The Living Planet Index (LPI) report shows that wildlife numbers have dropped sharply since 1970. It says that, on average, wildlife populations dropped by 69% in the 48 years from 1970 to 2018. That’s a huge drop. Marco Lambertini, who leads the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), said, “The message is clear and the lights are flashing red.”

The LPI is reporting the average change in the size of animal populations over time. Some kinds of animals are in worse trouble than others. Populations of vertebrates (脊椎动物) that live in fresh water (not oceans) have dropped by 83%. The numbers of sharks and rays in the oceans have gone down by 71%. Central and South America and the Caribbean had the greatest population losses — a drop by 94%. Next came Africa, with a 66% drop, followed by Asia and the Pacific with a 55% drop. Europe and North America showed smaller losses. These areas probably had greater losses before 1970.

The biggest problem is the loss of wild areas to growing cities, and activities like farming and deforestation. Hunting, poaching (偷猎), overfishing, and pollution are also big challenges. Climate change is a growing problem, and may soon be the biggest one.

But there are some hopeful signs. About half of the populations are jarless or growing. In some cases, human efforts to protect animals are working. For example, nests of loggerhead turtles in Chrysochou Bay, Cyprus rose by 500% from 1999 to 2015 because of efforts to protect them.

An international meeting on biodiversity this December is seen as extremely important. The meeting, called COP15, is being run by the United Nations in Montreal, Canada. The meeting’s goal is to get countries to agree to new guidelines to help stop the loss of animals, plants and wild lands by 2030. “Our future depends on reversing (逆转) the loss of nature just as much as it depends on addressing climate change,” says Carter Roberts, who leads WWF in the US. “And you can’t solve one without solving the other.”

Deep Sea: To Mine Or Not To Mine

A robot as large as a truck moves along the bottom of the deep sea. It eats metallic (含金属的) rock and soft mud. They travel up a long pipe to a ship, where workers and machinery separate out the rock and throw the mud back into the ocean. This is a mining operation. The rock contains a mixture of metals, including ones called rare earth metals. People use these materials to make batteries and electronics like computers and phones.

Deep-sea mining hasn’t happened yet. But it probably will occur within the next decade. No country owns any part of the deep sea, so a UN organization called the International Seabed Authority (ISA) decides who is allowed to mine there. It has allowed 29 organizations to explore the deep sea and make plans for mining, one of which plans to begin mining in the year 2027.

Scientists and environmentalists, though, warn that mining could destroy deep-sea ecosystem. In 1989, ecologist Hjalmar Thiel carried out a test. His team searched the seafloor of the Pacific Ocean, in a spot with lots of the metallic rocks that miners wanted. They didn’t actually collect any of the rocks. But they disturbed the mud, just as a mining operation would. The cloud of mud fell back down over the ocean floor burying creatures living there. Up to now, the area they disturbed has not recovered. Signs of the search are still there. Deep sea creatures like sponges and corals have not moved back in. That means mining could have harmful, long-lasting consequences for deep ocean life. Scientists want to understand the deep sea better before disturbing it.

Leaving the deep sea alone sounds great, but people need those metals. “Mines on land are soon going to run out,” geologist Steven Scolt of the University of Toronto told Smithsonian Magazine. “Every electronic device in the world has rare earth metals in it... we need raw resources.” New energy technologies including solar and wind power and electric cars rely on these metals as well. We may need to mine them from the sea in order to switch to greener energy sources.

Recycling is good for our planet, but it can be confusing. Can I recycle plastic bags? What about pizza cartons? Toothpaste tubes? Which bin should I use? There are so many questions, and more than half of Americans are unsure about how to recycle. 【小题1】 Here’s a handy four-step guide on how to recycle effectively:

Know what to put in the recycling bin. Keep it simple and focus on the most commonly recycled items, such as paper, glass, aluminum and plastic. 【小题2】 Don’t use the recycled symbol as a guide. “The number on the container is really for people to identify the type of resin (树脂). That’s not helpful for the common consumer,” said Cody Marshall, a strategist at nonprofit Recycling Partnership.

【小题3】 It is really important to know what you cannot put in your bin. You can always check with your city or at BeRecycled.org. If you live in the US, just plug in your postcode to search. Recycling companies struggle with the same problem items: hoses (软管), cords, needles and clothing, according to Marshall, so don’t put those items in your bin.

Wash or clean items. Do a quick clean to make sure there is no food left in containers before you put them in the bin. 【小题4】 Save food for composting (堆肥) in your garden.

Don’t bag it. Unless you live in a place that requires it, like New York City, keep the recyclables lost in the bin. “A lot of the time, it’s not safe for our employees to tear those bags open, or it takes too much time,” said Keller. “【小题5】”