Development and the Environment(环境与发展)

                       Development and the Environment
      It is undeniable that the worsening environment has become the biggest concern of the present-day world. Land resources are dwindling because of water loss and soil erosion. Waste gases poison the air we breathe. The rivers and lakes are polluted by waste dumped in them from factories. It is probably no exaggeration to say that deterioration of the quality of the environment threatens the existence of mankind itself.
      Some people are of the opinion that the environmental problem is the price we have to pay for economic development. But I do not think that this argument is valid. After all, what is the point of economic growth if people's lives are adversely alfected by worsening environmental pollution?
      There is plenty of evidence to show that sustainable development can be achieved by balancing economic growth with protection of the environment. The key to achieving this is to make people aware of the seriousness of the problem. Both governments and ordinary citizens should join hands to make this world a better place to live in, not only for ourselves, but also for future generations.

    环境与发展
    不可否认的是环境恶化已成为当今世界上人们最担心的事了。因为水资源的浪费和土壤被侵蚀，土地资源逐渐缩小。我们呼吸着有毒的空气，河流和湖泊也被附近的工厂里排放出来的废弃物严重污染了。不夸大其词地说，环境质量的恶化很可能威胁人类的生存。
    有些人说环境问题是我们为经济发展所付出的代价。对此，我不敢苟同。如果人类的生活被日益恶化的环境污染所影响的话，那么，经济发展的意义何在?
    足够的证据表明：经济发展与环境保护的平衡可以实现可持续发展。关键是使人们意识到问题的严重性。政府和普通市民两方都应该携手使地球成为更适合人类居住的地方，这不仅是为我们自己，也是为我们的后代。