The elderly man taking photos is my grandfather. He is a big fan of photography.

The family of Zhou Yuan lives in Changshu, a city in East China's Jiangsu Province. The four-generation family enjoys gathering, during weekends, in their old house with a beautiful courtyard, which is full of trees and various potted plants and flowers.

In addition to photography, my grandfather loves potted plants and flowers. My grandmother loves them too.

My grandparents spend a considerable amount of time taking care of their green courtyard.

They often invite our neighbors to our home, to teach them plant-growing tips. Sometimes, they give our neighbors seedlings, for free.

My grandparents do their best to promote an environmentally friendly way of life.

My grandfather takes photos to record and spread the "green" lifestyle, calling upon the public to pay attention to environmental protection.

Influenced by my grandparents, every member of my family volunteers to help protect and improve our environment.

We collect and save water from rainfall, and the tap water we have used to wash vegetables. We use the water to grow flowers and trees. We reuse the water, which we have used to wash clothes, to clean our floors or flush the toilet.

The importance of living in harmony with nature is a family motto we have passed down for generations.

(Women of China English Monthly November 2021 issue)