Day 9 - A Tale of Two Cities: Visiting China's Premier Water Treatment Plant

NB: Two laptops were broken in a power surge, so the team is having some issues sending photos and stories. We'll post them as soon as we can!
Update: new photos have been posted. We'll add stories as soon as possible.

On our 9th day, for a few brief hours, we ceased being tourists or budding environmentalists and placed ourselves in the shoes of ordinary Chinese citizens.

Phase 2: Aeration

Visiting the Beijing Gao Bei Dian Water treatment facility allowed us to see the toll pollution and the water crisis is taking on human lives.

To get to Gao Bei Dian from our neighborhood requires Herculean effort: you must get on the metro, transfer at least 3 times, get on an overcrowded, sweltering one-stop bus that takes almost thirty minutes to reach the final-and only-destination.

We walked through the bleakest neighborhood we have seen during our trip to arrive at the contrastingly beautiful water treatment facility. The facility is everything its surrounding neighborhood is not: green, lush, flourishing, modern, optimistic.

After being escorted to a bright, airy auditorium by our smiling, polite guide, we watched a slickly crafted video on the importance of water conservation in China and the international partnerships between the Chinese government and leading organizations around the world. The video revealed that the plant was the largest of its kind in the country, with the major function of minimizing pollution in order to make the water usable.

Phase 3: Sedimentation ponds

Following the video, we toured the exhibition hall, a technological marvel that not only showcases the efforts of the plant but also explains the water treatment process through a simple, multi-sensory approach. There are mainly two steps to water treatment: primary and secondary. Primary treatment, which is the physical treatment of the water, is the removal of sludge and sediment. Secondary treatment involves the chemical and biological treatment of the water.

Oooh, the smell!

Though the exhibition included a detailed physical model of the plant, the highlight of our visit was when we were able to tour the plant ourselves. Despite the stench of raw sewage-which led us to quickly rename the facility the stinky place-we learned hands on the core steps to the process. The sites we visited were part of the primary water treatment. First, we viewed the bar screen, where sludge is separated from water. (That site really requires a strong constitution-and possibly a stuffy nose.) Fortunately, we survived the smell and were able to move on the aeration tank. There, air is pumped into the water to separate sludge and grit, a cappuccino of sorts, with equal parts sludge and grime. Finally, this process leads to the Reuse Water tank, which is clean enough to sustain baby koi.

Conducting the experiment

A few students-Allen, Tykia, and Alexis-were lucky enough to conduct a little experiment. Stirring a sediment solution for 30 seconds, watching a liquid turn into a solid, the group got a chance to observe a chemical change first hand.

While we were immersed in the world of the water treatment plant, we put aside the inequities we were confronted with during our bus ride and our walk through the neighborhood. But this was short lived. As soon as we left the plant, the disparity hit us right in the face. Most of us walked away asking questions about how to balance rapid economic growth with environmental justice for all. We all ended our day at the facility with the recognition that clean water is a basic human right-no matter what side of the city you find yourself living in.

Alexis and Mae, students at McKinley Tech and Central High Schools

Day 7: Does Your House Have Lions?

Could you imagine a million people constructing a home just for you? The Forbidden City is “historically and artistically one of the most comprehensive” architectural wonders of the world. The intricate designs of the royal palace were created for the purpose of pleasing one man. Touring these grounds, we couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to walk in the emperor’s shoes. Throughout the entire palace was a path of dragon paws that only the emperor could walk on. That path led to many breathtaking buildings which were used for different aspects of the emperor’s life. The Hall of Mental Cultivation was used for the emperor to do “nothing”. A completely separate room was the Hall of Respectful Thoughts. Normally, someone could do these things in one room, but the emperor seemed to need separate rooms for these tasks. We spent nearly two hours admiring the magnificent sites. As we exited, we followed the tradition of rubbing the “magic” golden door knobs for good luck. We would need it to get through the rest of the long day.

We made a long trek to a famous tea house just outside the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Not only was the food fantastic, but we were also treated to an ancient art form of puppetry. After viewing the famous Monkey King tale, we made our way to Tiananmen Square. Immediately after entering the square, it struck an emotional chord for all. We were confused to find out that there was no commemoration for the massacre of 1989. Going into the square, we felt like we would have an emotional connection; yet, we were surprised to find not one trace of the young lives sacrificed that day, many of whom were our age. Though we were perplexed, we were also very excited to see the iconic picture of Chairman Mao.

We went from seeing his picture in the square to seeing it replicated on watches, magnets, shirts, posters, and other memorabilia in the Silk Market. Right after we entered the market, we were bombarded by aggressive merchants eager to sell their merchandise. For the next two hours, we had our first taste of well-known bargaining. Exhausted, we jumped on the subway and headed back to the hotel.

Miss you all!

