From the Readers

Nature does not bail out

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-06 08:02

As the economy starts reviving in the West, let's hope that days of consuming countries borrowing more and more and manufacturing countries producing more and more do not return. It is not to say that we should not have global trade and economic growth, but our growth needs to be more balanced - economically and ecologically. We should not allow the goods to be produced and consumed in ways that harm the environment. We should not build wealth on toxic wastes that will hurt the foundation of our ecosystems. We should not again get entangled in privatization of gains and socialization of losses.

We cannot charge our children and make them pay for our mistakes of misusing the nature: the long term impact of all this carbon building in the atmosphere which will remain there and affect the climate for several thousand years. This is the only home we have, and here, Mother Nature does not bail out its children. Therefore we better find proper ways to grow.

I hope the Shanghai Expo's theme, Better City, Better Life, reflects our future way of living and will have a great impact on proper use of the environment.

R.N.K. Krishnan, via e-mail

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(China Daily 05/06/2010 page9)