Programme: Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development
Camp in Yunnan
Partner Institution: Yunnan University
Period: August 8—18, 2023
First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the valuable opportunity provided by China Vision. This 11-day environmental and sustainable lifestyle study camp is very inspiring. During this camp, I have learned about environmental protection theory and related knowledge. Also, I realized the significance of protecting our planet through environmental protection actions.
Permaculture, which means permanent agriculture and culture, suggests that we should love our nature, take care of our planet and human beings, and share our surplus. It is a natural theory that integrates earth, plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, energy, water, transportation, and economy to build a wonderful farmland and garden. Permaculture changes our attitude towards the environment, resources, and lives. The concept was introduced by an Australian man; however, many things related to the concept had been made by Chinese people over the past few decades.
We visited one of the farms in the Kunming suburb. This farm adopts the permaculture concept to plant crops. For example, tomatoes are totally natural without adding pesticide, which is very safe and healthy for humans to eat. Moreover, the farm uses rice bran rather than dish detergent to clean bowls and chopsticks, which saves the energy required to produce detergent. The rice bran can be used repeatedly and eaten by pigs at the end. It is a recycling and reducing model. Besides, we also participated in plowing and planting green plants to contribute to the environment.
In the next few days, we visited a village called Da Mo Yu Village. This village has a history of one hundred years. It has been renovated in recent years. In my mind, Da Mo Yu Village is a utopia because people live in harmony, different national minorities show mutual tolerance, and the surroundings are peaceful and graceful. We studied and did research in an organization called Gooday. The organization is an example of sustainable development, including natural building made of stone and wood instead of steel and concrete. Also, the food is natural without any additives such as preservatives. It shows the significance of food safety. Apart from learning in the organization, we also went around different streets and talked with local people. We have learned that composting toilets use feces as compost, and peels can be used to make detergent. After exploration and discussion, I deeply felt that self-sufficiency is crucial because it means that we can reduce carbon emissions, food waste, and pesticide use.
All in all, I have learned a lot in this environmental and sustainable study camp. We have learned permaculture theory and vivid examples in Yunnan, which leads me to reflect on our lifestyle in the city. This camp inspires me to adopt a healthy, safe, and sustainable lifestyle in the future to protect our earth.
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