Dana and Nathalie (Woodson and Annandale)

Day 5: Mapping Our Journey: Wetlands, Work, and Wonder

Thus far it is fair to say that we have experienced the range of what Beijing has to offer. Walking tours though the Ho Hi District, Beijing Duck, meandering boat rides to the Summer Palace in the day and the Chinese Acrobats at night. While we could never travel across the ocean without experiencing the amazing hospitality of the Chinese people, our true purpose is to learn and serve in response to one of the most pressing challenges of our time: water. Today, our second at the Wetlands # 1 Normal Middle School, we began our first significant day of service.

Start of wetlands tour

After splitting into three teams, we rotated between hour-long work stations that included water testing, weeding, and mapping the four ponds of the wetlands. Physically demanding, the weeding required us to pull out the non-native invasive species that threatens to overtake the wetlands, and to clear paths that will allow visitors to navigate the area more easily. During the water testing, we first received a demonstration from a university graduate student, showing us how to test the water quality with various tools and instruments.

Inspecting a filtering pond

After watching the demonstration, we were tasked with gathering our own water samples, ranging from the clearest to the least clearest. For many, the time spent in the laboratory identifying the types of insects—"animals" as the Chinese call them—was the most engaging of the day. Putting on the hat of scientists, we not only uncovered the quality of the water and the variety of species inhabiting it, but also felt like scientists solving an authentic problem.

Additionally, our groups took turns mapping the four ponds of the wetlands, with just pencil, paper, and an illustration of the various plant species that inhabit the area. Many of us rendered detailed drawings of the four ponds, which will be used by the graduate students, professors, and wetlands laborers as a visual tool to track the variety of plant life there.

Allan takes a shot

Though we spent most of the day on the work at hand, during a break Kahill, Adonis, Alan, Tynekia, and Davontae executed some basketball diplomacy, playing a fierce two games with Chinese students from the school. They managed to win both—and make some great new friends!

Following our break, we ended the day with an enlightening discussion that brought our two days of learning and service full circle. We discussed three essential questions that will hopefully ensure our work here does not end when we leave. We discussed the importance of the wetlands for humans, the environment, and animals, the differences between the Hanshiquo and the Normal School Wetlands, and how we could make the school's project more inviting to students.

Restaurant at wetlands

Of course, we all agreed on the vital importance of the wetlands as a place that encourages biodiversity, provides a habitat where animals can live and thrive, filters water, provides respite from city life, and helps reduce flood waters. We also reached a consensus on how we could make the park more student friendly by providing park benches, observational decks, podcast tours, and hands-on activities that allow visitors to reach the same conclusions we did: learning and serving the environment is both fun and rewarding!

Editor's note: Do you know about the LSC '08 photo gallery? It contains more pictures than can be included in the blog posts, and sometimes gets new content first, so be sure to check it from time to time.

Day 4: Exploring the Wild, Wild Wetlands

At Hanshiquao

Today we visited the Hanshiqiao Wetland Reserve and the Beijing Wetland School to observe China's natural landscape. Historically, Beijing is surrounded by natural wetlands, but they are slowly being destroyed by the encroaching city. Though the city, with its bustling population and accompanying pollution, threatens to destroy this natural setting, some are working vigilantly to fight such a loss and to stave off China's pending water crisis.

The wetlands are a significant tool to solving the problems of pollution and the shortage of water because they help the environment by filtering the water, retaining surface water—preventing flash flooding—and promoting aquatic and terrestrial growth. Professor Hong, a recognized wetland expert, gave us a tour of both reserves, providing historical context and pointing out many of the 200 species of birds that inhabit Hanshiqiao. Our esteemed guide, Professor Hong, actually created the model educational program for wetland development, which seeks to enlist students to help protect the wetlands. Professor Hong believes that young people like us can help brainstorm inventive, fun ways to get Chinese students interested in preserving the wetlands, thus enhancing his educational model.

Happy Birthday Nathalie

Before heading off to the Normal School, the second part of our tour, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Hanshiqiao's celebrated restaurant. There, we surprised Nathalie with a birthday cake and serenade to celebrate her Sweet 16, a cross-cultural celebration, as we ate American-style birthday cake with Chinese chop-sticks!

While at the Beijing Wetland School, we watched slideshows and movies about the importance of the wetlands. The pictures were so beautiful. They really reinforced the importance of protecting the environment so that we can enjoy the awesome aspects of nature. After visiting both wetlands, we recognized some key differences. At Hanshiqiao, where we saw more biodiversity, there were more laborers involved in maintaining the wetlands and the facility seemed more established. However, the school had developed a functioning water treatment system.

By visiting both wetlands, we learned that they are a small step to fix aspects of the environmental crisis. Most of us left feeling that individual action and global cooperation could advance the goal of creating a healthier, greener planet.

