Lojine Kamel Editor In-Cheif

“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.”  ~Cree Indian Proverb

  One cannot stress the importance of environmental awareness and the protection of our natural resources. Lebanon, in particular, is such a beautiful country with so much of its greatness stemming from its nature. Yet our seashores are polluted, our streets littered with garbage, and our recycling nearly nonexistent.  

  Lebanon’s second major source of income is tourism, much of which is attributed to the geographical Mecca that encompasses the land. Home to forests, mountains, lakes and coasts, Lebanon is the top destination for Arab tourists from any country. Yet its splendor is slowly making way for shopping malls and crowded intersections, only to be further polluted. 

It is such a shame to see our forest preserves strewn with candy wrappers and soda cans. Anyone walking on the Corniche can attest to the mounds of trash obscuring the clear water. Even AUB is not exempt from this.  

  Buildings may provide commerce, but nature provides identity. We may splurge on materialistic needs but in the end what remains but blue and green? It is our duty to salvage what greenery we have left and invest in its propagation for the future. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees. Oh, wait.