The We Impact wishes you a wonderful Chinese New Year and a happy horse year!
Suggestions for sustainable Chinese New Year Celebration:
1. Against Shark Fin
Chinese New Year is the longest and the most important festive holiday in China. As families gather and dine on possibly the most delicious and lavish meal of the year. A surge in demand for shark fin soup is typical during Chinese New year, as those who can afford it serve it to show off their wealth. This practice is terribly inhumane, wasteful, and sustainable, and is currently responsible for the slaughter of between 26 – 73 million sharks each year, threatening shark species with extinction. Without sharks, numerous unpredictable population changes would occur and damage the marine ecosystem. Fiining is not only critically threatening shark populations, but sharks din can be dangerous for human consumption with excessive levels of cadmium and methyl mercury. Chinese New year can and should be celebrated sustainably, and we can do this by making more responsible food choices.
Get active to help shark conservation https://www.sharksavers.org/en/get-active/
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/bfinamore/protect_endangered_sharks_cele.html
2. No fire crackers
As traditionally celebrated, Chinese New Year is a not the greenest of holidays. Parades to celebrate the New Year are coclorful and noisy, with lion dances and drummers, but setting off long strings of firecrackers leaves bits of red paper and the smoky smell of gunpower behind. There are signs that China is trying to be more environmental friendly, though. Last year, after hours long of fireworks in Beijing on the eve of the New Year, air pollution rose dramatically. As the smog that shrouded many parts of north and east China recently sparked debate over fireworks during Chinese New Year, and this year, Beijing authorities are asking people to limit how many fireworks they set off or forego doing so entirely.
http://www.care2.com/causes/4-steps-greener-chinese-new-year.html
3. Brighten your House
It is a traditional to give one’s house a thorough cleaning to clear out any bad luck before Chinese New Year. That time has passed, but it’s never too late to clean and organize and to start out the year of the horse with your best face on. Make sure you have a bright and energy saving light bulb illuminating the way, chek to make sure that your doorbell works, and add some plants to your house.
http://inhabitat.com/5-ways-to-celebrate-chinese-new-year-with-feng-shui/
http://www.care2.com/causes/4-steps-greener-chinese-new-year.html
4. 3 Finger Symbol
In China, the days before the New Year often mean a mass exodus of 200 million people back to their hoem towns to close and open another year. They also bring home knowledge, gifts and happiness. Take pictures with your 3-finger pose, and share the meaning of the 3-finger symbol with their family, it might changes people’s realization that they have individual social responsibility within the family and in the community. Understanding and sharing the 3-finger symbol causes to think about society, environment and economy in balance.