The World’s Most Beautiful Places

Dense, lush and otherworldly, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the last habitats of the mountain gorilla. Several hundred call this UNESCO-protected national park home, with the chance for visitors to trek to and meet habituated groups. Its biodiversity extends far beyond its most famous inhabitants, however, almost 350 bird species and around 220 butterfly species can be found within its 331-square-kilometer expanse.

Thanks to its relative inaccessibility in the heart of Kenya, Samburu is a shelter for some of Africa’s most attractive wildlife. The grassland and acacia(金合欢树)-dotted landscapes of its national reserve are home to the endangered reticulated (网状的) giraffe and Grevy’s zebra, as well as the pioneering Elephant Watch Camp.

At 4,167 meters(13,671 feet),Mount Toubkal lays claim to the title of “the roof of North Africa.”The path to its summit zigzags across empty valleys, past holy lands and up steep snowfields before emerging onto a ridge that falls away to give climbers matchless views across the Atlas Mountains.

China’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province is known for its towering sandstone pillars.

Best explored on foot, its back trails make for an easy way to escape the crowds and find the best views. As the mists descend, it’s easy to see why this area has long been an inspiration for traditional Chinese paintings.

Universities are doing everything they can to become a green campus. But there are also items students can do to make your campus more eco-friendly.

Recycle everything, especially paper!

There is a large amount of paper a college student goes through every term. 【小题1】 We know that these things can’t be avoided, but the way you handle the use of all the paper can really help create a better green campus.

Buy green.

【小题2】 Paper, cleaning products and water are products that can be bought as recycled goods. They’re slightly more expensive than the normal products, but they’re worth buying to make a green campus.

Walk and bike to school.

Most campuses, especially those that are trying to become a more eco-friendly campus,have pretty good public transit (公共交通系统). 【小题3】 Walking or biking will help make your campus a green university.

【小题4】

A water bottle can be refilled at any water fountain and can easily be drunk in class or while riding a bike. This will protect the environment by decreasing the amount of plastic waste on your campus.

Buy used clothing.

It is usually thought of as something to do to save money. 【小题5】 Recycling clothes minimizes the amount of resources to make clothing and puts a dent in the problem of worldwide sweatshops.

A report issued on the eve of the first major U.N. conference on water in more than 45 years says 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lacks access to basic sanitation (卫生). The U. N. World Water Development Report 2023, released Tuesday, painted an unpleasant picture of the huge gap that needs to be filled to meet U.N. goals to ensure all the 8 billion people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

According to the report, water use has been increasing globally by roughly 1% per year over the last 40 years and is expected to grow at a similar rate through to 2050, mainly driven by population growth in urban areas.

With agriculture using 70% of all water globally, Richard Connor, editor in chief of the report, said, irrigation (灌溉) for crops has to be more efficient. As a direct result of climate change, an increase in intensity or frequency of droughts and “heat extremes” can be expected in most regions. On average, “10% of the global population lives in countries with high or critical water stress” — and up to 3.5 billion people live under conditions of water stress at least one month a year, said the report.

As for water pollution, Connor said, the biggest source of pollution is untreated wastewater. “Globally, 80% of wastewater is released to the environment without any treatment,” he said, “and in many developing countries it’s pretty much 99%.”

These issues will be discussed during the three-day U. N. Water Conference opening Wednesday. There are 171 countries, including over 100 ministers, on the speakers list along with more than 20 organizations. The meeting will also include five “interactive dialogues” and dozens of side events.