佛周记：going green

June 21 2014

  These days, "going green" is becoming very popular. We hear about green energy, green cars and even green cities! But what does it mean to be green?
  Well, green is not only the name of a color. Nowadays, it is used to describe things that are environmentally friendly (or "eco-friendly"). This means things that do not damage our natural environment.
A good example is green energy, such as solar power (the power of the sun) and wind power (the power of the wind). These forms of energy do not create pollution like burning coal or gas does. Also, they are renewable , meaning that we can use them again and again. Of course, using less electricity is a good idea; you could reduce the amount of energy you use by installing energy-saving light bulbs in your house.
  Another example of green technology is green cars. These cars can use electricity instead of gas, which means that they have low emissions of bad gases like carbon dioxide (CO2). Some cars are half electric and half petrol powered; they are called "hybrid cars". Hybrid cars are not totally green, but they do reduce the carbon footprint of the driver, meaning that he or she is producing less carbon, and therefore damaging the environment a little less.
  If you want to be green, a good place to start is at home with your own garbage. Waste management is important and recycling is something that we can all do. Before throwing away your trash , you should check to see if there is anything you can recycle, such as plastic or paper. This is especially important with plastics because they are not bio-degradable , which means they won't break down naturally over time. Your plastic bottles may still be littering the planet thousands of years into the future!