On March 9, 2022, at the invitation of Ninghai County Natural Resources and Planning Bureau and Ninghai County Youth League Committee, students and faculty from the research group of Professor XIAO Yan, Director of the Program of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Systems Science, participated in the theme activity on the Chinese Arbor Day.

With the theme of “Leading Low-carbon Lifestyle,” the activity aims to promote the ideas of low-carbon lifestyle and call on more youngsters to become practitioners and promoters of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.

In the morning, more than 50 young representatives from various institutions of Ningbo visited the Zhejiang University  (Ninghai) Joint Research Center for Bio-based Materials which is co-established by ZJUI and Ninghai County. They experienced the process of researching and manufacturing low-carbon bio-based materials, and worked to enhance  awareness of low carbon construction.

▲ Group Photo

In order to leave everyone a deeper impression on the concept of "carbon neutrality", ZJUI master student Kong Youbohong delivered a speech to all the participants, explaining the concepts of "carbon neutrality", "carbon peak", "carbon sink" and so on in a simple language. The lecture was fabulous and instructive, which enlightened all the participants. They all approved that they would pay more attention to little things in their daily life to make contributions to the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals of China.

▲ KONG Youbohong's speech

Professor XIAO Yan, the Director of Zhejiang University  (Ninghai) Joint Research Center for Bio-based Materials, not only introduced the establishment background and main research progress of the center, but explained the necessity of implementing carbon reduction measures in the construction industry and the advantages of bio-based materials. As the first expert to systematically develop modern bamboo structure in the world, Professor XIAO Yan has been committed to the basic and applied scientific research of bio-based materials for more than 10 years to help achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. Dr. WANG Jianhe, an internationally renowned expert in the field of wood material, postgraduate enterprise instructor of ZJUI and president of the Ningbo Sino-Canada Low-Carbon Technology Research Institute also introduced Cross-Laminated Timbe(CLT) and other new wood structure. 

▲ Professor XIAO's speech

▲ Dr. WANG Jianhe's speech

After a seminar on the concept of “carbon neutrality”, ZJUI students and faculty went to Zhejiang Forestry Carbon Sink Research Base and Ninghai Chashan Forest Farm to participate in the Chinese Arbor Day activity together with the other participants. Spading a shovelful of earth, planting a tree, everyone enjoyed sowing the seeds of green and hope.