April, 2009

We British are often accused of being obsessed with the weather. Yet I have to say that the people I’ve met here – local and foreigner alike – make us beleaguered Brits look positively disinterested.

For three years I’ve toyed with the idea of moving into a courtyard home. Oh, the romance of it. Having our very own red door. The private yard complete with ancient date tree. Living cheek by jowl with our Chinese neighbors (who dote on Elsa, naturally).

• Read more

It’s easy to wax philosophical about the best way to conserve energy, save water and reduce pollution, but it’s another thing to put those words into everyday action. For example, would you give up taking long showers, using the air conditioner, riding in taxis, or eating meat? beijingkids sat down with four Grade 9 students from the Western Academy of Beijing to discuss population control, saving endangered species and just how much each of us is willing to sacrifice for the Earth.  

What would you be willing to give up for the environment?
Amelia: Jocelyn and I are vegetarians. In humanities class, we saw a movie about animal slaughtering.
Jocelyn: I’ve been a vegetarian since seventh grade because I read a book with horrifying facts that changed me forever. Did you know that cows raised for slaughter consume the amount of food that could feed people in Africa?
Wentao: I love meat, but for the environment, I’ll be vegetarian one day a week. I’m interested in science and how to save energy, so my way might be different from others.

• Read more

When the routine of city life gets you down and you need an escape to greener pastures, take a trip – day-long or overnight – to Miyun Reservoir, located about 100km from Beijing’s city center.

Miyun Reservoir boasts beautiful scenery. Spend the afternoon hiking, biking around the reservoir or on the main road (traffic is usually light), and taking leisurely drives through the hills. Enjoy the change from the urban jungle and relish the sight of trees and the lack of traffic. Although swimming in the reservoir is forbidden (it’s Beijing’s source of drinking water), the views of the reservoir and beautiful foliage are worth making the trip. For a taste of local culture, buy fruit or fish from the nongmin (farmers).

• Read more

Key Words

 

 

有机食品, yǒujī shípǐn: organic food
有机产品 yǒujī chǎnpǐn: organic product
有机蔬菜 yǒujī shūcài: organic produce
绿色食品 lǜsè shípǐn: “green” food

When shopping for organically grown and processed food products, look for the the “Certified Organic” label (有机认证, yǒujī rènzhèng) by the OFDC (Organic Food Development Center). This is an independent food certification agency of the State Environmental Protection Administration accredited by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements), an internationally recognized umbrella organization for organic movements. Also look for food products marked with the COFCC (China Organic Food Certification Center) label, and the National Organic Food label. Organic products are labeled “China Organic Product” (中国有机产品, zhōngguó yǒujī chǎnpǐn), while products made during a period of conversion to organic methods are labeled “Conversion Product” (中国有机转换产品, zhōngguó yǒujī zhuǎnhuàn chǎnpǐn).

• Read more

China produces and discards more than 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks every year, cutting down as many as 25 million trees in the process. Another 15 billion pairs are exported to Japan, South Korea and other countries.

 

 

Production of disposable chopsticks poses a serious threat to the survival of forests, so rather than using disposable ones, carry your own reusable chopsticks with you. If you do use disposable chopsticks, ask for ones made out of bamboo (竹, zhú). Bamboo is a more environmentally friendly alternative to wood – it is in ample supply, grows quickly and easily, and is not prone to warping. Greenpeace China is currently running an “I’m not disposable” chopsticks campaign.

For more information on what you can do, go to http://act.greenpeace.org.cn/kxd/ (Chinese only), or www.greenpeace.org/china/en.

Fiona Lee doesn’t buy shampoo, face wash, laundry detergent, hand soap or household cleaners anymore. Instead, the American creates a natural soap using soapnuts (also called soapberries), the shells from the fruit of the tree Sapindus Mukorossi. The shells create a natural soap when activated in warm water, producing an elixir that is gentle enough to be used on the face and body and yet effective enough to double as a household cleaner.

For RMB 120, Lee received 5kg of soapnuts from the Beijing Organic Group – enough to last the rest of the year. But saving money isn’t what led Lee to use the sudsy shells. Normal laundry detergents have phosphates and other chemicals, which go straight down the drain, eventually ending up in waterways and oceans. Phosphates generate algae blooms that clog waterways and deprive the ocean of oxygen, creating “dead zones” where marine life cannot live.

