Who on earth would put Dame Jane Goodall and the Hash House Harriers in the same boat? All is not what it seems, though. On September 24, the Roots & Shoots China World Summit will be held at the Jane Goodall Institute of China, featuring stage performances, informational displays about NGOs and environmental programs and fun educational activities. We chatted with Executive Director Lei Wong about China’s youth and meeting the British premier.

Living in Beijing, we often feel out of touch with nature. High-rise buildings, pollution and concrete roads hardly call to mind dewy grass, fresh water streams and chirping songbirds.

Now, the Green Earth Volunteers – one of the oldest local environmental NGOs in China – is offering expats an opportunity to reconnect with the great outdoors. They have been organizing a “River Watch” activity (乐水行) every Saturday for the past two years, but starting in July, they’ve arranged for monthly English-language translations as well. And their second one ever is taking place tomorrow morning (see details below).

Here’s a look at some news and opinions for the past week from the drain of sexpats on Beijing to China’s environmental efforts.

The world’s largest voluntary action takes place this Saturday, March 26, 2011. Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour 2011 intends to be bigger than ever.

This year’s theme has expanded to not only promote awareness of climate change, but also environmental sustainability. The WWF asks that individuals, businesses and governments turn off their lights from 8.30pm-9.30pm, as well as pledge to make one change for the planet.

Due to a lingering drought and a record breaking dry winter, Beijing is to experiment with measures to more strictly regulate water conservation and recycled water usage.

Global Times China Publicly burns 5.2 million pirated DVD's and Books.

China's anti-piracy authorities organized public burnings of 5.2 million pirated books and compact discs Monday in several localities across China. The items were incinerated in Beijing and Tianjin, as well as Shanxi, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces. As of December 31, 650,000 law enforcement personnel had been dispatched to examine producers and sellers of books, software and video products. Buy up, buy up fast!

Global Times 1 billion-euro 7 star hotel in Burj Dubai style for Beijing

The name Jane Goodall calls to mind an adventuresome young woman who, starting in 1960, braved the wilds of Tanzania to live with and study Chimpanzees. Through years of intimate interaction with man’s closest relatives, Goodall contributed enormously to our knowledge of Chimpanzees and also to our understanding of our own species. She also helped to galvanize the environmental movement, through her lifelong crusade for wildlife and environmental conservation, a mission that spans and flourishes all over the world. Leading this movement in China is Lei Chen Wong, the Executive Director of the local branch of the Jane Goodall Institute, whose Roots and Shoots program teaches local youth a deep love and respect for nature. Agenda caught up with Lei to find out how she sews the seeds to grow China’s environmental movement from the roots up.

A quick note from our friends at Greening the Beige – this Sunday (October 10) is the Beijing Climate Party to launch the “Great Green Initiative,” grandly described as “the largest youth-led environmental campaign in China’s history.” The good news is the organizers have extended the registration date for the Great Green Race to today (October 8), so readers still have a chance to participate.

www.chc-ut.org

A new report shows that China now has more people with diabetes than any other country. We sought out Dr. Limei Xu of Hong Kong International Medical Clinic (HKIMC) for advice on how to protect ourselves from the disease.

Upon first arriving in Beijing, we are warned not to drink from the tap. And so we commit to bottled water – and get lulled into thinking that we’re safe. But are we?