High on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau lies China’s “Water tower” Sanjiangyuan. 【小题1】 The three rivers: the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and Lancang River, provide water for about half the population of China. However, human activities such as overgrazing are putting this ecosystem at risk.

【小题2】 In 2016, the Chinese government established Sanjiangyuan National Park, which was a pilot program for China’s national park system. 【小题3】 Due to the progress made in the region, Qinghai held the first National Park Forum on Aug 19.

Sanjiangyuan National Park is a model of eco-protection. 【小题4】 For example, Herdsmen have given their grasslands to nature and resettled in urban area. As for wildlife, they are monitored by field conservation stations to keep the environment in good condition.

The idea of a national park system is still new in China, but it must be realized. As President Xi wrote in the congratulatory letter to the forum, “Building an ecological civilization bears great significance in the development and progress of human civilization.” With great efforts, people may one day be able to enjoy themselves in the vast lands of Sanjiangyuan and run freely across the plains alongside nature’s animals. 【小题5】

The beauty industry produces many units of one-time use containers every year. More and more consumers are asking how they can keep themselves clean and beautiful without trashing the planet.

It’s a question Women of the Future winner, Natassia Nicolao, considered during her years working in product development for beauty and wellness companies. Raised by a strong and supportive mother, Natassia used her skills and passion to make a difference. In 2021, she created her waterless beauty brand.

She said, “Water is involved in every stage of a product life cycle. Everything we use, buy, sell and make has a huge water footprint. On top of that, the beauty industry adds water as the main ingredients in its products, despite it having no direct benefit to our skin.”

Having lived through water restrictions in drought-ridden Australia, Natassia felt it necessary to stop the overuse of water in the beauty industry. Natassia has always loved beauty. Her company tries to be sustainable in every step of the way, but at its core, it is about removing water from our beauty routines.

“It’s really rooted in water conservation first, and then managing your water footprint, your carbon footprint and your waste footprint,” Natassia said. “We create waterless beauty products to help conserve water.” The glass bottles and jars of her products can be recycled. The oils and wipes are formulated without any water, requiring no water to use. The company also has a piece of game-changing beauty technology: face-wipes and masks that completely dissolve in water.

“The company is still in its beginning,” Natassia said. With the prize money from Women of the Future, she plans to purchase a machine to simplify the creation of the wipes and masks. The publicity, meanwhile, will help her spread the message central to the company’s existence that beauty must do better. Natassia believes that, with a little courage and innovation, it can do.