I read a news story about some environmentalists in Australia who proposed killing the country's camels to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
This made me think about the status of humans. Currently, we are the masters of the planet. We are free to do whatever we wish with other animal species.
We use rats and mice in laboratory experiments, and we raise cattle, pigs and poultry at giant farms so we could eat them. But do we have the right to decide the fate of these animals?
In a recent anime, I saw aliens come down to Earth and begin using humans as their slaves. We are behaving just like those aliens. We don't think about the effects our actions will have on other forms of life.
Wai Kin-long, The Chinese Foundation Secondary School
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Kin-long. The question 'What right do we have to rule the Earth?' is often raised by students. And like many of life's questions, there is no easy answer.