I have lived in Dong-Du-Chun City which has a rather big river. When I was a very little boy, our city was known for it's clean river. I would go there with my father on a bicycle for bathing, and I played with my friends there. In summer, we went swimming and fishing, and in winter, we rode an ice boat or a sled. These memories are very beautiful things. It makes me happy when I remember them. Because our city has beautiful mountains and valleys, our family often had a picnic. However, these days, everything has been changing for the worse. The water has been polluted and the mountains have become garbage dumps. I think there are three reasons for the pollution: economic development, the greed of people, and people's lack of recognition about the pollution of nature.
        Our city has a poor economic situation because U.S. troops that possess much land are stationed in the city. It disturbs all plans for development of the city directly. We can't make a proper choice for development. We are forced to have leather factories, which need much water, at the riverside. Most factories don't have sewage disposal facilities, so unclean water flows into the river from the factories. This is industrial pollution of the river. The river is stained like poisonous water right now.
        Thanks to the sacrifice of the river, our city has made much money. People have constructed more leather factories in order to make money. Their desire has continued and there is no end. The factory managers didn't invest in pollution control because these machines are expensive. Though some factories have purifiers, most managers hardly use the machines because the cost of using the machines is very expensive. They only are concerned about making money. Nobody has concern about pollution.
        One day, when we realized that the pollution situation was so bad, it was too late to clean up the river. Nothing can be done now. We realize that having pollution may be a case of crying over spilt milk. The biggest mistake which we made was not polluting the river, but lack of recognition of it. In other words, it was indifference. If we had judged what was more important between development and nature than and there, we probably would not have made pollution. I think the time when we have to do something is yet to come. We have to have more concern and invest much money and time in the future. We must think of our actions for purifying the river as a penalty from nature, though it is very hard and difficult work.
        The river is filled with industrial pollution, so it seems like a black sewer. In addition, an offensive smell assails people's nostrils. No creatures can live in the river. These days, younger people have lost a place where they can freely play, and they may not have the memories that I have had. I hope that I can give my children a clean river and go to the clean river with them as my father did with me.