Youngsters make their mark in ecological development

The 2024 Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai) youth volunteer green camp and student low-carbon camp were launched on Friday.

They mark the start of a series of ecological volunteer service and study tours by the younger generation into nature.

The eco-friendly and green-oriented drive launched by the Shanghai Youth League and Shanghai Education Commission has been expanded to the whole delta region for the first time this year. The ecological civilization research and study practices of the younger generation will focus on topics ranging from biodiversity protection to water conservation and green and low-carbon concepts.

At the first camp, participants from the whole delta region will make a six-day ecological civilization research and study tour in Sanming City, southeastern Fujian Province. This will include Lianhai Terrace, the world's largest terrace, and Yubang Village, the birthplace of the famous Shaxian delicacies. Students will experience the harmonious co-existence of humans and nature, the development of rural areas and the environmental protection approach.

The camps are in their seventh year. The younger generation has made their mark in the Yangtze River basin, the delta region as well as Shanghai's Five New Cities and beautiful rural areas.

The program aims to promote green development concepts among youth, and fuel the harmonious co-existence of human and nature.

"Although the green camp I attended has concluded, my story with the camp is continuing," said Ma Shuai, a post-2000 previous attendee of the camp. "The journey was quite short, while it has brought tremendous impact on our growth, which is memorable."

Now, Ma is active in various volunteer service such as the city's "little water droplet" river protection campaign and the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai.

In July, he will lead a group of camp participants to Sanxi Primary School in Wushan County, Chongqing Municipality.

"I will tell left-behind children of revolutionary areas stories of the green camp and plant green seeds in their hearts," said Ma.

During the summer holiday, volunteers promoting ecological civilization will attend 690 summer day care classes for primary school students in the city. Relevant classes on water environment and plastic pollution are expected to reach about 20,000 students.