Chapter 17 : Environment Problems in China

While this is a heavier topic than most that you will find in this book, it is important for everyone to be aware of the changes and dangers facing your country and your planet today as well as what you can do to lesson your part in it.

Here are some facts you should know about some of China’s environmental problems:

-Logging and fishing to supply the demand of the population in China causes biodiversity problems as far away as Africa.

-Respiratory and heart diseases attributed to the air pollution have become the leading cause of death in China.

-While efforts are being made to use more renewable resources to power the country, 75% of China’s energy is still produced using coal, a major cause of greenhouse gasses.

-40% of the water in China’s river systems is unfit for human consumption.

-In Beijing alone there are more than 5 million cars driving around producing carbon emissions and a study done on the city’s air says that for more than half of the average month, breathing in the air of Beijing is akin to living in a smoke-lounge.

While these problems are dire, many people see them as something they shouldn’t have to personally concern themselves with. What are you supposed to do about the 5 million cars driving around Beijing?

However, it is important to remember that these problems belong to and effect every living thing on this planet, and it is important that each and every one of us make sure that we are doing our part in preventing these issues from getting worse.

可能这是这本书里比较沉重的一个话题，但是对于每个人而言了解到环境问题的严重性是非常必要的，了解到我们生存的地球所面临的危险以及如何从自己做起来保护地球。

对于中国的环境问题，这里有几件事实我必须要告诉你：

-为了满足中国人口对于鱼类的需求，过分的不牢已经对海洋生物多样性产生威胁。

-由于空气污染及废弃导致的心脏疾病，已成为中国人死亡的首要原因。

-虽然人们开始重视可回收、可再生能源，但是75%的中国能源，还是以煤炭为源头，这也是引起温室效应的最大的原因。

-中国河流系统中40%的水源，不适合人类食用。

-只在北京一地，就有多达500万的车辆产生碳排放。一项对城市空气质量的研究指出，平均每个月中超过一般的时间，生活在北京就如同生活在吸烟区休息室中。

虽然这些问题让人毛骨悚然，但是很多人并不认为他们自身可以做出什么努力。面对北京一个城市的500万私家车，你又会有什么样的举措呢？

但是，请你一定要谨记，这些环境问题切切实实地影响着地球上的每一条生命，我们必须要确保我们自己的一举一动都在帮助环境保护，并非让环境问题变得越来越糟糕。