The last four digits of her cell phone number are 0605, which is the date of the annual World Environment Day. The coat she usually wears is blue with white dots, symbolizing clean sky and clouds. Tian Guirong, 54, is a rural woman from Fanling Village, near Xinxiang City in Henan Province, who has earned the moniker of “environmental protection ambassador.”
　　She collected 65 tons of discarded batteries in four years to save 1 million square meters of land from contamination. She has organized 43 publicity events to spread awareness of environmental protection, and conducted three investigations into the pollution of the Yellow River.
　　In 2002, Tian started up the Association of Volunteers for Environmental Protection, China’s first farmer-run environmental nongovernmental organization, and launched a website dedicated to safeguarding the environment. Her contributions to combating environmental degradation have earned her numerous awards from home and abroad. Tian, who was elected head of the Villagers’ Committee of Fanling Village in April 2005, said she is determined to turn the pollution-plagued village into an environment-friendly haven.
　　
　　Beijing Review reporter Jing Xiaolei recently spoke with Tian.
　　
　　Beijing Review: You began collecting discarded batteries in 1999. What had motivated your start?
　　Tian Guirong: I was traveling in Beijing that year and I happened to read a short article in a newspaper. The article said that just one A-size battery could destroy 1 square meter of land, and one mercury-based battery could contaminate 600,000 liters of water--the equivalent amount of what a man would consume in a lifetime. That was a big shock to me because I was a battery dealer, having sold millions of batteries for more than eight years. It’s hard to imagine what damage I could have done if all those batteries were casually thrown away.
　　So you believed what the newspaper said, and began to reclaim discarded batteries, right?
　　Actually, after I returned home from Beijing, I made an investigation myself to find out where used batteries go in Xinxiang. I was stunned to discover that some local battery factories dump their waste directly into wells and rivers, or bury them by the side of the Yellow River. I visited a chemical professor at Henan Normal University and the professor confirmed what the newspaper said and told me the proper disposal of used batteries is crucial to environmental protection. Since then I have been determined.
　　
　　Do people understand what you are doing, and why?
　　
　　Not in the beginning. To impel people to reclaim used batteries instead of throwing them away, I delivered 3,000 green flags, 600 collecting boxes and 50,000 leaflets about the importance of properly disposing used batteries to schools, hospitals and stores in Xinxiang, all at my own expense. That October I put an advertisement in a local newspaper, advocating environmental protection and the recycling of used batteries.
　　Unexpectedly, I fell target to public attack. Some people laughed me off, some thought I was being silly and others accused me of fishing for fame and compliments. Even my family didn’t understand what I was doing and my four-year-old granddaughter turned a cold shoulder when I wanted to hug her. I was under great pressure. My balcony became the “balcony of tears” because I often cried there, alone. In those harsh days, I kept telling myself, “It doesn’t matter whether others understand me or not--at least the earth does.”
　　What do you do with the batteries you collect?
　　These batteries caused me a lot of trouble because the government didn’t encourage collecting used batteries for safe, mass disposal at that time, but I believed gathering them together was better than dispersed pollution. I’d made every attempt to deal with my collection of 65 tons of batteries, asking for help from local battery companies and the municipal environmental protection bureau. But all I got was the same reply: There’s no way to handle so much battery trash due to limited disposal technology.I had to store them at my home and two other temporary warehouses. My son’s bridal chamber was stacked with batteries. As a result, his wedding plan was postponed for three years. Thanks to media coverage of my headache, the storage problem attracted attention from the State Environmental Protection Administration. In 2002, the Henan Provincial Environmental Protection Department built a 300-square-meter temporary warehouse in Xinzheng City to house the 65 tons of batteries before proper disposal. I felt relieved.
　　
　　Is it that difficult to dispose of used batteries?
　　
　　Yes. I’ve sought consultation from many professors in the chemical field and found it remains a worldwide problem to deal with used batteries. And I think my battery-collecting move has aroused public concern about this issue. To be honest, I’m very proud of that.
