On the evening of the 12th, Zhou Zhaosheng was picking up litter at the intersection of Beidajin Street.
In April 2010, he set off from his hometown of Tongshan County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, pushing an old bicycle. It took him 32 months to hike through 13 provinces, and he arrived in Chengdu just a few days ago. For the sake of his environmental dream, he endured many hardships. Although his family cut ties with him, he said: “Doing what I love is worth it!”
He is Zhou Zhaosheng, a 39-year-old man from Jiangsu known as an “environmental advocate.”
The day before yesterday evening, at the intersection of Beidajin Street in Chengdu, a dark-skinned man dressed in denim, carrying a military backpack, and pushing a bicycle loaded with bags and packages. The bike wasn’t just carrying many used bottles but also daily necessities like bedding. As he walked, he picked up litter on the ground.
A red flag inserted behind the bicycle read: “Protecting the Earth’s environmental hygiene is everyone’s responsibility…” This indicates that he is an environmental volunteer. His name is Zhou Zhaosheng, a man from Jiangsu who has hiked through 13 provinces on a bicycle to promote environmental awareness. “Cherish the environment and inspire everyone around you with real actions.” This catchphrase of Zhou Zhaosheng has supported him all the way.
“Before this, I worked for many years in construction teams and coal mines back in my hometown,” Zhou Zhaosheng said. To realize his dream, he quit his job in his hometown. Despite opposition from relatives and friends, and his family “cutting ties” with him, he still chose to embark on the journey to promote environmental awareness.
In April 2010, Zhou Zhaosheng set off from his hometown of Tongshan County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, pushing this bicycle. Along the way, he promoted environmental awareness while picking up litter. Non-recyclable garbage was thrown directly into nearby trash bins, and recyclable waste was collected in bags, sold later to support his life.
“On the 7th of this month, I walked from Lhasa to Chengdu,” Zhou Zhaosheng said. His environmental journey passed through 13 provinces including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Lhasa. “Pitch a tent in no-man’s-land, take shelter under the eaves in bustling markets,” Zhou Zhaosheng said. Wherever night fell during his journey, that’s where he rested.
“The environment needs protection as far as the journey goes,” Zhou Zhaosheng said. Today he will depart for Chongqing to continue his environmental advocacy journey.