"Cherishing the earth's resources, transforming the mode of development and living a low-carbon lifestyle."

The theme of this year's Earth Day is comprehensive and should help both businesses and individuals with a low-carbon mindset.

Across the world, people celebrated the 41st Earth Day on Thursday through various activities that showed a common hope for concerted efforts from governments and communities to make the earth a better place to live for the present generation, and to put in place sustainable development for future ones.

Compared to 40 years ago, the present state of Mother Earth is not promising.

Unrestrained human activities, resource exploitation in particular, are damaging the global ecological system with each passing day. It is time for the international event to go beyond the ceremonial and serve as a clarion call for action.

A development mode embedded in the concept of saving resources and energy should be widely recognized by businesses and industries worldwide. The developing world should work harder toward industrial restructuring by promoting technological innovation and a green economy. Developed countries should in turn provide technological and funding support, because no nation can stay immune from global environmental degradation.

For individuals, the idea of living a low-carbon lifestyle should not be a fashionable slogan or remain as lip service.

Individual action to save the environment must guide our everyday life. It is also important to educate younger generations of the importance of these concepts so that the action continues.

We hope there will be more positive experiences to share and actions we can be proud of on the next Earth Day.