In most parts of the world, many students help their schools make less pollution. They join an “environment club”. In an environment club, people work together to make our environment clean. Here are some things students often do.

No–garbage(垃圾)lunches. How much do you throw away after lunch? Environment clubs ask students to bring their lunches in bags that can be used again. Every week they will choose the classes that make the least garbage and report them to the whole school.

No–car day. On a no-car day, nobody comes to school in a car---not the students and not the teachers. Cars give pollution to our air, so remember: walk, jump, run, or bike! Use your legs! It’s lots of fun!

Turn off the water! Did you know that toilets(厕所) can waste twenty to forty tons(吨)of water an hour? In a year, that would fill a small river! In the environment clubs, students fix(修理)those broken toilets.

We love our environment. Let’s work together to make it clean.

The World Water Day has been celebrated annually on 22 March since1992. Each year has a different theme, looking at things like the role of clean water in the world of work, ways to stop wasting water, finding ways to supply water to underprivileged groups and so on.

【小题1】But it is also vital for sanitation(卫生). It is estimated that more than 700 children under the age of seven die every day from illnesses linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation. The right to water and sanitation was recognized as a human right. 【小题2】 These include rural communities, people who have been displaced due to war and local conflicts and areas where climate change is making water more and more scarcer.

Apart from the obvious health issues, a lack of accessible clean water means that people – often women and children – spend hours every day walking to and from distant water supplies. This means they don’t have time to dedicate to work, studies and other domestic duties. 【小题3】And people who are not able to walk to get their own water are particularly vulnerable.

There are many charities working on creating sustainable supplies of clean water for different communities around the world. 【小题4】But the fundamental problem of increasing demand for a limited resource can only be addressed by more efficient use of water, especially in industry and agriculture. Waste-water recycling, capturing rainwater, more efficient irrigation techniques and reforestation are all examples of how water can be used more efficiently.

【小题5】We should support charities, raise awareness, take part in the World Water Day events that are happening all around the world and, of course, be careful with how we use water in our own lives. Visit the UN World Water Day website to find out about an event near us. Follow world water day on social media and help spread the word about this incredibly important issue.

In Plastic China, a documentary shot by Wang Jiuliang, Chen Feng (not his real name) makes his living by recycling plastic waste imported from developed countries. His family lives among the garbage and his young son often finds “toys” around him. Used plastic injectors (注射器) are his favorite.

China was once the world’s biggest recipient of overseas trash. Many people like Chen Feng work at centers recycling imported waste, also called foreign garbage.

From January 1, 2021, China made a sweeping ban on all imports of solid waste. The waste products from overseas on Chinese territory are also banned.

China began importing solid waste in 1980 when the country didn’t have enough raw materials (原材料). The recycling of imported waste helped to fill that gap. Recycling foreign trash, such as plastics, paper and metals, has supported the development of China’s manufacturing (制造业的) sector and furthered its economy. After being processed, garbage can be turned into materials that can be used to make products, such as chairs and bags.

However, waste that can’t be used is either burned or buried, while processing recyclables also leads to water, air and land pollution, as well as sickness. In Guiyu, Guangdong Province, once China’s largest disposal center for electronic trash, over 90 per cent of kids showed high levels of lead in their blood, according to a report that tracked the health of local children in the years from 2006 to 2013.

In addition, about 10 billion tons of solid waste are produced annually in China, which also has to be handled appropriately. According to China Daily, the ban taking effect in 2021 is the culmination (高潮) of policies introduced since 2017 to phase out the import of solid waste. Since 2017, the volume of imported waste has fallen by 68 per cent, from 42 million to 13 million tons in 2019.

“Realizing the goal of zero imports of solid waste is in sight,” said Qiu Qiwen, from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.