GoalBlue sponsors seed planting program
Chinese public service organization GoalBlue (Shenzhen) Low Carbon Development & Promotion Centre has joined up with the French embassy to raise children’s awareness of environmental protection by sponsoring a seed planting program in China.
The program, called Jardins d’Enfants, or Nurseries for Nurseries, is a friendly competition among primary schools and kindergartens in China to teach children how to plant seeds and take care of vegetable gardens, raising awareness of maintaining a healthy diet as well as protecting the Earth’s ecology.
“Through friendly competition, we hope to develop healthy eating habits and concepts for children to help them grow. Meanwhile, in a handson way, children establish healthy, environmentally friendly and sustainable awareness. They learn about the relationship between people and nature, while enjoying the process of planting and caring for plants,” said May Mei, founder and executive director of GoalBlue.
The program covers 102 schools in 13 regions in China, including Beijing and Shanghai, and Sichuan, Gansu, Liaoning, and Henan provinces, with the direct participation of 2,800 children. A total of more than 100,000 children are affected, who in turn will influence their families.
Yael Blic Ripert, French ambassador to China, noted that: “Through this program, kids grow their own vegetable garden together with their teachers and parents. It is crucial to cultivate children’s awareness of protecting the Earth, being responsible for our planet, eating healthily and respecting others.”
“Both the presidents of China and France attach great importance to the protection of biodiversity. We only have one Earth. As former UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon said, ‘There is no plan B because there is no planet B.’ It is our responsibility to protect the environment and the planet that we live on,” she said.
Official data show that about 100,000 square kilometers of cultivated land in China are polluted, and polluted water is used to irrigate 21,670 sq km of land. It is estimated that annually, 12 million metric tons of grain are contaminated by heavy metals.
A recent investigation demonstrated the severe situation of food waste in China: every year, 20 percent of grain, 20 to 30 percent of fruit and vegeta- bles, 5 to 15 percent of eggs, and 3 to 15 percent of meat are wasted, which also means the waste of water and land resources.
“Children are our future. Through the program, they know where food comes from, and the shape of vegetables before being cooked. Planting vegetables themselves, they learn to treasure food. I hope the program can be carried out year after year,” Mei said.