• Read more

How to minimize pollution in your home

 

 

We’ve heard a lot about the earth’s increasingly polluted skies from many scientific and environmental groups. According to the European Space Agency and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, for instance, there’s a band of pollution that spans from Los Angeles to Beijing.

But don’t think that pollution doesn’t extend into your home too. Luckily, improving air quality indoors doesn’t need to be an uphill battle. Simply adjusting your cleaning regimen and ensuring your home is properly sealed will go a long way to help your family breathe a little easier.

• Read more

The Earth has warmed by an average of 0.56 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years, and many of the world’s leading climate scientists think people’s actions are making the planet warmer. China, with its large population and fragile environment, stands to be one of the biggest victims of climate change. Released in 2006, China’s first Climate Change Report predicts the country’s annual average temperature will rise by as much as 3.3 degrees Celsius by 2050, and by 2100 it could soar by as much as six degrees Celsius. 

 

 

Since the 1950s, glaciers in northwest China have melted at a rate of seven percent annually, putting the quality and supply of drinking water for millions of Chinese at risk. Studies also suggest that a two degree Celsius increase in mean air temperature in southern China could decrease rain-fed rice yield by five to 12 percent, possibly destabilizing the country’s main food source.

• Read more

Compost, or decaying organic matter, tends to evoke impressions of an unpleasant nature: foul smells, swarms of flies and mounds of rotting vegetation. Banish those thoughts. The reality of composting is both easy and pleasant.

 

 

Many city dwellers have integrated composting seamlessly into their lives, having found that not only is it a convenient, cheap and odor-free way to reduce their daily outgoing waste, but it can also be done in the tiniest of homes.

 

• Read more

You probably won’t spot any rare birds in the CBD, but there are plenty of feathered creatures that live in the capital and in the nature areas near Beijing.

 

 

Several city parks are actually bird-watching hot spots, and since they’re just a subway ride away, you can pat yourself on the back for appreciating nature while maintaining a minimal carbon footprint. Try the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Beihai Park, Yuanmingyuan, Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, the Summer Palace, or the Beijing Botanical Garden. In these locations, you may catch sight of waterfowl, which are quite friendly (and easily captured on camera). Keep an eye out in these parks for common woodland birds such as the swallow, pied harrier, mandarin duck, turtledove, woodpeckers, long-eared owl and crows. Several wetland and reservoirs around Beijing are also bird-friendly. Try Yeyahu Lake (Wild Duck Lake) near the Guanting Reservoir in Yanqing County, Shahe Reservoir in Changping District, and Bahe Wetland Park in Chaoyang District.

• Read more

If you think office cockroaches are the only wild animals in Beijing, think again. Nature finds its way into most big cities, and Beijing is no exception.

 

 

The capital’s winding hutongs are a long way from the steppe, but they still seem to appeal to Siberian weasels. Known locally as huangshulang (“yellow rat wolf”), these night prowlers terrorize Beijing’s rodents after dark, and are relatively common inside the Second Ring Road – the Confucius Temple is a popular weasel hangout.

• Read more

Jaime Olea, Spain, 2 years old

• Read more

Those of you with long memories but short social schedules may remember that in past columns I have lavished praise on both my son’s ayi and Chinese granny. (To summarize: Nowhere inside or outside of Christendom was there an ayi like her; uninterfering mother-in laws like these don’t grow on trees.)

• Read more

1 beijingkids Little Pirates Treasure Hunt
Shiver me timbers, wee mateys! beijingkids calls all little pirates and treasure seekers for lunch at Latin Grillhouse and a hunt for precious booty at Solana. If it’s a pirate’s life for you, then come plunder, swig kid-friendly grog, enjoy the sunshine and play games to win loot. Aye aye, me hearties, we won’t make you walk the plank! The fun takes place April 25. Come for games, gifts and exciting prizes. RMB 80 per person; suitable for families with children ages 3 to 10. 11am-2pm. Tickets are limited. RSVP before Apr 22 to Yindra or Joe at 5820 7700 ext 866 or marketing@beijing-kids.com.

• Read more

Bond while building your core

After the amazing and grueling experience of birth, new moms need a lot of time before their bodies make a full recovery. “Post-natal yoga was my way to gain confidence in my body after having my baby a year and a half ago,” said Isabelle Cyr, a Canadian who now teaches a class at Yoga Yard for moms and their babies. In Cyr’s classes, moms have lots of bonding time – with their babies and also with other moms. Here, Cyr demonstrates a basic workout designed for moms and their babies with 3-month-old Tyler Stokes.

