Author: Le Hongyu, promoter of low-carbon schools project

On January 25-31, 2021, the Chinese Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN), a partner of the EU Yunnan Low-carbon Schools Pilot Project, launched the "7-day Plastic Reduction Challenge" topic check-in on Sina Weibo. Many students actively clocked in under the topic and shared their feelings about participating in it. Now let's have a look!

1. To record the plastic products used by the whole family in one day

2. To watch a film about plastic pollution

3. To go shopping without disposable plastic bags

4. To look for reusable products to replace disposable plastic ones

5. To refuse disposable tableware

6. To observe garbage sorting in your community/school 

7. To record your day of "plastic reduction"

On the seventh day of "plastic reduction” challenge, the youths got practical experience of "plastic reduction" and recorded themselves by photos or videos.

Participating in the 7-day plastic reduction challenge, the young people learned what were the biggest sources of plastic waste by observing their daily habits or consumption behaviors, and thought about which behaviors can reduce the daily use of plastic bags. The small challenge propelled the youth to pay more attention to "plastic reduction" lifestyle, and to achieve low carbon environmental protection starting from themselves.

Clocking in on Weibo is a popular way for the young to discuss and practice with peers, and let us think of a better form to replace disposable plastic products when using them.

In fact, in this "plastic reduction" challenge, we also gained the ritual sense of life and the happiness with our friends.

Project introduction:

Yunnan Low-carbon Schools Pilot Project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the People to People Foundation (Spanish member of HPP) in cooperation with FAIHPP (Switzerland) Yunnan Representative Office, Yunnan Academy for Science and Technical Information, Southwest Forestry University, Chinese Youth Climate Action Network, Green Kunming (Kunming Environmental Popular Science Association) and  Kunming Good Deed Public Welfare Community Development Service Center with a project cycle from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023. The project begins by increasing partners’ awareness and advocacy on climate change mitigation and environmental protection, by raising climate change awareness among 600 schools, 70,000 students and teachers, determine the emission benchmark through basic calculation, and then implement emission reduction work in 50 Carbon Compliant Pioneer Schools. Use science, technology, innovation and other means to respond to “climate action” to accelerate environmental sustainability and promote the transition from green campuses to low-carbon and carbon-neutral campuses.

The project is funded by European Union.

Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of the donor.