50 Habits That Primary School Students Should Develop

Author: Wang Xingfan / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Be a guardian of the environment, cultivate the habit of caring for the environment
I am a little river, a clear little river. Fish, shrimp, and crabs are my children, and the willow trees, reeds, and little birds flying around are my friends. I sing cheerful songs every day and play with my children. I was once a good friend of humans. Children played in my embrace, and women washed their clothes here. People even led me to reservoirs and flowed into power plants, turning me into something called "electricity" that brought light to humans. I was proud and proud of myself because I could bring endless joy to people.
But from some day, my body started to feel unwell, and my children kept getting sick and dying. It turned out that people had built factories around me, and black wastewater flowed into my body. They also threw all kinds of garbage randomly on me. The once flowing river was blocked, turned black and smelly, and mosquitoes and flies multiplied and grew on me. When people passed by me, they covered their noses with disgust. I cried sadly, and the tears that flowed out were also black and turbid, a sight too miserable to behold.
Humans, why must you do such things? I asked Sister Cloud, but she remained silent, only shedding a handful of sorrowful tears for me. I asked Uncle Ocean, and he sighed in grief: "Not only you, but I have also been polluted." I asked Grandpa Sun, and he shook his head in sorrow: "Alas, humans, one day you will regret this!"
The willow trees and reeds by the bank couldn’t take the pollution anymore and began to wither day by day. The lovely birds no longer played with me. Why is this? Humans, save me—the little river that once brought you endless joy!
How pitiful this little river is! It once brought so much joy to our human race, but some people didn’t cherish it and trampled it carelessly, so we can no longer share the beauty of the river. Not only is the river sick, but humans are also suffering from various natural disasters caused by water pollution and enduring all kinds of suffering. For example, the Huai River is severely polluted, and the crops on both banks rely on this heavily polluted water for irrigation. Therefore, the health and survival of hundreds of millions of people along the Huai River are severely affected. Another example is the frequent sandstorms that have plagued the northern regions of the Yangtze River in recent years, which have also had many adverse effects on people’s production and life.
After understanding the harmful consequences of environmental deterioration, we must develop awareness of caring for the environment and take action to protect our surroundings, becoming guardians of the environment. So, how can we care for the environment? Protecting the environment includes many aspects because it surrounds and permeates every aspect of our lives. We need to breathe, so we must reduce air pollution; we need to drink, so we must avoid water pollution; we need to eat, so we must eliminate soil pollution; we need to stay healthy, so we must avoid electromagnetic radiation, reduce noise pollution, and be careful of pollution from home renovations.
Seeing this, you might say, "Wow, so much! How can I do all this? And many things are beyond my control." That’s true! Protecting the environment is a major issue concerning human survival and social development, requiring the attention and participation of governments, businesses, individuals, and all other stakeholders. So, what specific things can primary school students do to protect the environment?
1. Reduce pollution sources. Use biodegradable plastic products as much as possible, and avoid using disposable chopsticks and disposable lunch boxes. When shopping, use cloth bags, bamboo baskets, or paper bags as much as possible. If you must use plastic bags, try to put as many items as possible in one bag to reduce the number of bags used.
2. Conserve water, electricity, and paper. Saving resources includes reducing the total amount used and reusing or recycling waste. For example, the water used for washing your face or doing laundry can be used to mop the floor or flush the toilet, and paper with writing on it can be used for cutting or folding. Have you thought of that?
3. Properly dispose of waste. Don’t throw garbage randomly; instead, sort it and throw it into the trash bins. Also, be careful not to burn garbage randomly to avoid polluting the air or causing other hazards.
4. Used batteries and other electronic waste should not be thrown away randomly. Make sure to put them in battery recycling bins and use rechargeable batteries as much as possible to reduce the use of disposable batteries.
5. Protect plants and animals. Don’t pick flowers or trees, and don’t step on the grass. Cherish wildlife and don’t feed or chase animals. Participate actively in public activities to plant flowers, trees, and protect animals.
6. Don’t write or draw randomly. When visiting beautiful landscapes, cultural sites, and historical relics, strictly follow the rules and regulations of the places and practice "leave only footprints, take nothing but memories."
P14-16