A Tibetan Envrionment Website

Summary Project of Environment Website:

The ecology of the Tibetan plateau, situated at the heart of Asia, is of utmost global importance. 10 major rivers originate in Tibet, and an estimated 85% of Asia's population - 47% of the world population - drinks from these rivers. Disrupting Tibet’s fragile ecology will have global consequences.

Large-scale destruction of Tibet's environment began after China occupied Tibet in 1959. Tibet now faces an environmental crisis caused by indiscriminate logging, extensive mining, damming of rivers, and nuclear waste dumping. China’s policy of transferring Chinese population into Tibet has also placed unsustainable pressure on the Tibetan plateau’s resources. Many animal species in Tibet are now almost extinct.

We need a renaissance of Tibetan values that treasure the environment and show compassion to wildlife. The Internet, widely used by the Tibetan diaspora, is the optimum tool to foster environmental awareness among Tibetans worldwide.  A website in Tibetan would achieve this aim.

Since the website will provide a wide range of information about environmental issues and concerns in the Tibetan language, it will increase awareness levels for the non-English speaking populace within the Tibetan community. Currently, no such information about the environment is available in Tibetan. When I (Lha Director) was leading WPSI Wildlife Awareness Campaigns, many people asked me about environment and wildlife websites in the Tibetan language.  Since one does not exist, this website will significantly impact environmental awareness levels of the Tibetan community, particularly for non-English speaking Tibetans in Tibet as well as in exile and Himalayan population in the importance of environmental conservation. Through the website, individuals interested in the environment will be able to better understand the ecology of the world and especially Tibetan plateau and learn about what they can do to help the environment. Ultimately, environmental conservation is a task that begins with general public awareness. To initial the website project, we need fund USD $6230 for research and website development. Please visit us more info: www.tibetnature.net