Liu Yuanlu, a seventh grader at East Lake Middle School in Yiling, comes from a family that is heavily involved in environmental protection.

 

The 13-year-old, who refers to himself as an "environmentalist", first became aware of the problem at age 9. He quickly joined the school's environmental protection society and took part in a number of projects, including waste sorting and fermenting food waste to make detergents.

 

Liu and five classmates - who call themselves "environmental protection volunteers" - talk to passers-by to deter them from littering. They also sort waste at weekends in the local community.

 

Liu's school is decorated with artworks by students that urge environmental protection, such as paintings with the theme of planting trees.

 

"We affect students through their education at school, and we hope they are like seeds that will also affect their parents and raise general awareness of environmental protection," Wang said.