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If we were gone: imagining the world without people
By John Coy

Introduction by Librarian

Since our existence on this planet began, humans have assumed the role of rulers, seemingly entitled to freely exploit all the resources available to us.

Let's take a moment to reflect and ask ourselves, are the resources in the nature forever inexhaustible? Before we answer this question, let's explore the insights from this book.

The book envisioned a world where humans and humans’ activity suddenly disappeared, following with the factories and cars stopped and thus pollution diminished, things around the world would break down by the forces of nature, years by years, nature thrived and animals roamed freely amidst flourishing plants, as if reclaiming the spaces once dominated by human structures, and what human made become fade.

The book with reflective illustrations guides us to imagine the planet will be improved without human, e.g. the plants and animals would grow wild and the forest system would expand, thus, the air would become cleaner, and the water naturally tuned and flowed in harmony; on the other hand, if we simply imagine the absence of air for only a while, human absolutely cannot live. What could be certain that humans need nature more than it needs us.

In the grand tapestry of life, we often forget that we are not separate from nature; we are an integral part of it. When we fail to treasure and protect our environment, we become the price we pay. Through making conscious choices, conserving resources, promoting sustainability life, and deeply valuing the natural world, it is believed that we can pave the way for a sustainable future for generations to come.