Posted on April, 28 2017

More than 300 people joined WWF-China’s Green Walk in Beijing on Earth Day 2017 to raise awareness about forest conservation and learn about how their daily choices impact nature.
 
WWF’s Green Walk attracted a diverse group of people – including celebrities like actor Huang Bo – demonstrating their support for healthy lifestyles that safeguard forests. It was the most liked event on Chinese social network APP GuDong on Earth Day.

"The development of society and forest health are closely correlated. We wish to get everyone close to nature and learn about sustainable forest protection," said Huang Wenbin, Head of Forest Practice, WWF-China. "The only way to love forests is by not taking them for granted, and one action that everyone can take in their daily lives is to choose certified products, which ensures that the wood comes from a responsibly managed forest." 

The five themes highlighted during the Green Walk were animals and forest protection, economical consumption, waste recycling, forest certification and the "ideal" forest.
 
Participants were given five tasks to complete, related to each of these themes, to collect five badges and transform themselves into a "forest hero." The goal was for people to learn why and how they can contribute to conserving forests.
 
The walk on 22 April kicked off WWF-China’s three-year long Green Me! campaign, which aims to raise awareness about forest protection and promote the concept of sustainability and sustainable supply chains among consumers, private sectors, and the government. As part of the campaign, a series of events will take place over the next three years, including events on Green Building, Green Campuses as well as a Green Music Festival.
 
Public awareness of sustainable development has increased gradually in the last decade. But even though individuals want to contribute to forest protection work, the forest and the services it provides seems distant from people’s daily life.
 
The Green Me! campaign aims to bridge this gap and highlight the value of forests in people’s daily life. In collaboration with government, companies, and celebrities, the campaign highlights how and why products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) can help protect forests, and the importance of changing consumer behaviour towards sustainability.

 

WWF China Green Me! campaign video from WWF Forest Practice on Vimeo.