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Young Chinese pay greater attention to environmental protection
and pollution control in cities than their parents do, the results
of an official survey show.
According to a nationwide survey done by the Urban Survey Organization
of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently, environmental
protection and pollution control in the urban area are the issues
of top concern for Chinese aged between 16-25.
The survey revealed that 5.4 percent of the young people chose
environmental protection as their top concern among 12 other issues
such as income and housing. Another 7.3 percent said that pollution
control in the urban area is their top concern.
In contrast, less than three percent of the people from older age
groups only regarded environment and pollution as their top concern.
A press officer of the NBS said the wealthier, better educated
younger generation are paying greater attention to the quality of
life than their parents. Young Chinese are considering the protection
of the ecological environment and pollution control as issues of
equal importance to income growth.
The survey showed that 86.5 percent of urban residents in China
believe that the awareness of environmental protection has been
improved around the nation. About 76 percent of them believe that
the government should pay more attention to the issue of curbing
pollution in cities.
On the other hand, Chinese media keep biting the heels of pollution
issues, which has helped enhance the nation's awareness of environmental
protection. Television stations and newspapers in major cities around
China release air quality reports on a daily basis. Some of them
even offer advice about air pollution hazards to outdoor exercisers.
Young Chinese are enjoying better education about environmental
protection than any time in the past. Environmental knowledge has
become part of the curricula in primary and middle schools.
More than 830,000 primary school students in Beijing participate
in a "green angel" activity by encouraging their parents
to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
According to the survey, in Beijing and major cities where the
education of environmental protection is well conducted, people
are more concerned with the environment than in other places.
(People's Daily 02/20/01)
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