世界地球日 (shìjiè dìqiú rì) Earth Day 2021

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”

Example sentences:

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”

Example sentences:

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.

Example sentences:

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!

You May Want to Learn More :
“Tomb Sweeping Day: The Basics”
“The Different Meanings Behind “What do you mean?” in Chinese”
”International Women’s Day”