A boy poses for a photo after he threw the rubbish into an appropriate bin for a garbage sorting challenge at a flea market for the 2022 Zero Waste Day in Xiangmi Park on Saturday. Zhang Danyu
Residents showed enthusiasm to learn about garbage classification, creating handicrafts, recycling and trading things at a flea market held at Shenzhen Domestic Waste Classification Science Education Museum in Xiangmi Park for the 2022 Zero Waste Day, which fell on Saturday.
Themed as “Live a Greener Life, Start with Everyone’s Effort,” Zero Waste Day saw two major activities — garbage classification education and the composting action, to be developed in the parks across the city.
At the site of Xiangmi Park, citizens can build up a composting hut, exchange things they do not need, know more about garbage classification, look around the toxic-free showroom and appreciate a band’s show, whose instruments are made with daily supplies.
“The compost can be poured into the garden to grow flowers and vegetables,” a resident surnamed Li, who participated in composting, said. Before she participated in the activity, she thought that kitchen waste, like other garbage, was directly thrown into the waste incineration plant. Now she realized the kitchen waste could be reused and she would like to participate in composting activities in parks when she learned flowers in a garden nearby were planted this way.
“I’m so happy that I can build up the hut with other kids to protect the environment,” a primary school student Li said at an interview. The activity raised the students’ environmental protection awareness as well as their hands-on skills, according to Li.
Zero Waste Day, going on its fifth year, was launched by Vanke Foundation, Shenzhen One Foundation and China Zero Waste Alliance in 2018, in partnership with companies and social organizations. It aims to strengthen the public’s understanding of the concept of “zero waste,” which will become a norm in daily life.
“The government attaches great importance to garbage classification and actively publicizes this knowledge. Therefore, the concept of garbage classification is deeply rooted in citizens, who pursue zero waste lifestyle,” Liang Zhiyu, director of the garbage classification affairs administration center, said.
“With policy support from the government, the Zero Waste Day activities can be more and more popular among residents,” Xie Xiaohui, deputy secretary general of Vanke foundation, one of the initiators of the Zero Waste Day, said at an interview.