　　I’ve been following the latest progress in battery recycling technology. As far as I know, the Department of Chemistry at Henan Normal University has developed a new technology to make use of every component of a battery. I don’t know when they will put this technology into commercial use, but I’m sure my 65 tons of battery trash will soon become a 65-ton treasure.
　　My hundreds of collecting boxes are still in service. When a box is full, we’ll be informed and my husband will ride a pedicab to pick it up.
　　
　　More than gathering batteries
　　
　　Was it your own idea to set up an environmental protection organization?
　　No, I was inspired by a reporter from Henan. He explained to me that I only got third prize in the Ford Environmental Award in 2001 because I was an individual, while first- and second-place prizewinners had their own organizations. I didn’t care about the prize, but the idea of having an organization struck me. I wanted to do more about environmental protection and an organization was absolutely more powerful than an individual.
　　I spent more than 200 days preparing for the establishment because I was only a farmer and I don’t have a government background. I cannot remember how many times I’ve been turned down by government officials because they think I cannot handle piles of used batteries, let alone running an organization. I went to Beijing several times to consult Liang Congjie, founder of Friends of Nature, China’s first environmental NGO, about how to establish an organization. There was a time when it seemed the whole world was against me-no money, no experience, no support, and I felt so depressed that I walked 20 miles to nearby mountains to cry.
　　I knew I was riding on a tiger, but I chose to keep riding on it because I knew what I was doing was not for myself, but for our environment, for our next generations. In February 2002, my organization was finally established. At the inauguration ceremony, I saw my husband weeping in the crowd. Only he understood what I’d gone through.
　　What about your website, www.省略, which was launched before the organization was established?
　　I always feel I’m so weak compared to the heavy task I assign myself, so I think about employing advanced technology to help promote public awareness of environmental protection. At the time, my work in applying for permission to establish an organization had barely made any progress. So I invested 3,000 yuan ($370) in setting up the website first. So far, our website has attracted some 230,000 visits from across the country. The website works well.
　　
　　It takes money to run a website and organization. Where does the money come from?
　　
　　Our average annual expenses are about 40,000 yuan ($4,938). I used to have two battery outlets, but since I’m now too busy to take care of the business, I have contracted them out to my relatives and they turn in some profits to me every year. As well, we have some annual membership fees from the organization and some award money. Sometimes I borrow money from my son and daughter. Nowadays we are thinking of starting up some sort of a company to generate profits to support our organization and our career. The plan is still under discussion.
　　In September 2005, you signed a contract with a local property company and became the face of their public image. In return, they pay you 40,000 yuan in royalty fees. This has aroused much controversy, and you are accused of ruining the clean image of public welfare. What do you think of these criticisms?
　　First, the company I chose to cooperate with is constructing environmentally friendly properties. Second, I’ll devote every cent of the royalties to my environmental protection enterprise--after all, we need money to get all these environmental protection things going. I hope those who criticize me will understand this.
　　
　　Why did you run for the position of head of your villagers’ committee?
　　
　　Last year, a villager visited me and said, “You are busy protecting this and protecting that, but look at your own village. Can’t you do something to protect your own folks from being poisoned by the pollution around us?” His words reminded me that some of my villagers have suffered various cancers and died in recent years.
　　That autumn, I researched the two rivers around my village and found they were all severely polluted by several chemical plants nearby. The water stinks, no fish could survive, crops died after being irrigated with the polluted water, and villagers suffered strange diseases. I wanted to change that situation, and create a balance between economic development and environmental protection. I wanted to give it a try so I ran for the position.
　　
　　Since taking office last April, what have you done for your village?
　　
　　First, I repaired railings of a bridge that connected different villages, and then I worked on digging a well as deep as 136 meters to reach unpolluted groundwater for villagers to drink. Another thing is that we shut down several chemical plants in the upper reaches of the Weihe, and it’s now much cleaner than half a year ago.
　　
　　I’m very satisfied that I’m fulfilling the promise I made.
