Humans are destroying the globe and climate

出自香港新聞網 - 樹仁新傳系學生實習習作

Lam Yee Ling 045089

Lam Chiu Ying, the director of Hong Kong Observatory, yesterday said humans’ materialism is damaging the resources of the globe and their civilization is destroying the climate at the same time.

Global temperature is increasing in recent years. Lam blamed science for it and thought chemistry and physics are two main factors. He disagreed that regenerated energy could solve the problem of global warming which was brought up by many scientists.

Lam criticized the American materialism is seriously damaging the globe. People chase luxury and keep spending money on everything. They consume too much energy and damage the resource of the globe.

“People should give up this lifestyle and regenerated energy,” Lam said, “Every country should have a simple lifestyle. Especially, America has to consume materials 80% less, resources could then distribute every country evenly and reduce much slower.”

Lam added humans overly cut down trees, which is another main reason of global warming. Environmental protection is emergent.

As for the change of the climate, Lam thought it can affect history. “Tang Dynasty was prosperous because it had a warm period at that time, so farmers had many crops.”

Lam stated the climate change is not a scientific issue, but a social issue. “A tsunami can take away thousands of lives at once, but changing climate can take our lives gradually,” Lam explained.

Lam said civilization is constructed by the climate, but civilization is damaging the climate. In the latest 200 years, industrial revolution and two world wars advanced the development of technology and civilization. However, carbon dioxide has risen by one-third, half of that arose within the latest 30 years.

“Carbon dioxide will increase one-sixth more in the coming 10 years. It will destroy the ozone layer more and threaten our lives,” Lam gave a warning.

He added that not only do we face the problem of the climate change, but we also face ecological change, lack of food, illness and social unrest. We will receive disastrous outcome if we fight against nature. Conversely, other organisms evolve with nature to live and germs did the best.

“In the competition between civilization and nature, civilization will be a definite loser. Humans have to change their material lifestyle, or they will be extinct eventually,” he emphasized.

Lam encouraged that we could consume less power and water, wear fewer clothes in summer and turn off air-conditioner when we do not need. The concept of environmental protection is not what the government can promote, but what we can do for saving our world.