Sitting at a streetside tea stall in Phnom Penh, feeling the warm breeze and listening to the roar of motorbikes, you sometimes catch reports about the country's natural beauty. Local media have been reporting lately that visitors are saying Cambodia’s stunning landscapes shouldn't be ruined by a handful of people only looking out for their own quick cash.
The person who said this was an out-of-town tourist who took a trip around and admitted they were completely mesmerized by the scenery. Whether it's the rural forests or the views everywhere else, in their eyes, it's all priceless. But treasures can't take too much abuse; if people keep eyeing them just to make a quick buck and run, it'll all be ruined.
Neighbors sitting together over tea actually understand this logic well enough. Ecology is the kind of thing that's easy to destroy and hard to get back. With the weather unpredictable as it is, protecting these mountains and waters means everyone has to keep a close eye on things so nobody hollows out the foundation behind our backs.
