碳中和Tàn zhōnghéCarbon Neutrality

The first time I heard the term "carbon neutrality" was on the TV news, and to be honest, I understood none of it at the time.

Only after looking it up did I understand: simply put, however much carbon dioxide you emit, you must reduce or absorb that same amount, so the total equals zero.

China's goal is to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, which means energy, transportation, and industry must all undergo enormous changes.

It sounds like something that concerns only governments and big companies, with little to do with ordinary people.

But think about it carefully: our everyday choices are actually all connected to it — drive or take the subway, turn on the air conditioner or open the window.

The buses below my building have all been switched to electric ones — so quiet that at first I couldn't even get used to it.

Of course, some people doubt it: if I alone use one less plastic bag, does it really make a difference?

One person's power is indeed small, but what policy can change is precisely the shared habits of hundreds of millions of people.

Even if all you do is turn off the lights when you leave, it still counts as taking part in this great undertaking whose results will only be visible decades from now.