Animal and plant species are disappearing at frightening rates. The problem has led to efforts to “rewild” places where such life existed before human development, pollution and climate change forced it out. The American city of Detroit is an example of how human actions can increase rewilding, which generally means helping natural systems in damaged locations, removing dams or building tunnels to reconnect animal pathways cut by roads.

Detroit’s population reached a high of 1. 8 million in the 1950s. Then the population began dropping. By 2000, there were fewer than one million people living in the city. Thousands of houses and other buildings were left empty over the years. Some structures were destroyed, leaving empty areas that plants and animals regained as habitats. Nonprofit groups have also planted trees and community gardens in these areas. Bald eagles found their way back as bans on DDT and some other insect poisons were put in place nationwide. Anti-pollution laws and government-supported cleanups made nearby rivers better for fish and native plants.

Now, Detroit is home to 300 bird species and is a busy visiting place for ducks and others during migration. Additionally, this city offers a special way to study plants and animals in urban settings. Unlike most big cities, its population is decreasing but its streets and buildings remain in place. And there are many kinds of habitats, including large lakes, rivers and human neighborhoods. Detroit’s parklands are so quiet that people don’t even know they’re in the city.

“It used to be that you had to go to some remote location to get exposure to nature,” said John Hartig, a professor of University of Windsor. “Now that’s not the case. Like it or not, rewilding will occur. The question is how we can prepare communities and environments to anticipate the presence of more and more wildlife. After all, many city people have lost their tolerance to live with wildlife. To really make a difference in dealing with the biodiversity crisis, you’re going to have to have people on board. ”

A recent survey carried out by the United Kingdom’s Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) found about half of clothes sold online by major fast fashion sellers are made completely from virgin polyester (纯聚酯纤维). The group studied over 10,000 clothes posted online during a two-week period in May by ASOS, Boohoo, Missguided, and PrettyLittleThing, and it made some worrying findings.

As many as 88% of the clothes on the above-mentioned websites cover virgin polyester mixed with other materials (材料). Very few have reused materials. In many cases, clothes covering both reused and virgin polyester had the word “reused” added to the product’s title, which is misleading.

The RSA study points out the production of virgin polyester causes big environmental damage. According to an MIT study, we can know that “a polyester shirt produces 5.5kg of CO2, 20% more than cotton (棉), and the same as CO2 produced by driving 13 miles in a passenger car. In 2015, polyester production was responsible for 700 million tonnes of CO2”. Clothes made cheaply from virgin polyester are not much different from the single-use plastic (塑料) packaging that is causing much environmental damage to the world.

Shoppers would do well to start viewing virgin polyester as similar to single-use plastic packaging. In order to encourage this, RSA hopes that shoppers will buy more natural fabrics, which are likely to age better, last longer, and not cause as much pollution once thrown away. The most useful strategy, of course, is to buy less. To be clear, RSA is not against all new polyester in clothing — it just needs to be used more responsibly.

Earth Day falls on 22 April and it began in 1970. It has grown into a global event recognized by over 192 countries. Devoting a special day to helping Earth is a way to demonstrate how much we care about the future of our planet. If you like, there's always a way for you to get involved in Earth Day celebrations. But you don’t have to wait for Earth Day to show your love for the planet we call home.The following are what you can do for our mother Earth.

Learn more about the environment.

Earth Day is a good time to make a commitment to learning more about the environment and how you can help to protect it. Read articles to get up to date on the current issues affecting the environment,like pollution, water shortage and climate change. Or, learn about a region you’ve never thought about before, like the Arctic, the deserts or the rainforests. Not sure where to start? Check out your local news sources for information about environmental issues in your own backyard.

Join an environmental group.

Think about the issues that concern you the most and if you haven't done so already, join a local group that undertakes activities to help protect the environment in your area. Earth Day is a great day to start getting involved In almost any community, you'll find local groups that do the following.

Host clean-ups of local rivers, lakes or seashores.

Plant trees and grow flowers or vegetables in community gardens.

Protect wildlife habitats under threat.

Spread the word

Everyone who has environmental knowledge can share with others. It's a good way to talk about the environment with people who may not think about it that much. Talk to your parents, friends,teachers, siblings, and anyone else you'd like to know about the issues you care about most.