　　
　　I’ve heard that you receive threatening calls from rivals because you’ve exposed wrongdoings of some chemical plants and factories, and pushed them to reduce pollution. Is this true?
　　Yes, a lot. Once a rascal was hired to curse me in front of my village. He was yelling, “Tian Guirong is evil, she will die like a dog,” and things like that.
　　Are you scared?
　　When I live in Xinxiang with my colleague, I’m not scared at all. But when I spend nights in the village, to be honest, I do feel a little frightened. I’m not sure if they will do something extreme to me. Anyway, I’ll not stop what I’ve been doing because I know I’m doing the right thing.
　　
　　From rural woman to environmentalist
　　
　　It’s estimated that you have organized 38 large-scale public events in the past six years. You used to be a farmer. Do you have any prior experience with organizing events?
　　My grandfather was some sort of a militiaman leader when he was young, and my mother used to be active in social activities, so I think I might have inherited some socially active genes from them. I was class monitor in school; in the 1970s, I became leader of a local performance troupe in Xinxiang.
　　I often get my audience to laugh. I’m a woman who has a strong sense of humor. I’m fond of giving public lectures, but my deficiency is that I cannot speak good Mandarin.
　　You barely finished middle school, and it takes special knowledge to host a website and manage an organization. Where do you get the knowledge?
　　I used to be a good student back in school. Nowadays, since I’m a famous woman (laughs), people who are interested in my story send books to me. I study these books by myself. I’ve subscribed to the Environment Daily and read it everyday. Besides I know many scholars and professors, and I seek help from them when I come across difficulties.
　　Do you consider yourself a qualified environmentalist?
　　Yes. I’m a pragmatic environmental protection volunteer who is earnest in doing concrete things. I’ve been cursed, threatened and misunderstood, but I never changed my mind. In this sense, I think I’m qualified.
　　
　　Do you have an idol, someone that you respect or admire most?
　　
　　It’s Mr. Liang, Liang Congjie. The 82-year-old founder of Friends of Nature is my mentor. I remember when I was not so confident about my public speaking skills, he encouraged me, saying, “Even if there were only five people left in the room for my lecture, I would not give up.” During the days I was rushing about my organization, I asked him how I was to start an organization without any money, and he replied, “Hang on, the same problem
　　happened to me when I started my organization, so you’ll go through that difficulty too.” And he’s given me many books on environment-related stuff.
　　Some have said that Tian Guirong is a village woman who doesn’t know how to cook. Is this true?
　　Unfortunately it’s true. My husband does the cooking for me. He also does the laundry and takes responsibility of babysitting my little granddaughter, whom I have so little time to care for. My husband is the one who offers the strongest support to me and I always feel I owe him so much. He’s the real hero that hides behind the scene.
　　
　　How does your extended family view your career now?
　　
　　I’ve dragged my entire family into my environmental business. My son and daughter all hold positions in my organization. My husband is in charge of gathering used batteries when collecting boxes are full. They fully support me now, but I often feel guilty. I’ve devoted altogether 400,000 yuan ($49,000) into my career over the past seven years--you know, with that money you can buy a decent house in Xinxiang. If it hadn’t been for my persistence, my family could have lived a richer life instead of living in a small, rented apartment.
　　You’ve won numerous awards from home and abroad for your achievements. Are they important to you?
　　Yes, I cherish them so much that sometimes I weep silently when I stare at them alone. They are like babies to me and they remind me of the hardship I’ve been through. They are my only legacy that will teach more people to love nature and protect our shared environment.
　　What you’ve done in recent years has distinguished you from most rural women. Do you consider yourself a successful woman?
　　I’m doing different things from them, and I’m getting different things in return. They are concerned with fortune, but what I’ve been doing is for the benefit of next generations. I believe my career bears responsibility and means something to society. These years I can see that the further I walk, the wider the road opens for me. I feel fulfilled when I’m working on this and I think I’m fascinated by the work.
　　

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