Mountain breeze sways through the treetops, and the red vests of volunteers form the most striking sight along the Maluan Mountain Trail in Pingshan. “Hello! Join our ‘Plastic Collection for Rewards’ program—you can exchange the collected waste for bottled water here.” Every weekend, this friendly reminder echoes through the mountains at the northwest gate of Maluan Mountain Country Park, which connects the 13th and 14th sections of Shenzhen Pingshan District’s Kunpeng Trail.
Launched on May 1, 2025, the environmental initiative themed “Coastal and Mountain Plastic Cleanup, Green and Beautiful Pingshan” has taken firm root here. Over the past eight months, 55 volunteer activities have been held, with teams of volunteers—including Dandelion Lecturers, enthusiastic local residents, students and corporate volunteers—taking turns to participate, helping to embed the concept of environmental protection into the hearts of every hiker. By the end of December, when the 2025 campaign concluded, more than 20,000 citizens and tourists had joined in, collecting a total of 23,000 plastic bottles and over 200 kilograms of other waste, effectively reducing the environmental burden on Maluan Mountain’s clear waters and green mountains.
A new scene has emerged on the mountain trail: instead of littering casually, people now pick up trash as they go. Every weekend morning, as the first ray of sunlight shines on the northwest gate of Maluan Mountain Country Park, the volunteer service station is already fully prepared. Garbage bags, check-in markers and bottled water are neatly arranged on the table, waiting for hikers about to embark on the Kunpeng Trail. Centered on the core principle of “Take Away Your Own Trash”, the campaign focuses on “Source Plastic Reduction and Classified Recycling”. The “Plastic Collection for Rewards” check-in mechanism encourages public participation: hikers can exchange 5 empty plastic bottles for 1 bottle of water at the service station after their hike. This small incentive is like a stone thrown into a lake, creating far-reaching ripples of environmental awareness. Snack wrappers and plastic bottles that once littered the trail are now rarely seen, replaced by reusable eco-friendly bags in people’s hands and the smiling faces of hikers redeeming their rewards after a fruitful cleanup.
Diversified Governance: A Special Volunteer “Alliance”
A notable feature of Pingshan District’s “Coastal and Mountain Plastic Cleanup” campaign is the mobilization of a diverse volunteer “alliance”, turning environmental protection into a public-participatory social practice.
- Dandelion Lecturers serve as the “disseminators of environmental concepts”. As professionally trained waste sorting instructors, they not only teach proper waste classification methods, but also use vivid language to explain the profound significance of waste reduction, turning environmental knowledge into engaging conversations in the mountains.
- Local volunteers act as the “backbone” of the service stations. Mostly composed of nearby community residents who are familiar with the mountains, they provide thoughtful guidance and services with a strong sense of ownership.
- Student volunteers are the most dynamic “new force” in the team. Primary and secondary school students from Pingshan have attended a vivid ecological lesson through practice. Their actions of bending down to pick up trash are the most sincere practice of environmental protection, which also influences accompanying parents and passers-by.
- Volunteers from waste sorting enterprises provide professional “technical support”. Employee volunteers from environmental protection companies guide participants on more refined waste classification methods on-site, and are responsible for the subsequent transportation and resource utilization of the collected waste, ensuring the regular operation and professional closed-loop management of the campaign.
“Bringing together people from different backgrounds for the sake of protecting the same green mountains is a vivid example of building a social governance pattern featuring co-construction, co-governance and shared benefits,” said a relevant person in charge of the Pingshan District Urban Management Bureau.
The convergence of diverse forces has transformed this mountain service station beyond its basic function, turning it into a warm hub connecting people with each other and with nature.
Rooting the Concept: An Eight-Month “Gentle Persistence”
The consistent adherence to 55 “Coastal and Mountain Plastic Cleanup” volunteer activities on weekends and holidays over eight months is in itself a “gentle persistence”, silently conveying a truth: protecting nature lies in perseverance. “I originally brought my child here for hiking and exercise, but with the campaign, it has become our weekly ‘parent-child environmental protection class’,” said Ms. Zhang, who has attended almost every session with her 7-year-old son. “Now he is the ‘waste sorting supervisor’ at home, and will take the initiative to pick up trash on the road and sort it properly. This kind of change is more valuable than any verbal instruction.” Such positive changes are spreading in subtle ways.
When “Keeping the Trail Clean and Beautiful” becomes a conscious action for people to enjoy Maluan Mountain’s waterfalls, flowing springs, dense forests and tall bamboos, this mountain area carries not only the ecological green lung of Pingshan, but also a window showcasing the city’s civilization and humanistic warmth.
Pingshan’s Report Card: A Starting Point for the Future of Green Trails
With over 20,000 participants, 23,000 plastic bottles collected and 446.7 kilograms of waste removed from nature, Pingshan District’s 2025 “Coastal and Mountain Plastic Cleanup” campaign has drawn to a successful close. Yet more important than the figures is the emerging consensus of “Leave No Trace in the Wilderness, Keep Love in Your Heart”. From government-led efforts to diversified co-governance, from simple cleaning to concept dissemination, Pingshan District has taken Maluan Mountain as a practice field and delivered a heartwarming report card. Relevant responsible persons in Pingshan District stated that in the future, they will continue to deepen such outdoor environmental protection brand activities, improve the volunteer service and incentive mechanism, integrate the spirit of “Coastal and Mountain Plastic Cleanup” into more parks and greenways, and promote the formation of a lasting social trend of advocating green lifestyles and safeguarding ecological homes.