Over 80 volunteers, including kayaking enthusiasts from Suzhou Kayaking and SUP Surfing Association, staff from SIP Land Resources and Environmental Protection Bureau (SIP-LREPB) and citizens expecting to do their bit in environmental protection, gathered at Jinji Lake, SIP on Mar 23 to clean up the trash in the lake. In kayaks, they fanned out across the lake surface to pick up such litter as bottles, plastic ropes and broken balloons, and put them in trash bags for disposal. 

"This is the second straight year that we organize an event of the kind. It is a good way to arouse people's awareness of environmental protection. We teamed up with Blue Sky Rescue (a non-governmental emergency rescue organization) to ensure the participants' safety," said Han Bing, chairperson of Suzhou Kayaking and SUP Surfing Association.

Sun Liang, a staff member at SIP-LREPB, took part together with his wife and twin daughters.

"It was the first time the girls tried kayaking. They were very excited to be part of the event, despite a little bit of fear at the very beginning. We appreciate the chance for them to know better about environmental protection," the mother said.