Walking the Green Arteries of the City: NYU Shanghai Community Takes Action for a Low-Carbon Lifestyle
On November 22, the “Green Corridor Challenge” and the 13th Walk the Road of Love event was successfully held. The event was hosted by Shanghai New York University and co-organized by the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science (LOUD).More than 80 faculty members, staff, and students from Shanghai New York University participated in a seven-kilometer urban walk. Starting from the Qiantan Campus, the route passed through riverside parks and concluded at the Expo Central SOE Headquarters. Along the way, participants engaged in interactive activities and lectures to learn about environmental protection, measuring the green city with their footsteps and putting a healthy, low-carbon, and sustainable lifestyle into practice through action.
Opening Remarks by President Shijun Tong of Shanghai New York University
In his opening remarks, Shijun Tong, President of Shanghai New York University, noted that the University actively responds to the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda and Shanghai’s ecological city development guidelines. With a strong focus on urban science, the University established the LOUD, aiming to support sustainable urban development through cutting-edge research.He further remarked,“I believe today’s event is not only a city walk, but also a vivid and immersive experiential classroom. It will offer participants a more tangible experience and a deeper understanding of the development of green and ecological cities.”
Remarks by Provost Bei Wu of Shanghai New York University
“Shanghai New York University has always been committed to deeply integrating academic insights with community practice, and today’s event is a vivid embodiment of that philosophy,” said Provost Bei Wu.“This walk reminds us that climate action is not an abstract concept — it concerns everyone, it is local, and it depends on collective collaboration. When countless small actions come together, they can lead to meaningful change.”
Opening Ceremony Hosted by Wei Guo, Executive Director of Human Resources at Shanghai New York University
“This event is also an organic integration of the traditional NYU Global Walking Challenge with Shanghai NYU’s public welfare walking events ‘Walk the Road of Love’ and the ‘Seeing China with the President’ series,” said Wei Guo, Executive Director of Human Resources at Shanghai New York University.“We encourage faculty, staff, and students from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds within the NYU Shanghai community to step outside the campus, to care for themselves and one another through action, and to pay attention to the environment we all live in.”
In the afternoon, the group officially set off from the Qiantan Campus. After several days of cold weather, sunshine returned to Shanghai, and participants strolled through green urban spaces in high spirits, enjoying scenic views along the riverside.
This city walk featured five interactive checkpoints, designed as “knowledge stations”. Through answering quiz questions and completing tasks, participants learned about topics such as green mobility, low-carbon finance, and solar energy applications.
This event received strong support from several partners, including Shanggan New Village Subdistrict, the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Centre, the Executive Committee of Shanghai Climate Week, State Grid Yingda, Bank of Ningbo Shanghai Luwan Branch, Shanghai Highshine Leading Power Development Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Hyneng Green Power Co., Ltd.These organizations set up various engaging checkpoints along the route to share knowledge on low-carbon living.
Ana Albarracin, a freshman from Guatemala, shared:“The event was a lot of fun. It gave us a chance to explore the city and make new friends beyond our academic life. My team leader told me many interesting things about Shanghai, which helped me understand the city better. I also learned more about green mobility, and now I feel that only by taking real action to protect the environment can we truly enjoy a better life.”
Zhu Juncheng (center) walks with his group along the Huangpu River in Qiantan.
Also a freshman, Zhu Juncheng participated in a school-organized city exploration activity for the first time.“I really enjoy the sense of being part of a group. It was great to appreciate the riverside scenery while completing the tasks together,” he said. “This event made me realize the importance of using more recyclable items in daily life and reducing waste. I hope to join more campus activities focused on environmental protection in the future.”
Wang Jing, Assistant Professor of Interactive Media and Business at Shanghai New York University, shared her thoughts:“In communication studies, when people participate in something collectively, the flow of information becomes a kind of ritual. This sense of ritual can help deepen awareness and reflection on environmental issues.”
“The random grouping format was also very interesting — it allowed us to break out of our usual social circles and discuss sustainability topics with people from different disciplines. It was a great opportunity to exchange diverse perspectives.”
The final stop of the walk was the State Grid Yingda Yangtze River Delta Financial Center, located at the Shanghai Expo area.Inside the center’s dual-carbon exhibition hall, data displays and physical models vividly illustrated energy-saving measures and their results. Meanwhile,participants engaged in hands-on activities — transforming recycled bottle caps into decorative art pieces and using coffee grounds to create sand paintings — experiencing the charm of “turning waste into treasure” through interactive and creative fun.
Academic Sharing by Professor Kangning Huang
At the conclusion of the event, Kangning Huang, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Shanghai New York University, delivered an engaging academic talk that added deeper reflection to the day’s green initiative.
Starting with a comparison between Shanghai and New York—two international financial centers that have both flourished by the water—Professor Huang pointed out that while these cities enjoy unique geographical advantages, they also face serious threats from rising sea levels.
He warned that if global carbon emissions continue along the highest projected trajectory, Shanghai may face increasingly frequent climate-related disasters, with critical infrastructure at risk of severe impacts.
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