As the "Sustainability Tour" enters its second week, Rose and Steve visited sustainability projects in Shenyang, Beijing and Shanghai. Let's hear about their new stories and experiences in this week's travels.

Sino-French Environment Month - Insects in science class

Location: Shenyang K11 Shopping Art Center

Rose kicked off her tour of sustainability projects in Shenyang with a short bike ride. She cycled 12.2km from Hunhe Bridge to Shenshuiwan Park, saving about 4.61kg of carbon emissions.

On arriving at Liaoning Province’s Museum of Science and Technology, Rose met with Ms. Anne Rulliat, Consul General of France in Shenyang, and Ms. Élodie Franco-Ritz, Attaché for Education and Cultural Action, before attending a natural science, together with local students and their teacher to explore the mystery of insects.

The class is part of the exhibition "Insects that Save the Earth", which explores how insects work together with the environment, based on scientists' latest research.

Learn more about this project: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mB-V7BduaHSqoNca2rTYxw

"Parisians and the Earth Chronicle" poster exhibition

Location: Shenyang K11 Shopping Art Center

The second project that Rose visited was a poster exhibition of Parisians and The Earth, co-curated by the French National Museum of Natural History and the Parisien magazine cover team. It vividly depicts great naturalistic discoveries spanning from when the Earth first formed to the future. Going on a poetic technological journey, Rose saw a series of illustrations depicting sci-fi scenarios, such as the melting of the ice caps and the colonization of Mars, to see what the Earth might look like in the future.

Learn more about this project: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/D-3YaXZ1FBcLt82kg4czOw

Reading Hut in Jinghong, Yunnan

Location: Tsinghua University

After the Shenyang trip, Rose returned to Beijing and met with Ms. Katja Kolšek from the Slovenian Embassy. Rose acquired a preliminary understanding of the ‘European Reader’ project and the ‘Yunnan Jinghong Reading Hut’. 

Afterwards, Rose visited Tsinghua University and spoke with Professor WANG Hui of the university’s architecture department. Professor Wang is the leader of the project, and explained to Rose how the Jinghong Reading Hut project in Yunnan can contribute to sustainable local development. The hut has been built with renewable materials to create an artistic, cultural and ecological reading space for local villagers and tourists.

Through the three sustainability projects she visited this week, Rose learned that human beings depend on the Earth for food, clothing, shelter and transportation, and that all living species on Earth are precious. She found the exhibitions for children helpful because they can raise children's awareness of the environment, especially regarding energy, oceans, and biodiversity issues.

Sustainability Business Awards of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC)

Location: Huangpu, Shanghai

Like Rose, Steve uses cycling as an environmentally friendly way of getting around. By cycling 22 minutes from Jing'an Temple to the EUCCC offices in Shanghai, Steve saved more than a kilogram of carbon emissions. After arriving, Steve had the chance to speak with Ms. Qi Tiantian (Head of Sustainability at the European Chamber of Commerce) and Ms. Susan (Head of Health, Safety, Environment, Fire and Sustainability at Bosch China). He learned about the value of the Sustainability Business Awards in helping businesses achieve carbon neutrality. In addition, he received some helpful tips on how to save energy in the home, like how often you should clean your air conditioner. Last year, Bosch China was one of those companies awarded for its achievements in the fields of environment and climate.

Learn more about EUCCC’s Sustainability Business Awards: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fwQP5g9vKO68c7ZXzK4WCw

EU Illustration Books Exhibition

Location: Shanghai Library

Steve attended the EU Illustration Books Exhibition, organized by the Shanghai Library and Consulates General of more than 20 European Union Member States, Norway and Switzerland. Each country had donated and presented children’s books, which were shown at the exhibition. Steve noticed titles such as "Finnish Nightmare" and "The Little Penguin Story". In her opening remarks, Mrs. Mira Lesjak, Consul General of Slovenia in Shanghai, mentioned that more than 100 children’s books had been donated to the Shanghai Library, in hopes of providing younger readers with many hours of entertainment.

Learn more about this project: http://beta.library.sh.cn/SHLibrary/newsinfo.aspx?id=1047

"Old clothes make new clothes" - clothes swap event

Location: Ideapod flagship store on the Bund

In addition to the EU Illustration Books Exhibition, Steve also attended the "Sustainable Fashion and Circular Economy Dialogue special" and clothes swap event in Shanghai. Organized by the Consulate General of Sweden in Shanghai, the event aims to give old clothes a new life and contribute to environmental protection. Attendees from Sweden and China shared their experiences of sustainable fashion with each other. Steve discussed the circular economy of fashion with other attendees and later swapped his hoodie for a pig soft toy.

Learn more information about this activity:

https://j.eastday.com/p/1635989007030563

During this week's tour to several sustainability projects, Steve realized that, although “sustainability” sounds like a far-off concept, it is nonetheless present in the nooks and crannies of life, in individual habits and actions. For him, adopting a sustainable low-carbon lifestyle is essential.

After a few hectic days exploring what it means to lead a sustainable lifestyle, Rose and Steve had a strong sense of accomplishment. In the coming week, they will show you more activities from the "Sustainability Tour环保好骑心". If you love sports and care about the environment, follow their cycling trips to cities like Hangzhou. See you next week!

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