Most people suffer from “just-me-ism”. What is that? Well, say you leave the tap running while brushing your teeth, or you drop a piece of litter and can ’t be bothered to pick it up. You know all those things are wrong, but so what? “What difference can it possibly make?” you say to yourself. “There are millions of people in the world and I’m just me.” But just think of all the millions of people saying to themselves, “It doesn’t matter, it’s just me.” Millions of gallons of water would be wasted; millions of pieces of litter would be dropped. And all of this would be very harmful.

To inspire young people to take action for the environment, animals and their community, Roots & Shoots was established in the early 1990s by Dr. Jane Goodall, a world’s well-known environmental scientist. Besides her research, she has been whole-heartedly committed to environmental protection.

The organisation is called Roots & Shoots because roots move slowly under the ground to make a firm foundation, and shoots seem small and weak, but they can break open brick walls to reach the light. The roots and shoots are you, your friends and young people all around the world. Hundreds and thousands of roots and shoots can solve the problems, change the world and make it a better place to live in.

Do you think you help to make the world a better place when you make a sad person smile, when you make a dog wag its tail, and when you water a thirsty plant? One cheered-up person, one happy dog, one flowering plant, and you. That’s what Roots & Shoots is all about. Dr.Jane Goodall believes that the most important thing is that every individual matters. You get to choose: Do you want to make the world a better place? Do you want to make Roots & Shoots rooted in everyone’s heart? Do you want to be part of a community for a shared future? You cannot be absent.

Pollution’s serious effects on the environment have become more obvious in recent years.Most scientists agree that efforts are necessary to protect our environment from further harm.

As we know,the construction industry consumes a large quantity of energy and resources and creates a huge amount of pollution.So green buildings are in great need.

The environmental benefits of building green include the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity（生物多样性）,improved air and water quality,less waste flowing into streams and the protection of natural resources.Green buildings can also result in lower operating costs because they typically use less energy and fewer materials and improve indoor air quality,improving the health of people who live there.

The process of building green includes technical and artistic planning with nature protection in mind.Building designs often reflect the surrounding environment and natural resources and use renewable building materials such as bamboo and straw.In addition,recycled resources found locally are used for green buildings,reducing the cost and air pollution associated with transporting materials long distances.

Careful site selection is important to minimize（最小化）human effect on the surrounding environment.For example,placing a structure in an area that allows it to take advantage of cool breezes（微风）and sunlight can reduce energy use and expenses.More energy and expense are needed for larger buildings as well,so it is important to build small.

Green roofs are another feature of green houses that reduce energy use and cost.These roofs are partially or completely covered with plants,which helps to keep heating and cooling costs low,prevent water running off and deal with pollutants.

Other features of green buildings often include energy and water protection,recycling and waste reduction.In addition,renewable energy sources such as solar power,waterpower and wind power are used for heat and electricity, which greatly reduces costs and decreases the influence on the environment.

Zoos divide opinion: there are those who think it is cruel to keep animals locked up while others believe zoos are essential for the survival of endangered species （濒危物种）.

To argue that zoos imprison（囚禁） animals is to misunderstand what zoos are about. Without zoos many of the creatures we love and admire would no longer survive. Every single day, over one hundred animal species disappear. Scientists predict that as early as 2050 one quarter of the Earth’s species will become extinct.

Some animals are in danger because they are hunted. The population of tigers has already fallen by ninety-five percent. Other species are in danger because of a lack of food. For example, there are fewer than 1300 giant pandas left in the wild.

Zoos have special breeding programmes（育种计划）to help those animals at risk. These breeding programmes are proving extremely successful. As Irene Shapiro from Zoo and Wildlife Support says, “the Puerto Rican Parrot has grown in numbers from just thirteen to about eighty-five and the Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey, which has almost stopped to exist（存在）twenty years ago, has been reintroduced back into the wild.”

Unfortunately, not everyone understands this important role zoos play. For example, Brian Featherstone from the Anti-Zoo Forum says, “I can’t believe we take animals from the wild and put them in cages for the entertainment of the public! We should view them on film or TV in their natural environment.”

However, this misses the point. A zoo does more than display animals to the public. It ensures their survival. Without zoos you would not be able to see many of these animals on TV or anywhere else!