Cow Facing Pose
This pose stretches and opens your hips. The first variation (1) doubles as a breastfeeding position. The second variation (1-3) stretches the upper body, especially the shoulders.

1. Cross legs and stack your right knee on top of your left, keeping each foot turned so that the little toes rest on the floor.

2. Inhale and stretch your right arm out to shoulder height. Rotate arm inward. Exhaling, sweep arm behind you, bending the elbow and walking fingers up the back; palm faces away from the body.

• Read more

From Blah to Ooh La La
Rapunzel-worthy locks in minutes (okay, hours)

 

 

On a recent visit to Toni & Guy at Sunshine 100, I noticed a stylist working on a client, a woman who had the most beautiful blond hair, with big soft curls – just like Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively.

• Read more

…1½
hours to Qingdao
The beer capital of China is just a 90-minute flight away. Lao Shan, the sacred Taoist mountain by the sea, is a must-see; ride the cable car to the peak for amazing views, or hike up for a more secluded experience. Nosh on fresh seafood or Bavarian wurst, head to Small Qingdao Island for Southern California-esque beaches, and see the kids squeal with delight when they spot the penguins and bears at Polar Ocean World.

• Read more

Family Outing: Season Café / Creperie
Art offers its own rewards, but if you need a sweetener to sell a family excursion to 798, consider a pit stop at Season Café / Creperie. Simple, fun and easy to eat, crepes are the ultimate Gallic comfort food, a staple of French childhood. Here, the savory galettes au sarrazin (buckwheat crepes) come with fillings classic (ham and cheese) and novel (bacon, scrambled eggs, fresh tomatoes and cheese). Perfect for dessert or for an afternoon goûter, the sweet, wheat flour versions can be ordered with honey (RMB 22) and Nutella (RMB 25). The restaurant sits down a quiet alley and its lack of pretension appeals to gallery-weary families.

• Read more

The Fish Facts: Omega-3s Rule

 

 

Not all fats are the same. Some, like omega-3 fatty acids, are actually good for you, promoting heart health in adults and eye and brain development in children. In particular, studies have shown that some of these fatty acids found in fish oils can reduce the pain associated with menstrual cramps and, for pregnant women, the risks of premature delivery and low infant birth weight. For children, studies show encouraging results for the use of fish oil as a complement to medical treatment for asthma, and as a promoter of cognitive and motor development.

• Read more

Giver Extraordinaire
Leslie Simpson Finds Her Calling

 

 

Fulfilling wish lists is how Leslie Simpson, a former accountant from Scotland, spends her time these days. Her charity distribution store, Roundabout, accepts donations of gently used household goods and sends them to two dozen charities around Beijing.

• Read more

No TV, No Regrets
Fed up with watching your toddler’s sing-along DVD yet again? Research from the Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School in the US shows that watching TV doesn’t benefit or harm the language and motor skills of kids younger than two. Still, don’t forget that watching the tube is associated with obesity, attention problems and decreased sleep quality.

• Read more

Melanie Morana

 

 

Where are you from?
I’m from Germany, but my husband is Italian. He works at the Italian Embassy.

 

 

How many kids do you have?
Two daughters, 9 and 4. They attend BSB and Ivy Bilingual.

 

 

Where are your clothes from?
This jacket is from the Silk Market. My boots are from Yashow. I bought this shirt in Xi’an.

 

 

How would you describe your style?
Not too complicated. Nice and easy.

 

 

What do you look forward to doing in the warm weather?
Having a salad outside at Assagi.

 

 

How do you help save the environment?
I biked here today. I try to not use plastic bags, and I try to remember to turn off lights, and turn down the heat.

• Read more

Isabella Iris Fittall
British. Born to David and Robyn Fittall on Sep 25 at Beijing United Family Hospital.

• Read more

Green Guilt

 

 

Once upon a time, I thought of myself as a decent citizen of the Earth. In my pre-China life, I took the subway, lived in a small apartment, ate a pescatarian diet and sorted my trash for recycling. On Saturday mornings, I walked to a farmer’s market to buy organic kale, the day’s catch from a local fishing boat, and eggs that came from free-range chickens.

• Read more