Earth Day

On April 22nd, the world celebrated Earth Day, a whole day dedicated to appreciating the planet we live on. On this day, many of our classes didn't turn on the AC and even in French class, Kader didn't allow me to even charge my computer. We were very green-- just for that day though.
But being green is perhaps the only thing that is keep our future generations alive and happy. In a few more decades, many densely populated areas will be covered in water due to global warming. Our planet is dying as we speak. So how can we be more green? In school? Outside of school?

- Turning off the AC: In a classroom, the AC uses the most energy and electricity. We live in Hsinchu, the windy city, open a window or two if you feel uncomfortable in the heat.
- Don't charge your computer if you don't need it: If you're not using your computer, put it to sleep or shut the whole thing down
- Don't turn on all the lights: Our classroom's use fluorescent lights which saves more energy than normal lightbulbs, but this doesn't mean they still don't take up energy. It's summer! Open the blinds and let the natural light in!
- Carpool/Walk/Ride a Bike to school: Many of our teachers ride their bikes to school and a couple of students carpool. You don't need a personal car to get you to and from school. Why be a loner when you can call up a nearby friend to drive you?
- Don't use too many electrical devices: This may be pretty hard as most of us at least use our cellphones, mp3s, computers, etc.,
- Stop Cows & Sheep Farts: This is almost close to impossible but here are the facts: Cow and sheep farts produce more greenhouse gases then our car exhaust. This does not mean that we should nuke Wales and New Zealand...

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

China Recycling Wastes

This is a picture of all the radiators and generators that can give off dangerous gases. [Picture 3]

Above is an example of a three-wheeled bike. [Picture 2]

[Picture 1]


When the US or Europe wants to send China more recyclables, they usually send it by cargo ships. It is rare that they use a plane because that is more expensive.
You can see all the time in Beijing, three-wheeled bicycles carrying junk and trash [Picture 2]. Well, these people who ride them collect trash and items that can be recycled they can make a living out of it. When they collect plastic bottles, they can get a refund of 0.1 yuan (US $0.10) which isn't much. But once they've collected dozens and dozens, they've got money! Stuff like toys, ACs, TVs and computers, the riders of the three-wheeled bicycles can take them apart and sell the parts. Great, we've got all the good stuff about recycling in China. How 'bout the negative side of it?
What if there are wires and small particles of those toys, ACs, TVs and computers can't be used again or they can't find anything to do with them? Well, if they are those people who ride on those three-wheeled bikes, they just dump it at the local dump site [Picture 1]. This is a picture of a woman trying to dig out useful wires that she can use for something else. Maybe she found some parts that she can use for something. Or maybe she works there. The government takes people for jobs and put them at the dump sites to burn the items that can't be used again and can't be recycled. This creates air pollution with all the smoke. Some of the generators from the electronical items give out weird and dangerous gases [Picture 3].

China - Recycling - USA - Europe

China has been getting exports from the USA and Europe. Why? And which countries?
Why? - "As China threatens to supplant Japan as the third-largest U.S. export market, local companies are finding that China's appetite for everything from old paper to chemicals to semiconductors"[CNN]
Los Angeles has been one of those countries that send paper to China.
In Florida, there is a China-Latin America Trade Center for Recyclables.
Mostly places where there are many industries in America, they sometimes send their waste products to China.

Sometimes though, China asks the companies to send their waste products to China. It seems that China is really serious about the green movement.

In Europe, countries like England and France are sending their waste products to China and China has been converting them into recycled paper. China has been saving many forest with their new improved technique, especially in India and Russia where many people get their paper.