“As a cycling enthusiast, I find it very meaningful to promote green and low-carbon living on World Earth Day and to inspire others through my own actions.” On the morning of April 20, the “Youth Jiangsu Green Cycling” event, jointly organized by Jiangsu Education Channel and the Nanjing Environmental Protection Bureau, kicked off at Shence Gate Park in Nanjing. Over 200 cycling enthusiasts will ride through 11 districts of Nanjing, promoting green and low-carbon practices through their actions and jointly protecting our green home.
At the launch ceremony, Liu Xudong, director of Jiangsu Education Channel, said that on the occasion of the 44th World Earth Day, organizing such an event where over 200 cycling enthusiasts ride through 11 districts of Nanjing is meant to advocate for green living, practice low-carbon habits, inspire those around us, discover the beauty of greenery, appreciate the wonders of ecology, and jointly protect our beautiful shared home.
Following the sound of a crisp gunshot, over 200 cycling volunteers embarked on their green journey. Most of them are cycling enthusiasts in their daily lives, including the youngest volunteer — a 10-year-old elementary school student surnamed Chen. He told reporters that despite his young age, he has been cycling for three years and is already a dedicated “athlete.”
“When I turned 7, my dad gave me a bicycle. Since then, I’ve been riding with him every day, especially around Baijia Lake in Jiangning. Whenever the weather is nice, we go out cycling. Look, my gear is really professional now,” said Xiao Chen proudly, pointing to his sportswear. Inspired by him, many of his friends have also started cycling together. “We have a group of over 30 people. It’s so much fun riding and exercising together.”
“I came to join this activity with my dad, hoping to inspire more residents of Nanjing to protect and nurture this beautiful city through my own actions,” Xiao Chen said sincerely.
In addition to amateur cycling enthusiasts, many professionals from related fields also volunteered to take part in the event. Zhou Lingmei, the first Chinese athlete to break a world record in cycling, was among them. After retiring, Zhou Lingmei now works in a sports-related field in Nanjing but is no longer a competitive athlete. She shared that even though she no longer cycles competitively, she still rides her bike around Nanjing whenever she gets the chance. “Although I’m not a professional athlete anymore, I still enjoy biking to work. Aside from being a hobby, this green and low-carbon way of commuting also keeps me fit.”
It is understood that the over 200 cycling volunteers participating in this event will ride through 11 areas, including Luhe, Gaochun, Lishui, and downtown Nanjing, to collectively promote green and low-carbon transportation.