WinCompetitionofEnvironmentProtectionforBeijing

　　Althoughthe2008Olympicsarestillthreeyearsaway,anotherspecialcompetitionhasalreadystartedinBeijing.Thistime,thecompetitorsarenottheathletesfromallovertheworld,butthepeoplelivinginBeijing.Thespecialcompetitionisnotheldinastadium,butineverystreetandeverycornerofBeijing.Isupposesomeofyoumayhavealreadyguessedwhatthespecialcompetitionis.Yes,itisthecompetitionofprotectingourenvironmentandcreatingagreenBeijingforthe2008OlympicGames.

　　Someonemayaskwhoisourrivalinthiscompetition?ThemodernLosAngeles,thecharmingSydney,orthehistoricAthens?No,noneofthem.Therealrivalisourselves.Itisourbadhabitsofneglectingtoprotectenvironmentinourdailylife.

　　Severalyearsago,IwasveryluckytohaveanopportunitytoliveintheUnitedStatesforabouttwoyears.Inotonlyenjoyedthebeautifulenvironmentthere,butalsoappreciatedtheAmericanpeople'sactivewayofprotectingtheirenvironment.Now,whenevertheenvironmentprotectionismentioned,abeautifulviewofCaliforniawillariseinmymind:whitecloudsflyingacrossthebluesky,greengrassplotsprinkledwithcolorfulflowersandsmallanimalsplayinghappilyamongthetrees.

　　IrememberthatatthebeginningofmycomingtoAmerica,Ioftenwenttomyfather'sworkingplace,theUnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey,tohavefun.EachtimeIfoundalotofpeopleridingbicyclestotheiroffices.Amongthecyclists,anoldmanwithwhitehairattractedmyattention.Curiously,Iaskedmyfather,"Whydoestheoldmanridehisbiketoworkeveryday?Doesn'thehaveenoughmoneytobuyacar?"Fatherlaughed,"No,notbecauseofmoney.Actually,heisoneofthegreatestscientistsintheworld.Hecanaffordtobuyamotorcadeifhelikes.Heisjustanenvironmentalistandusuallydoesn'tdriveunlessgoingshopping,orinbadweather.InAmerica,therearealotofenvironmentalists,whoactivelyprotecttheirenvironment.Forexample,inPaloAltocitywearelivingnow,thereisevenabicycle-to-workdayonMay19theveryyeartoencouragepeopletodecreaseairpollutioncausedbycars".

　　Later,Ialsolearntanotherinterestingfactofenvironmentprotectionthere.InsomestatesofAmerica,inordertodecreaseairpollution,saveenergyandreducetrafficjams,stategovernmentsencouragepeopletotakebusestoworkortoshareacaramongseveralpeople.Theyevensetspecial"diamondlanes"insomemainstreets,whichareonlyforthevehicleswith2ormorepeople.

　　ThepositiveactionsofAmericanpeopleandtheeffectivemeasurestheAmericangovernmenttakesinenvironmentprotectionfullywonmyrespectsanddeeplyaffectedmyconsciousnessinenvironmentprotection.

　　WhenIwasbackinChina,peopleoftenaskedme:"WhatdoyouthinkofAmerica?"Ialwaysboltout:"Wonderful,especiallythebeautifulenvironment."Franklyspeaking,afterseveralyears,thefacesofmyAmericanteachersandfriendshavegraduallyfadedawayfrommymind,butthebluesky,greengrassandlovelyanimalsinCaliforniaoftenariseinmymind,andbecamemydreamofvisitingthereagain.

　　The2008OlympicsprovideuswiththeopportunitytopublicizeandpractiseenvironmentprotectioninBeijing.IsitpossibleforBeijingtoIsitpossibleforBeijingtobecomeasbeautifulasCalifornia?Theansweris"yes",butthedreamneedsevery