Have you ever marveled at the phenomenon where the more we have of something, the more we take it for granted? Well, we only have one “行星地球 (xíng xīng dì qiú) planet Earth” so it must be “珍惜 (zhēn xī) cherished” and “ 关心 (guān xīn) cared for” above all else. April 22, 2021, is “世界地球日 (shì jiè dì qiú rì) Earth Day” and we can take the time to reflect and think of all the ways our lifestyles impact the Earth for better or for worse. Earth Day also helps connect people across the globe with a shared mission to strive to take care of it by creating a healthy and sustainable future.
“世界地球日 (shì jiè dì qiú rì) Earth Day” is important now more than ever because we are in the middle of the 6th mass extinction and it is increasingly impacted by humans this time around compared to natural causes alone. “濒危物种 (bīn wēi wù zhǒng) endangered species” need our help because of the “污染 (wū rǎn) pollution” and loss of “臭氧层 (chòu yǎng céng) ozone layer” that the pollution has caused.
“濒危物种 (bīn wēi wù zhǒng) endangered species”
shí nián nèi běi jí xióng jiù huì chéng wéi bīn wēi wù zhǒng
十 年 内 北 极 熊 就 会 成 为 濒 危 物 种。
Polar bear will become an endangered species within ten years.
cù jìn bīn wēi wù zhǒng hé shēng tài xì tǒng de huī fù
促 进 濒 危 物 种 和 生 态 系 统 的 恢 复。
Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems.
But what are some of the manageable ways we can improve the situation?
It’s as simple as doing your part to “保护环境 (bǎo hù huán jìng) protect the environment”. It’s easier to protect the environment than you think. Many countries are banning single-use plastics while others are making their cities more bicycle-friendly. If you live in a city with public transportation, taking the bus or subway is an easy alternative to paying for a taxi or driving your own car.
“保护环境 (bǎo hù huán jìng) protect the environment”
bǎo hù huán jìng : ràng wǒ men gòng chuàng měi hǎo de míng tiān
保 护 环 境： 让 我 们 共 创 美 好 的 明 天。
Protect the environment: let us create a beautiful tomorrow together
huán bǎo yóu wǒ zuò qǐ, huán dì qiú yí gè jié jìng de jiā
环 保 由 我 做 起， 还 地 球 一 个 洁 净 的 家 。
Environment protection starts from me, give back earth a clean home
bǎo hù huán jìng shì měi yí gè gōng mín de zé rèn
保 护 环 境 是 每 一 个 公 民 的 责 任。
Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility
wèi le fáng zhǐ dì qiú wēn shì xiào yìng jiā jù，wǒ men yīng gāi bǎo hù hǎo huán jìng
为 了 防 止 地 球 温 室 效 应 加 剧，我 们 应 该 保 护 好 环 境。
In order to prevent the greenhouse effect on earth, we should protect the environment.
The beauty of protecting the environment, is that just making one small change in your lifestyle can have a huge impact. Not everyone will choose the same adjustment and that’s okay! We can learn from one another and do our best. Some people choose to use “太阳能 (tài yáng néng) solar power” instead of conventional electricity supplied by the city. Other people insist on trying to ”回收 (huí shōu) recycle” as much as they can. While the last group of people may arguably have the biggest impact, the plant-based eaters who make meals “仅用植物的 (jǐn yòng zhí wù de) using only plants. A percentage is “纯素食者 (chún sù shí zhě) pure vegan” while others will allow for fish or other animal products in their diets to make the transition easier.
wǒ bù chī ròu，wǒ chī sù.
我 不 吃 肉， 我 吃 素。
I don’t eat meat. I am a vegetarian.
měi guó zǒng tǒng ào bā mǎ yāo qiú zài bā xī fǎng wèn dòu liú qī jiān tí gōng quán sù shí shí pǐn.
美 国 总 统 奥 巴 马 要 求 在 巴 西 访 问 逗 留 期 间 提 供 全 素 食 食 品。
U.S. President Barack Obama asked to be provided all-vegetarian food during his stay in Brazil.
Whatever you choose to change to create a more sustainable future, do it out of the love for our “濒危物种 (bīn wēi wù zhǒng) endangered species”, do it for your “行星地球 (xíng xīng dì qiú) planet Earth”. What are some ideas you have that we can each do that make a biggest impact? We’d love to hear them!
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