From the Readers

Earth fights back

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-22 07:46

The increase in volcanic activity and earthquakes around the world should alert us to a more deadly aspect of climate change and global warming. So far we have only been assessing the damage that pollution and environmental degradation have done to the surface of the earth and the atmosphere, caused by increased human activity and the extensive use of non-renewable energy sources.

As far as I know, little or no research has been carried out on the effects of extracting fossil fuels, iron ore, and other materials from the earth itself. It may well be that, just as the surface of the earth is suffering from the over-use of fossil fuels, so too is the earth itself suffering from so much material being extracted from beneath its surface. This may be contributing to the current increase in seismic activity around the world.

Primitive peoples used to worship Mother Nature, who they knew was the key to their survival. Perhaps we have been blinded by our own technological progress. We must realize that not only is the planet we live on becoming increasingly uninhabitable due to increasing desertification and environmental degradation, but the earth itself is fighting back in the form of more earthquakes and volcanoes.

Ross Grainger,via E-mail

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send your e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.

(China Daily 04/22/2010 page9)