In January 2020, the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the State Administration for Market Regulation issued a plan for the implementation of the Building Green Families Campaign. The departments also formulated the standards for "green families" in urban and rural regions, respectively. 

The organizers' intentions were to guide families nationwide to live moderate, simple, green and low-carbon lifestyles.

On June 5 (World Environment Day), 2020, ACWF organized an online promotional activity as part of the Building Green Families Campaign. The activity highlighted the stories of some of the families who had been named a "National Most Beautiful Family" in previous years. Those families were selected because they had set good examples in saving energy and resources, maintaining public sanitation and/or protecting the natural environment. 

For example, Ouyang Xiangping's family, from Beijing, had built a rainwater-collection and wastewater-circulation system. The system enabled the family to cut its monthly water consumption significantly.

Tian Qingsheng's family, from North China's Tianjin Municipality, volunteered to change the lights along passageways of residential buildings into energy-saving lights. The effort helped reduce consumption of electricity in the community. 

On the wedding day of Li Ji and Jin Yanhui, a couple from North China's Shanxi Province, Jin, the bridegroom, rode a tricycle to pick up Li. He was accompanied by 100 friends, all of whom rode bicycles. They hoped their special action would help advocate a low-carbon lifestyle.

Song Wei's family, from Central China's Hunan Province, has been dedicated — as volunteers — to pollution control along the Xiangjiang River for 10 years. 

Li Rongfu's family, from Northeast China's Jilin Province, has operated a 260-hectare arboretum for six years. At the arboretum, Li teaches students about plants and animals, and he teaches about environmental protection.

During the promotional activity, two experts were invited to guide families on how to live a low-carbon lifestyle, and they shared tips on various topics, including conserving energy, sorting garbage, protecting wild plants and animals, and having healthy dining habits.

During the past two years, women's federations, at all levels across the country, have used various methods to promote the concepts of environmental protection and ecological-system conservation. They have looked for families that lead a green, low-carbon lifestyle, and they have facilitated the implementation of the Building Green Families Campaign. 

Photos Supplied by Fujian and Shanghai Women's  Federations

(Women of China English Monthly September 2022 issue)