Farming seems to be an old way of living. But now, farms are coming to modern buildings and you can even see them on a balcony (阳台).

According to Alibaba, more and more people buy vegetable seeds (种子) on T-mall this year. Most of them were born (出生) after 1995.

Zhang Chao, 17, is one of the young “city farmers”. The senior high student said his love for growing vegetables came from the days when he lived with his grandpa in the countryside.

“Spending his whole life as a farmer, my grandpa liked to grow vegetables in our garden when he was older,” Zhang said. “I also learned from him to grow my own vegetables on my balcony, and it brought me good memories (回忆).”

Unlike Zhang, Yang Jing from a university thinks differently.

“I have too much homework every day. I always thought my boring life never ended. But when I saw the balcony idea from a website, my life changed! I started planting vegetables on my balcony one year ago. I got most of the seeds from my friends, but I didn’t know what plant seeds they were. So I just planted them and waited patiently. Half a year later, my balcony became a small beautiful garden. Now, every time I spend long hours on homework, I would like to walk to my balcony to relax,” said Yang.

Now, planting on a balcony is welcomed by more and more young people. As a teenager, would you like to have a try?

The art of Chinese paper cutting, or jianzhi, has been around for thousands of years. The art form dates back to the Han Dynasty. During that time, paper was very expensive. It was mainly used for writing and making important documents (文件). During the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people started using paper for artistic expression. Since then, paper cutting has become popular.

Making a paper cutting takes three steps. First, the artist folds the paper into a proper shape. Then, the artist chooses a picture and draws it on the paper. As the last step, the artist carefully cuts out the picture with scissors or knives. The finished paper cuttings will be put on doors or windows. Common themes include animals, plants and traditional Chinese symbols. Paper cuttings with the Chinese characters fu, shou and xi are often seen as well. They are believed to bring good luck.

Chinese paper cutting is more than a traditional art form. It is also a symbol of Chinese culture. In recent years, it has been enjoyed by people all over the world. Many people try their best to protect this traditional art. They want to make sure that it will be passed down to more people.

It’s very popular to travel in modern life. As travelers, we should try our best to protect the environment. Here is some advice on how to be a green traveler.

◆Make smarter flight choices

Air travel is not an environmentally-friendly way to travel because it uses a lot of energy. If you must fly, be sure to pack light to cut down the plane’s load. And try to book a non-stop fight(预订直达航班). Connecting fights(转机航班) usually require longer periods of flying and planes will use more energy.

◆Respect(尊重) natural environment

Marked hiking tails(有指示标识的游览步道) are there usually to protect the natural environment and keep wild plants safe. In beach areas, don’t use products that are harmful to the sea water and try to protect the ocean’s ecosystem.

◆Support locals directly

Buying handmade products and art pieces created by local people can help hand down cultural tradition and create jobs. Food that is grown locally and things that are sold by local families are often better and cheaper, all while helping keep money in local pockets.

◆Find ways to give back

Consider the ways that you can help the local community and give back while traveling. This can be as simple as picking up litter in a park or volunteering to clean up a beach. If you’re planning a trip where volunteering is your main goal, make sure you won’t take jobs away from local people.