Zhang，Han:We hope that the Chinese government attaches great importance to environmental protection
张涵（Zhang，Han）
With explosive and reckless economic growth in the past 30 years, China is now facing heavy pollution and damage to its ecosystem, a price that China is paying for its rapid industrialization. Sadly, the once clean and beautiful planet that we lived in is no longer there for future generations of Chinese. Whether you are in urban or rural area, almost everywhere is filled with garbage and liquid waste. Every breath of air we inhale is more or less polluted. The once lovely motherland is now dirtyand toxic. As figures reported by Western environmental agencies in recent years, China is undoubtedly one of the most heavily polluted countries in the world.
The rapidly eroding environment across the country has become an issue of paramount concern to many Chinese. With the advancing deterioration of the environment, people have been constantly concerning about the water and air quality. While many drainage systems in the urban areas were still designed in closed loops, there has been an increasing use of cleaning agents such as detergents and bleach. The continuing reduction of oxygen content in water has upset the ecosystem and killed thousandsof fishes and countless other marine lives. In China, the government has long advocated substantial economic growth. To the contrary, we have often witnessed tons of industrial and agricultural waste being disposed into the water. Pollutants are discharged directly into nearby rivers and lakescausing further contamination. As we see waves of startling figures about the current pollution levels in China, we have to re-consider the true cost behind the explosive G.D.P. growth;to re-value the aggressive pursuit of double-digit economic growth.
Every year, we hear news of dust storms shrouding major part of China. In Beijing, it is not surprising to see dust and sand coming down from the sky like rainfall. In fact, this capital city has been notorious for its bad air. Moreover, fog and haze perpetually present in many heavily-populated cities. And as a result, sky is no longer blue and clear. People cannot help but ask: who is responsible? The answer could often be traced back to the local government who has a long history of ignoring environmental issues. It wasn’t until now that the government has been left with no choice but to respond and take action. And we sincerely hope they can prioritize the importance of environment protection over double-digit economic growth.
Zhang, Han
April 22, 2013 |
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