After a day full of learning the importance of wetlands, we were treated to a special meal of Beijing duck at a local restaurant near our hotel. It was a fabulous end to a very full day!

by Katie and Tess

Day 3: On the Streets of Beijing, Surveying Water—And Chinese Culture

Planning the water survey

Today we started off with a morning survey about what we have learned about China, what we have learned about the water in Beijing, and also what we have learned about ourselves for the past 72 hours. We formed four different groups containing two different schools which gave us a very different variety of answers. Most of the answers were surprising and neatly thought through. Most of the staff and students assumed that the people in China were very friendly, peaceful, and very thankful of their water. We have learned that the water in Beijing has always been a problem since ancient times and also the people of China recycle and reuse the water all the time. They use water to wash different things before being discarded. We have learned major things about ourselves which include having a hard time trying to break habits based on the amount of water we use which includes taking a shower and brushing teeth. Another is we are starting to adapt to our surroundings, and we know how it feels to be an outsider because it is quite challenging not to be able to communicate in Chinese and always depending in our interpreters to get by.

Making pasta

After the morning session we had a session with Shoots and Roots organizers here in China and we had an informative session on what the situation is like in Chengdu and what the most needed items are (paper, shoes, clothes). We all met at Beijing International High School. After that we all went to the Noodle Loft Restaurant where we saw how pasta came to the Western World. We saw chefs making the pasta, working it, and cooking it while you are eating it.

Water survey

After the morning session, we broke up into small groups and carried out water usage surveys in the street, where we collected anecdotal data about how people in Beijing use water on a daily basis. We all had different experiences but we all found that the majority of young people and the most educated Chinese were more prone to be interviewed and cooperative. We also found that we were not welcome everywhere. Two of the groups went to one of the fanciest shopping centers in Beijing, Shin Kong Place, and we were escorted out by both security and the manager. We were told that this type of survey was not appropriate in their premises!!! So we had to leave and change the street in order to get the survey done.

Balancing trick

We end the day with an outstanding performance in the theater seeing a group of children and teenagers performing acrobats. Some of them seemed more like elastic bands than human beings. They were absolutely amazing!!! By the time we got back to the hotel, we all were exhausted but it was a great day.

A Very Brief History of Water-Day 2 in China: The Summer Palace

Most great cities are built along the banks of ancient rivers: the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Mississippi. However, this is not true for the most populous modern city in the world. Born of an arid desert, Beijing has been chasing water for over a thousand years. The city has become in emblem of modern progress, with all its promises and challenges. One of the biggest challenges the city—and all of China—has is its growing water crises. 20 percent of the world's population but a mere 7% of water resources, China has one of the most limited supplies of water in the world.

On the boat to the Summer Palace

We learned of this complex history, and the efficient, resourceful response of the Chinese, as we traversed the same route the ancient Emperors and Empresses used to travel to the impressive Summer Palace, somewhat of a vacation resort for ancient Chinese royalty. As we made our way, we had the distinct pleasure of being led by Michael Crook, an English Canadian who was born in Beijing and his spent his entire life there immersed in Chinese history, art and culture.

With a generous stretch of man-made canal behind us, we descended on the lush, majestic gardens and venerable architecture of the Summer Palace. The Tingli Guan, where the Emperor and his mother watched operas and entertained, Sida Bujhou, built in the Tibetan style, and Longevity Hill were especially memorable.

Our day appropriately ended with an abundant, traditional Chinese meal and a generous rain fall. How fitting.

Destination: Beijing, Take 2

Arriving in Beijing

We were all slightly apprehensive as we boarded the plane we had already been made to deplane once but this time, it really did take off, albeit eventually. The flight was set to be 12 hours so we quickly extracted our books, iPods or pillows from bulky carry on bags to amuse themselves. Some of us managed to fall asleep, heads lolling awkwardly to side before waking up with stiff necks minutes or hours later, while others tried to pass the time by other means unable to sleep as the daylight followed us for the entire twelve hours. A card game picked up at the rear of the plane several hours in and we all craned our necks at the windows as we passed the arctic to glimpse the fractured ice floats and heaps of snow. Four pointless movies and two and half quality airplane meals later, we touched down in Beijing, tired and cramped. I think we were all impressed by the massive airport though the miasmal air that greeted up as were stepped outside was rather less impressive. Hundreds of trees, spindly and newly planted before the Olympics, whizzed by as we drove to the hotel. For a desert city with water problems, our first impression was surprisingly green, though I suppose that’s kind of the point. Our hotel is clean and comfortable so we all collapse for a stretch before lugging our exhausted selves off to a lavish dinner and tour through the quintessentially Chinese neighborhood. By early evening, we were all in our surprisingly hard beds, waiting for our internal clocks to catch up with us, half way around the world.