Chinese Students Visit Palo Alto to Learn About Sustainability

On a clear Bay Area Area Friday, 40 Chinese students pulled out iPhones and cameras and snapped pictures of the blue sky.

"A blue, clear sky in China was such a rarity that most of the students had only seen such a thing on postcards and in pictures," according to Debra Katz, a spokeswoman with the City of Palo Alto's Utilities Department. She paraphrased in a press statement what the teacher told city staff on July 12. "There is an old belief in China that to be financially successful, one can’t help creating pollution."

However, these students—selected by the Ministry of Education's Little Cultural Ambassador Program—visited Palo Alto to change that old belief. The Chinese government hoped to shift the mindset of this group to the belief that China can be both successful and environmentally conscious, according to the statement.

The youngsters, between the ages of 10 and 14 years old, learned from Utilities Director Valerie Fong, about Palo Alto’s 100 percent carbon neutral electricity, the plastic bag ban and the support for electric cars.

They went on an EcoHome Demonstration tour and engaged in educational games about water-efficiency and landscape technologies. They learned about recycling and also about utility efficiency.

"Despite having landed in San Francisco at 2 a.m. the night before, the students were energized and enthusiastic!" Katz said.

The students return to China after a two-week environmental educational trip around California.