Hong Kong is, appropriately, known for its bustling streets and population density and soaring skyscrapers.
Yet walk uphill (and up steps) from the hectic congestion of Kowloon and the urban landscape gives way first to rolling hills, then a reservoir, and then a paved path where there are no people but monkeys roam freely. Planet of the Monkeys.
I felt like a visitor, even an intruder. An unwelcome outsider whose presence was outwardly tolerated and inwardly despised.
For me the eeriness of the scene underscored the vastness of our planet and the variety of life on it, and silently asked the question: To whom does our planet belong?
In a world where humans dominate and exploit the resources of the Earth, who truly has the right to claim ownership of our planet? Should we consider the rights of other species and ecosystems in determining the answer to this question?”,
“refusal