Dear Homo Sapiens1），

As you mark off2） another "Earth Day" in your calendars， content that for at least 24 hours I remained in your thoughts， I wanted to remind you that I am sick.

I wasn&apos；t just "Off sick" on 22nd April， as so many of you took time to remember； but I have an ongoing illness which is getting worse year by year， week by week， day by day and hour by hour.

I&apos；m frightened， that unless I receive the appropriate medicine and care I need soon， my illness will become terminal3） and beyond all cures.

So， I am asking for your help！

Geologists estimate that I have been in existence for 4.5 million years. For the most part， I have been flourishing and in equilibrium with4） my inhabitants. Current estimates show that I have given a home to approximately 8.7 million different species and I am proud that you want to live with me.

Currently over 7.4 billion of my inhabitants are one species in particular， you， or Homo Sapiens to be more precise. In millennia gone by， we lived in harmony with one another. Your ancestors would take only what they needed from me and in return nurture and protect my fragile environment. They learnt the medicinal properties of my flora and fauna5）， the abundance6） of the food I grew， and the restorative7） power of spending time connecting with me.

Like a proud parent， I have watched in awe as you evolved in abilities and intellect. You have travelled to outer space， you have developed medical cures for the most troublesome illnesses， and you have built great cities and mastered technology ...

But at what cost？

Did I do something to displease you？ Was there a point in our mutual history where you decided that we were no longer equals？ Am I only now a commodity8） to you？ Have you forsaken9） me？

I hear whispered words in corridors of "Greed"， "Human domination" and "Ego" that your culture of consumerism10） and competitiveness have led you to neglect the place you all call home.

Surely this cannot be the case？ Why would you destroy my forests when they are the lungs that allow you to breathe？ Why would you pollute my rivers and oceans with poisons that eradicate11） your food source？ Why would you pump noxious12） fumes into our environment， causing me to heat up？ Surely you would not do this intentionally. It would make no sense.

I don&apos；t wish to believe that you have become greedier and self-obsessive13）. I like to think that you have temporarily lost your way， as other species have before you. I have faith that like a troublesome teenager， you just need the opportunity to return home and visit for a while.

There are many of you whom I have seen do just this. You have begun to recycle and reuse the waste you consume， look at alternative14） methods of sustainable energy and "rethink" the complex and interwoven15） relationship we have always had.

If you are not one of these people yet， then I would encourage you to be mindful of me. Take time to sit on the grass and bring in my warming spirit. Spend time in nature， surrounded by my abundant gifts. Take your shoes and socks off and walk around on the bare grass during your lunch break.

Connect， and most importantly "Come Home"！

Your friend， always

Earth

親愛的人類：

當你們在日歷上再一次劃掉“世界地球日”，心滿意足于至少在這24個小時內(nèi)曾將我掛念于心時，我想提醒你們，我病了。

我過去并非只在4月22日“病休”，正如你們許多人費心銘記的那樣。但我是患了一種不斷發(fā)展的疾病，它正年復一年、周復一周、日復一日、時時刻刻地逐步惡化。

我現(xiàn)在萬分恐懼，除非我立刻得到所需的對癥醫(yī)療和護理，否則我將病入膏肓，無藥可醫(yī)。

所以，我在此向你們求救！

地質(zhì)學家估算我已經(jīng)是450萬歲高齡了。在多數(shù)時間里，我都是一派繁榮茂盛的景象，與我的居住者們均衡發(fā)展。當前估算表明我已是約870萬不同物種的家園，我很驕傲你們?nèi)祟愐蚕Ｍc我共同生活。

目前，我的居住者中有740多萬都屬于某個特殊物種，那就是你們，或者更確切地說，是人類。在過去的幾千年中，我們彼此和諧共處。你們的祖先僅從我這里獲取所需之物，作為回報，他們會照看并保護我脆弱的環(huán)境。他們得知了我的植物群和動物群的藥用價值，認識到了我產(chǎn)出的食物之豐足，還發(fā)現(xiàn)了抽時間與我交流溝通后會獲得的修復力量。

像一個自豪的家長一樣，我一直敬畏地看著你們在能力和智力上逐步進化。你們已經(jīng)能夠遨游太空，你們研制出了治療疑難雜癥的許多藥物，你們建成了大型都市并掌握了科技……

但是代價是什么呢？

我可曾做過任何令你們不快的事情？我們共同的歷史中可曾出現(xiàn)過任何問題，讓你們覺得我們不再平等？我現(xiàn)在對你們來說只是一件商品嗎？你們已經(jīng)拋棄我了嗎？

我曾道聽途說地聽到一些喃喃絮語，如“貪婪”“人類統(tǒng)治”和“自我”，說你們充滿消費主義和爭強好勝的文化已經(jīng)導致你們無視被你們所有人稱為家園的地方了。

想必事實不可能如此？那你們?yōu)槭裁礆У粑业钠?？它們可是你們賴以呼吸的肺。你們?yōu)槭裁从枚疚镂廴疚业暮恿骱秃Ｑ?，從而徹底斷絕你們的食物來源？你們?yōu)槭裁聪蛭覀兊沫h(huán)境中排放有毒氣體，結(jié)果導致我的體溫上升？當然，你們不會是有意為之的——這說不通啊？

我不愿相信你們已經(jīng)變得更加貪婪和自我迷戀。我愿意相信你們只是暫時迷失了方向，一如在你們之前出現(xiàn)的其他物種那樣。我堅信，你們就像問題少年，只是需要有一次回家探訪片刻的機會。

我已經(jīng)看到你們中有很多人如此行事。你們已經(jīng)開始回收和再利用你們產(chǎn)生的廢棄物，考慮可持續(xù)能源的替代方法，并“重新審視”我們之間一直存在的復雜交錯的關(guān)系。

如果你還不是這些人中的一員，那我會鼓勵你關(guān)注我。抽些時間坐在草坪上，吸收我溫暖的精氣神兒。抽些時間感受大自然，置身于我豐富的饋贈中。在午休時間，脫掉鞋襪赤腳漫步在裸露的草地上。

交流溝通，最重要的是“回家”！

你永遠的朋友

地球