Sustainability Tour 2024 - Weekly Blog#5: Cycling in Harmony with Nature

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Sustainability Tour 2024 - Weekly Blog#5: Cycling in Harmony with Nature

On week 5, Sustainability Tour 2024 took us to Zhejiang, where vlogger Shasha visited two EU-China cooperation projects: the EU-China Biodiversity Promotion Project in Xianju, and the Finnish Sustainable House Project in Yuhang.

© European Union, 2024

This week, @摄影师莎莎爱旅行continues her eco-journey in Xianju and Yuhang, exploring EU-China environmental cooperation. What new insights will she uncover at the biodiversity museum in Xianju and the sustainable wooden house in Yuhang?"**

A Discovery Tour in Xianju - EU-China Biodiversity Cooperation

Location: Biodiversity Museum in Xianju, Taizhou

To gain deeper insight into cooperation between the European Union and China on biodiversity, Shasha visited the Biodiversity Museum in Xianju this week. The museum stands as a case of exchanges between France and China on ecological civilization and showcases EU-China collaboration in ecological protection. The trip was 8 km by bike, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 1.6 kg.

The museum tour provided Shasha with a deeper understanding of Xianju's geology, landforms, wildlife diversity, and agricultural practices. It features numerous specimens and interactive installations that help visitors learn about biodiversity and generate interest in biodiversity and environmental protection.

The museum's curator explained to Shasha how this cooperation project between France and China helped establishing the Xianju Biodiversity Museum and contributing to ecological protection and cultural development in the region. Most funding comes from a 20-year low-interest loan provided by the French Development Agency - Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Additionally, the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park in France offered technical support for the museum's development and management, which contributed to its unique exhibitions. The Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park and Xianju have become sister parks, aiming to foster further collaboration on biodiversity protection between France and China. The signature agricultural products of both regions-the waxberry of Xianju and the cherry of Vosges-serve as a symbolic link between the people of China, France, and Europe.

These cooperation projects have raised public awareness of biodiversity through educational activities. They are vivid examples of EU-China collaboration on environmental and biodiversity protection and cultural exchanges. Not only they offer enriching experiences for both local residents and visitors, they also enhance ecological preservation and cultural development in Xianju. Shasha was deeply impressed by how these projects, despite the thousands of miles separating Xianju and the Vosges Region of France, connect the two cities and foster friendship.

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Back to Nature: A European-style Sustainable House in Yuhang's Tea Village

Location: Jiawuli of Yuhang, Hangzhou

Curious to experience a sustainable house from Finland, Shasha visited Yuhang this time to explore life in a wooden house nestled against tea mountains. She completed an 8-kilometer cycling tour, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 1.6 kg. Riding through tea plantations and paddy fields, Shasha arrived at the wooden house designed by Frank and Zengzeng, who are also the owners of this sustainable structure.

Frank gave Shasha a tour of the wooden house, explaining the inspiration behind its creation and how sustainable timber and building techniques from Finland were integrated with local culture and architectural design.

The structure used timber from sustainable forests. The entire construction process was designed to be eco-friendly and efficient, reducing carbon emissions. The house embodies a Nordic low-carbon style in its design and construction, utilizing low-carbon materials and methods such as timber from forests sourced from EU PEFC-certified forests, triple-glazed glass insulation, and prefabricated construction elements. The project has also fostered cultural exchange, bringing friends from Finland to China, deepening mutual understanding between the two countries. This collaboration not only serves as a bridge for cultural exchanges the EU and China, but also blends cultural elements with a sustainable lifestyle and promoting low-carbon concepts.

During the trip, Shasha was most impressed by the wooden design and construction of the Finnish sustainable house. She felt that wooden houses have a natural warmth that brings people closer to nature, creating a sense of relaxation, comfort, and ease. The house demonstrated the possibilities of sustainable living, inspiring her to share this healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle with more people.

Immersing in nature and the healthy, innovative, and sustainable lifestyle of the wooden house, Shasha felt rejuvenated after this trip. She gained new insights into sustainability and believes that experiences like this can inspire more people to embrace and practice sustainable living.

And that wraps up this week of the Sustainability Tour 2024. Where will our vlogger friends take us next? Stay tuned, and see you next week!