The cost of comfort

Author: Cao Nanyan, He Zhijiang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-03-01
Features: Air is the pillar of life, providing the oxygen needed for human and animal respiration and the carbon dioxide required for plant photosynthesis. A significant portion of human and animal food consists of carbohydrates synthesized by plants through photosynthesis, which absorb carbon dioxide. The most dangerous animal in the world is humans! This is not a scare tactic! Our only planet Earth is already battered and bruised. This book has won the "Five One Project Award for a Good Book" at the 8th edition. The question "What is the most dangerous animal in the world?" is written on the wall of a small wooden house at Ecosystem Zoo in Germany. When faced with such a question, how would you answer it? Some friends might immediately think of ( means fierce beasts), such as lions or tigers. At the same time, the zoo poses this question to visitors, telling them that the answer can be found by opening the door of the wooden house. Of course, this does not hinder visitors from using their imagination, but the answer is often something they do not expect. When the "answer door" is opened, visitors see a large mirror reflecting their own faces. It is actually telling visitors: "The most dangerous animal in the world is humans!" Some environmental education teachers in China have described their feelings after visiting this small wooden house as "shocking and unforgettable." The most dangerous animal in the world is humans! This is not a scare tactic! Our only planet Earth is already battered and bruised: desertification is continuously expanding, sewage flows everywhere, exacerbating water scarcity, air pollution prevents us from seeing the blue sky or breathing fresh, clean air, and the scale and speed of species extinction have never been greater. In short, the deterioration of the ecological environment is an undeniable fact. For a long time, humans have regarded themselves as the masters of the Earth and conquerors of nature, ignoring the intrinsic value of other species and all things in nature. In modern times, large-scale species extinction and other ecological disasters are primarily caused by the activities of one species on Earth—humans. Modern humans possess all the means to eliminate other species. However, we must acknowledge that humans and other species are interconnected, and they all share our planet Earth. Only by treating living beings and the Earth with kindness can humans save themselves. China's modernization efforts also face severe ecological and environmental challenges. According to estimates by relevant experts, China incurs losses of 280 billion yuan annually due to environmental pollution—a staggering figure! The fragile ecological system calls for the awakening of public ecological awareness. Currently, the environmental awareness of the public in China, including teenagers, has both reasons for optimism and concerns. The optimistic side is that the public is increasingly concerned about and values environmental issues, making environmental protection a focal point for urban residents. The concerning side is that the public lacks knowledge about ecological environments, which affects the overall level of environmental awareness. Many people are unaware of China's per capita arable land, fresh water, forests, wildlife, and other resources, as well as related knowledge. They do not know the dates of environmental (memorial dates), such as "World Environment Day," "Earth Day," "National Day," "World Population Day," and "Bird Week," and believe that protecting the environment is primarily the government's responsibility, leaving little room for individual accountability. Therefore, strengthening environmental education, especially for teenagers, and popularizing ecological science knowledge is an urgent task. I am delighted to see that the Environmental and Development Committee of the China Society of Land Economics has organized experts to compile the "Green Future Series." I fully support the purpose and objectives of compiling this series: "The lack of environmental awareness among the public is a major reason for China's current severe ecological and environmental situation and a significant challenge faced by environmental protection efforts in China. Learning from past mistakes, this issue must also be addressed starting with teenagers. Conducting environmental education and popularizing green awareness among teenagers is the key to a green future and an important part of quality education." This series systematically explains scientific knowledge in various fields of the ecological environment through many vivid and interesting examples and stories, providing readers with new information and elaborating on the responsibility of protecting the environment from an ecological ethics perspective. Environmental security will become an important aspect of national security in the 21st century and a key issue for the masters of the 21st century—today's teenagers—to focus on. Enhancing green awareness and creating a green future is not only the responsibility of each generation but should also become a way of thinking and a lifestyle.