the former Toronto Consul General Francisco Santos. Marc and Elsa performed this song at the University of Toronto's Convocation Hall during the welcome ceremonial program for the former Philippines President Fidel Ramos and the former First Lady, Amelita Ramos in November 1997. At that time, Consul General Santos had spoken about this song with Mrs. Ramos as an awakening inspirational song suitable to Mrs. Ramos' environmental program. The song inspired ConGen to send a copy to the former First Lady, an active supporter of environmental issues in the Philippines.
Earth ... a “wonderful world” indeed.
Making the Song
Picture of Earth shown on album cover courtesy of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). This picture was taken by the astronauts of Apollo 17 on Dec. 7, 1972 as they left earth orbit en route to the Moon.