Cynical, tech-reliant, lazy, anti-social (at least offline), unfocused. All of these are stereotypes flung at Gen Z, or Zoomers as they are called on the web. But nothing could be farther from the truth when it comes to Qinglan Du.
This 18-year-old expat attends Beijing City International School (BCIS) and has called London, Jerusalem, and Beijing home. I reached out to her because I was told of a clean-up initiative she began in Jerusalem and has continued and expanded here in Beijing. I was beyond impressed with her global perspective, self-awareness, and balanced approach to life, as well as her reflections on her generation and the problems they face. Rather than a simple write-up of the good work she is doing, I would love to let this exceptional Zoomer speak for herself and her generation. It is lightly redacted and edited for space but I hope you find her answers as inspiring and motivating as I did.
Tell me a little bit about the environmental initiative “Cleaning up Beijing.”
Two years ago when the pandemic first started, I started the environmental initiative Cleaning Up Jerusalem. I wanted to help my community somehow instead of staying at home and watching the world fall to pieces. It started with just one friend and I… Jerusalem is not like Beijing. There aren’t people responsible for cleaning the streets, so even in the city center, every corner is crammed with litter. On our first cleanup, another student in her class passed by and spontaneously decided to help… Eventually, I gathered a group of around 40 participants.
In October 2020, I moved back to Beijing. I wanted to continue my cleanup project so I worked with my school to promote it and apply for funding. Eventually, I managed to gather a group of peers who were interested and we went on cleanups regularly. Our group chat now has 90ish people from all across Beijing.
What was the hardest/most surprising thing about starting the initiative?
The hardest thing was persuading people to join. A lot of people viewed picking up trash as a “lowly” or “unhygienic” task. I always prepare gloves, metal trash pickers, and sanitizer for my cleanups so everyone stays safe. But many people think the idea of picking up after others is “below” them. The hardest thing was shifting that mindset.
What are your plans for the program in the future?
Last April, I received a US 2,500 grant from ACAMIS to fund my project and work with the school to have someone continue it after I graduate this May…
I plan to find someone or multiple people in my high school, from lower grade levels, to continue “Cleaning Up Beijing” after I graduate. I also plan to bring this project with me wherever I end up for university and run it as a student organization there. But the goal is to make this a more international project so that there are stations across the world.
Why is it so important to you to give back?
I think as a healthy, physically-abled person I have a responsibility to give back. The way I look at it is if I don’t pick it up then who will? I’ve been very lucky in my life so far. Giving back allows me to meet all kinds of people… and learn about the world in a way that you can’t learn in a classroom. Through these experiences, I met a lot of people, like the visually-impaired boy who can remember any melody I sing to him and play it back to me on the piano, or the amazing crew at Roundabout who put their heart into organizing all the bizarre items sold in the Roundabout shop.
How has being a third culture kid shaped you and your worldview?
Being a third culture kid showed me that the world is always bigger than you think it is. There are so many different perspectives and opinions out there, many of which challenge the basic things I believe in. And this culture shock/culture gap is something that really shaped my worldview. Oftentimes it’s just little things. For example, when I lived in Jerusalem, I remember there was an outdoor concert in my neighborhood. My mom and I went to watch and walked into the crowd. Then a man came blowing a whistle and told us to stand outside where there was a screen door to separate the women so men are prioritized. This is just a small example of how gender inequality in other cultures shocked me…There are many instances like this that fostered a sense of global awareness in me.
What do you think your generation’s biggest challenges will be?
Deciding which direction we want to head in as humanity. I think we’ve reached a point where so many fundamental things, the things that make us human, are being replaced. We no longer need to stand face to face with someone to interact with them, we have the internet. We no longer need so many jobs because they’re being replaced by technology. By the time my generation has grown up, we will reach a point where we need to decide whether to keep developing and advancing, or we acknowledge we have advanced enough…And this will be a very difficult decision.
What advice do you have for other kids who want to be more involved and make changes in their community?
The hardest part is finding opportunities. Like when I was in Jerusalem, I reached out to many peacebuilding organizations but they didn’t want me because I wasn’t Israeli or Palestinian. You might find you are very passionate about community service but don’t have a place to start. In that case, I’d say don’t be afraid to start your own.
And a lot of the time, people think helping their community has to be something grand and influential. It really doesn’t have to be. There are so many minor issues that go unnoticed in society…I’d say find something small that you’re genuinely concerned about.
When you aren’t in school or working towards a better planet what do you like to do?
I like to make music and tell stories through songwriting. When I’m onstage I feel at home, so you can always find me singing on stage at school events…I also really, really love the Beijing subway. When the new Line 17, Line 19, and Line 11 opened, I went to ride them on the first day with my friend. It’s partially because I can watch so many different people go about their lives, but also because I can go anywhere in the city freely. But yeah, I love the subway.
If people want to get involved and help you, how can they do that?
They are welcome to add my Wechat: qinglanjerusalem and I can add them to our Cleaning Up Beijing group.
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Images: Qinglan Du
