Wang Tao, born in 1971, is well-known for his environmental protection activities and environmental protection organization — Green Woodpecker Association.
The Green Woodpecker Association (Chinese children are taught that woodpeckers help clean up the forest by picking up worms) was founded in Oct 2006 to foster the civic manners of residents in Beijing before the Olympic Games and improve their awareness of environmental protection by persuading people not to spit, litter or cut in line.
Wang Tao (second from right) is a volunteer with the Green Woodpecker Association. [Photo/bjby.bjwmb.gov.cn] |
To date, about 4,000 volunteers have joined its branches in a group of cities across China, such as Wenzhou, Chengdu, Changchun, Qingdao and Shenyang.
In order to dissuade people from spitting in public, Wang Tao prepares leaflets and hand tissues at his own cost. If he sees an offender, he will deliver hand tissues and ask them to clean up their mess, and then show them his anti-spitting leaflets.
The Green Woodpecker Association organizes a charity activity on a weekend. [Photo/bjby.bjwmb.gov.cn] |
"If they refuse, I will do it in front of them. I hope they can pass our ideas and actions to their friends," he said.