Meet one of city’s trash-sorting trailblazers
were put previously, but after the new garbage-sorting regulations took effect in July last year, we removed bins from 18 sites and installed new ones at two according to the new standards,” said Liang Liqiang, Party secretary and director of the neighborhood committee. “The flower beds filled in those empty places and make the environment beautiful.”
“Shanghai produces about 20 million used tires a year. We have collected 160,000 since the beginning of last year,” said Niu. “We still have a lot to do to make the waste useful and turn Shanghai into a zero-waste city.”
Niu has also found value in leaves and twigs trimmed from plants and trees in communities, which used to be treated as dry waste. Now, he collects them as wet waste and turns them into fertilizers and fuel.
In the past 10 years, both Niu’s wife and son joined in his volunteer services, together with more than 100 members, including retirees.
In June 2019, Niu was honored one of the 100 most excellent environmental protection volunteers by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. As a representative for Shanghai, he has far exceeded his job responsibilities.
His voluntary services have gone beyond garbage sorting to wildlife protection, consumer rights and assisting senior citizens.
At the beginning of 2020, during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Niu proactively organized volunteers to deliver supplies, make donations and provide volunteer service in the community. He participated in work actively, helping to carry frail elderly people up and downstairs and inspected markets for wild animal sales.
“I’m just doing what I think is good for everyone and I will keep doing that in the future,” said Niu.