Sherry Hong

State Department

Beijing, China

 

Earth Day is important…The role of Earth Day has evolved in the last 40 years. Originally, it was to draw people’s attention to environmental concerns. It was a movement to raise grass roots interest too. Now, after forty years, most countries and communities are relatively on the same page. There are ranges of legislation, nongovernmental organizations, and grassroots groups that play an active role. Most people acknowledge that there is a problem in our way of treating our environment and that a solution should be sought out soon. In the USA, for instance, other than the government and NGO’s effort to raise awareness, there is a large effort to raise awareness on individual bases. Earth Day itself has always gotten individual people to act. Enforcing a law is not enough. Everyone has to take part in it by itself and do their parts. Only then would we be able to protect our environment and reserve our Earth for the future generation.

 

How can each of us protect our earth…There are thousands of ways to protect our earth. Everyone, of course, has different level of comfort in adjusting one’s life style. Yet, small efforts in daily activities can make a difference. For instance, small actions such as using eco friendly light bulb, turning the lights off when leaving a room, adjusting the thermostat so that one does not waste air-conditioning or heating and walking or using public transportation instead of driving can make a difference. Most importantly, as each individual takes such actions in their daily lives, they can share their knowledge and practices with others. Everyone can adopt different roles, but the ultimate goal is that more people are aware of the impact of their own actions.  Involving young people is a critical too.

 

Comparing US and China…In general, Chinese students are already living a more energy-efficient lifestyle than American youth. For instance, most students recycle their water bottles and reuse them. They tend to walk or take public transportation to school than driving. In dormitories, room temperatures are often controlled centrally to reduce energy costs.  Chinese youth can influence their parents and even grandparents by sharing with them these practices.

 

Currently, few people dispute the importance of the environment. What is important is to emphasize is what people, companies, and governments are willing to do to address these problems. Establishing partnerships between governments also can be important. Day-to-day actions undertaken by individuals must still be the most important part.