ELEPHANTS

Wetlands cover 6% of the planet’s surface. Beneath their still waters lies a powerful natural system where plants and microorganisms work slowly to filter water and break down pollutants. These marshes are essential for water regeneration and purification. They act like sponges, regulating the flow of water—absorbing it during the wet season and releasing it in the dry season.
In our pursuit of land, we claimed these areas for grazing livestock, agriculture, and building homes. Over the past century, we have drained half of the world’s wetlands. We did not understand their richness or their role.
Everything is alive, everything is connected—water, air, soil, trees. The magic of the world unfolds before our eyes.

Excerpt from the film Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Co-written with Isabelle Delannoy and Tewfik Fares
With the kind permission of the GoodPlanet Foundation
© 2009 Europacorp - Elzevir Films