Hi,
This is the year 2070. I have just turned 50, but I look like a person of 85. I have serious kidney (肾脏) problems because I don't have enough water to drink. I'm afraid I don't have much time left to live. I am already one of the oldest people in this society.
I remember when I was five years old, everything was very different. There were lots of trees in the parks. I could enjoy a shower for half an hour. At that time, women had beautiful hair. Now, we have to shave (剃) our heads to keep them clean without the use of water.
I remember there were" Save Water" warnings in many public places, but nobody paid attention. We believed water would last forever. Now, all the rivers and lakes are either dry or polluted. Water is much more expensive than gold and diamonds.
Without water, almost all factories are closed. Most people lose their jobs. Those who have a job work in desalination (脱盐) factories and are paid with drinkable water rather than with money.
In the past, doctors suggested adults drink eight glasses of water a day. Nowadays, I am only allowed half a glass. Most people are weak. Young people in their early 20s look as if they were in their 40s.
Because there are few trees, we don't have enough oxygen. We have to pay for air. The air isn't very fresh, but at least we can breathe. Poor people die young. The average (平均的) life expectancy is 40 years.
When my son asks me about my childhood, I tell him about how pleasant it was to fish in the rivers and how healthy people were. When he asks," Why is there no clean water now?", I feel guilty. I belong to the generation who turned a blind eye to all the warnings.
I wish this letter could go back in time and that it would make people living in the 2020s truly understand the importance of saving water.
Best,
Natalie
