Climbing Mount Qomolangma, the World's highest mountain, has now become more difficult. The government of Nepal asks climbers to come down the mountain with at least 18 pounds of garbage. That's the average amount of garbage a climber leaves behind on Mount Qomolangma.

    Climbers would leave garbage along the way. This helps climbers keep their bags light, so they would have energy to reach the summit.  The garbage problem in Mount Qomolangma is not new. In 2013, climbers carried down a total of four tons of garbage.

    The new rule came into effect in April of 2014. To make sure it is followed, climbers will have to hand in some money to the officials before they climb the mountain. When they climb back down the mountain, the officials will check them to make sure they bring down the 18 pounds of garbage. If they do, their money will be given back to them.  If not, climbers won't get their money back. Also, the officials won't let these people climb the mountain again.

    Technology is everywhere. We see it any place we go and, in fact, almost all of us carry some piece of technology with us every time we leave the house. What I always forget, though, is just how useful and powerful technology can be when we want to help others.

    There is not a single room in my house that does not have some electronic devices （设备）lying around in it. Whenever I am at home, I am almost always using at least one electronic device. If you walked into my living room on any given day, you would find that, first, I have the television on. At the same time, I usually have my laptop resting on my knee, or I will be using my mobile phone. Even when I'm not at home I am always using my phone, and at work or in cafés, I sit down and connect to the local wireless network on my laptop.

    I must say that I waste a lot of time on the computer and the time I spend on it could be much better spent if I were to take up a little online volunteering.

    The technology we carry about everywhere can have a great power to do good for the world and to help others and recently I discovered just how much online volunteering there is to do in the world. From using your language skills to do translations, to developing and managing projects and helping with IT work, there is so much that so many people can do to help people in their own countries and across the world. The United Nations, in fact, has a huge page with "Volunteers Recruited" on its website.

    This work can support the poor and help charities who cannot pay for staff members. Many organizations only require you to work an hour a week﹣some even less. And the support provided by online volunteers can really help make a difference to those in need.

    There are millions of stars and planets in space. What's the difference between stars and planets? Stars can give out heat and light, but planets cannot.

    The sun is one of the stars. Some planets are balls of rock and some are balls of gas. We live on the planet earth. The earth spins around once every day to give us day and night. The earth goes around the sun once every year to give us different seasons.

    There are eight planets moving around the sun. We call the family of the sun and its planets the solar system. Mercury is the nearest to the sun, so it is very hot. It is the smallest planet. Venus is very bright and hot. It is the nearest to the earth. Mars is covered with orange-red desi and rocks, so it looks like a red star in the sky. It has seasons like the earth. Jupiter has more than 16 moons （卫星）and it is the biggest and heaviest planet. Saturn has more than 22 moons. The other planets, such as Uranus and Neptune, are all very far from the sun and very cold. We need a telescope（望远镜）to see them.

    Populations of white-tailed deer (白尾鹿) are growing rapidly in many parts of the United States. As populations grow, food becomes a problem. Many deer die of hunger. Others grow up small and unhealthy. In search of food, hungry deer move closer to where humans live. They eat farm crops, vegetables and even trees. Besides, increased numbers of deer near roads can cause traffic accidents.

    People admire the grace and fast speed of deer. Most people don't want these animals to be hungry and ill. Should people take action to control the growing deer populations?

Should People Take Direct Action?

    Many people think that hunting (打猎) is the best way to control the animal populations. Wildlife managers will see if there's enough food in an area and decide its carrying capacity (容量). Then hunters with licenses are sent to help control the number of deer. Hunting is usually not allowed in cities or suburbs, however.

    Some people have the idea to catch the deer and move them to other places. But this method is expensive and requires finding another place that can accept the deer without breaking the balance of ecosystem.

    Scientists are also working to develop chemicals to control the birth rate in deer populations. But this plan works for only one year at a time.

Should People Take Indirect Action?

    Some suggest bringing in natural enemies of deer, such as wolves, lions and bears, to areas with too many deer. But these animals could also hurt dogs, cats, and even humans. Other communities have built tall fences (篱笆) around areas to keep out the deer. However, this is impossible for farmers.

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    Some people are against any kind of action. They support leaving the deer alone. Animal populations in an area naturally go up and down over time. Doing nothing means that some deer will die of hunger or illness. But finally, the population will reach a size within the carrying capacity of the environment. So, let nature go its own way.