There is an old saying about volunteer work that goes like this: “ No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

    Today, many people volunteer their time and energy to help others. There are a lot of ways to meet other people's needs. For example, some volunteers provide help after a disaster. Others are happy to get dirty while repairing homes or planting trees or flowers in poor neighborhoods. Young people see suffering and loneliness around them and find ways to help. And history lovers help archeologists(考古学家) search for ancient objects to help deepen our knowledge of the past.

    Volunteers work in many areas around the world, including Haiti. More than four years have passed since a 7.0 earthquake shook the nation. The exact number of people who died may never be known. Thousands of survivors of the Haitian earthquakes still live in temporary shelters. Last year, former American President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn joined five hundred volunteers in the town of Leogane to build houses.

    Organizations do not have to be large to get volunteers. An activist group in Dharamsala, India is a good example, Jodie Underhill from England arrived in northern India several years ago. She planned to volunteer for an environmental project. She could almost not believe how much rubbish was ruining some of the area's most beautiful sights. Jodie Underhill learned about how to deal with the rubbish while taking part in other volunteer projects. But soon enough she formed her own group, Mountain Cleaners. Jodie Underhill says the work is very hard. But she praises the group's efforts as a wonderful experience. The young Englishwoman says the Indian media started calling her “Garbage Girl”. And she says she was pleased with the name.

    American teenagers also volunteer in many ways .

    Are you carrying too much on your back at school? You're not alone. Back experts (专家) in the USA are worried about that young students are having back and neck problems because they are carrying too much in their backpacks .

    “It hurts my back when I run,” said Ebelin Reyes, a student in Virginia. “It's hard to get up the stairs with my backpack because it's too heavy.” Students have to carry heavy backpacks on their backs for a whole week's study. Ebelin is one of them. They have regular (固定的) backpacks with two straps (带子) to carry them, but a number of students with heavy loads (负担) have switched to rolling backpacks. The backpacks have wheels and can roll on the ground. Shirley Park's backpack weighs 10 kilos, and she said, “I'll change to a rolling backpack because I am starting to have back pain.”

    How much is too much? Experts say that students should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their own body weight. A few students have had a good idea to lighten (减轻) the load: less homework.

Doctor's suggestions:

⑴Lighten the load. Take home only the books the students need that day.

⑵Wide straps are better. They can send out weight over your shoulders (肩) and be sure to wear backpacks with two straps.

⑶The heaviest things should be packed closest to the back.

⑷Bend (弯曲) both knees when you pick up the pack, don't just bend over the waist (腰).

    Here are some great people and their achievements.

    Mary Anderson ­ windscreen wiper.

    Back on a freezing winter's day in 1902, Mary Anderson was travelling by train through New York City. Snow was falling, forcing the driver to stop repeatedly and get out to clear it. Each time the door opened, Mary suffered a gust of sub-zero air. She had an idea: why not make some kind of a rubber blade that could be operated from inside the vehicle? And that's exactly what she did.

    Josephine Cochrane ­ dishwasher

    The dishwasher dates back even earlier to the 19th century, and to the dinner parties thrown by a lady called Josephine Cochrane. As a frequent host, she wanted a machine that could wash dishes faster than people. Her response was to develop what was to become the first commercially successful dishwasher. Interestingly, innovation was in her blood: her grandfather had invented the steamboat.

    Stephanie Kwolek ­ Kevlar

    Kevlar is the lightweight fibre used in bulletproof vests. The material is used by millions every day and has saved countless lives. The super tough fabric is also used in objects ranging from gloves to airplanes. Incredibly, its strength-to-weight ratio(比强度) is five times higher than steel. Again, it was invented by a woman, the American chemist Stephanie Kwolek, in 1964.

    Grace Hopper ­ first compiler(编译程序)

    One of the most important inventions of the 20th century must surely be the computer programme. The world of programming is unbalanced in terms of gender. Men vastly outnumber women, and take home around 30% more pay than their female counterparts on average. But back in the 1940s and 1950s, women were at the forefront of this new field. Grace Hopper is credited with inventing the first compiler in 1952, which serves as the bridge between code and the binary(二进制的) ones and zeros understood by computers.

    Darrell Blatchley, a marine biologist and environmentalist based in the Philippine city of Davao, received a call from the Philippines, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (渔业与水产资源局) early Friday morning reporting a death of a young whale.

    When the necropsy (尸检) was performed, Blatchley told NPR, he was not prepared for the amount of plastic they found in the whale's stomach. "It was full of plastic nothing but nonstop plastic." he said "It was filled to the point that its stomach was as hard as a baseball." That means that this animal has been suffering not for days or weeks but for months or even a year or more," Blatchley added.

    Blatchley is the founder and owner of the D'Bone Collector Museum, a natural history museum in Davao. In the coming days, the museum will display all the items found in the whale's system. Blatchley and his team work with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other organizations to assist in rescue and recovery of marine animals.

    "Within the last 10 years, we have recovered 61 whales and dolphins just within the Davao Gulf," he said. "Of them, 57 have died due to man whether they took plastic or fishing nets or other waste, or gotten caught in pollution — and four were pregnant."

    Blatchley said he hoped that the latest incident would launch the issue of plastic pollution in the Philippines and across the globe. "If we keep going this way, it will be more uncommon to see an animal die of natural causes than it is to see an animal die of plastic," he said.

    Amsterdam is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, famous for its beautiful canals, top art museum and cycling culture. It is the capital and most populous (人口稠密) city in the Netherlands and often referred to as the "Venice of the North" due to its convenient system of bridges and canals. Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.

    Must-See Attractions

    Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre, which is full of traditional architecture, shopping centers and coffee shops. Don't miss the Dam Square and the areas around Spui and Nieuwmarkt. You'll also want to check out Amsterdam's Museum Quarter in the South District, which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondelpark.

    Transportation

    Travelers should be aware that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the world. You can catch a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station, which has many connecting routes. Cycling is very popular here, and it's easy to find cheap bike rentals around town.

    Recommended Restaurants

    Amsterdam is a top destination for foodies (美食家), so it is difficult to narrow down your dining choices. Here are a couple of our favorites.

Money Saving Tips

    • Unless you really want to see the tulips (郁金香) blooming, avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May. This is when hotel and flight prices rise sharply.

    • Look for accommodations in Amsterdam's South District, where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

    • Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

    • Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights, hotels, and rental cars before you book.