Our factories and homes burn coal and oil. Every year we have forest fires somewhere. Many scientists believe that the weather is changing.

      The earth will perhaps be warmed by about 7℃ at the South Pole(极) and the North Pole. The ice will be melt(融化). The sea level(平面) will rise by about 7 meters. As a result, water will cover cities like London, Tokyo and New York. Some ports(港口) and towns along the coasts will disappear under water.

      Some other scientists think that the dust, smoke and pollution from coal, wood and oil fires will block out(封闭) the ultraviolet rays(紫外线). Then the earth will become colder and great sheets of ice will cover Europe and North America.

      When chemicals in the air mix with rain, we have acid(酸) rain. Acid rain can bring us great harm. It destroys(破坏) forests and kills life in lakes and rivers.

      People are beginning to see how serious the problem is. They find it important to work with nature instead of against it. They are trying to save the earth in many different ways. But one of the most important things to do is to make people understand that saving the earth is saving ourselves.

    More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment(环境). Maybe that's why there are 1. 4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost!

    Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit(受益) from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way.

    Folding(可折叠的) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.

    Health Benefits of Bicycling:

    It helps to prevent heart diseases.

    Bicycling helps to control(控制) your weight.

    A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.

    Bicycling can improve your mood(心情).

    Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.

    Bicycling is healthier than driving.

C

    Rivers are one of our most important natural resources(资源). Many of the world's great cities are located on rivers, and almost every country has at least one river through it that plays an important part in the lives of its people.

    Since the beginning of history, people have used rivers for transportation. The longest one in the United States is the Mississippi. The lifeline of Egypt is the Nile. To the people of India, the Ganges is great, but it is also important for transportation. Ships can travel along it for a thousand miles. Other great rivers are the Congo in Africa and the Mekong in southeastern Asia. The greatest of all for navigation(航海), however, is the Amazon in Brazil. It is so wide and so deep that large ships can go about two thousand miles up it.

    Besides transportation, rivers give food, water to drink, water for crops, and chances for fun and recreation for the people who live along their banks. In order to increase the supply of water for crops, engineers sometimes build a dam(坝) across a river and let a lake form behind the dam. Then people can use the water not only to irrigate(灌溉) their fields but also to make electricity for their homes and industries.

    However, large cities and industries that are located on rivers often cause problems. As the cities grow in size and industries increase, the water in the rivers becomes polluted with chemicals and other materials. People are learning the importance, however, of doing more to keep their rivers clean if they want to enjoy the benefits of them.

How honey is made

    Posted on 25 March by Selina

    I used to shower with soap every day, but my skin(皮肤)always felt dry and itchy(发痒的). Then two months ago, I heard of the no-soap movement. Since then, I've given up using soap in the shower. I still shower every day. I just don't use soap because it's filled with chemicals.

    So, what's so bad about using soap? Well, the chemicals in soaps can be harmful to our health. So, if we use soap, our skin will take in the chemicals, which will then end up in our bodies. According to the scientists, some of the chemicals used in a soap are quite dangerous. During my research, I also learnt that soap removes moisture(水分)from the body. This is actually why my skin was so dry and itchy.

    Getting used to washing my body without soap was a huge change. For the first week, I felt a bit dirty and I didn't smell great, either. However, during the second week, my skin felt clean without strange smell. Best of all, my skin problems disappeared, and now I have softer and healthier skin.

    On the whole, going soap-free has not only saved me time and money, but has also improved my skin. What's more, this experience has made me take a look at some of the other products I use in the shower, such as shampoo. More about that in my next blog!