Zheng Huan has a deep love for nature. “Sunshine, air, water, plants and animals...They are the most important things on our planet. However, many people haven’t realized it,” Zheng said. “What’s worse, climate change is greatly affecting biodiversity (生物多样性) and our environment.”

Zheng decided to make a change. She set up the Youth Leader Fund and began working with game companies and artists. Together they have made climate change a thing that can be seen, felt and dealt with.

Zheng has been working on a game called Guardians of Earth. Players take pictures of different kinds of plants and animals to earn points in the game. “The game has changed my ideas about plants and animals. They have all become alive and meaningful to me,” one player said.

Another project Zheng is helping with is on digital (数字的) art works about climate change. She invited artists to create pieces based on a sci-fi novel AI 2041, which talked about how AI would affect the environment in the future. “Online paintings can reach more people in a shorter time,” Zheng said. “I want to increase people’s understanding of nature in beautiful and futuristic ways,” she added.

Zheng’s work has got wide attention and praise. She hopes one day biodiversity and climate change will become old ideas—like something that is rooted (植根于) in people’s hearts.

The first time I saw Kai, she was sitting in my front yard, hugging my dog Harley. She and her husband Sean had just moved into a small house down the road from us. I thought she was drawn to (被吸引) Harley’s friendly personality, just as he was drawn to hers. From the second time I talked to her, I knew Kai would be a cherished (珍爱的) friend. Her smile and good cheer made me feel better just being around her. Her voice was always full of happiness.

It didn’t take long before Kai was beloved by everyone in our neighborhood. Children and adults visited her home often. Although she already had four cats, she also adopted (收养) a stray (流浪的) dog.

When we visited her, she would kindly listen to all of our troubles and then say something so wise, and we would leave her home with our hearts singing. Sometimes I would read her my stories and she would always encourage me to keep writing.

All of this time, though, Kai was slowly dying from cancer. She told me the first time we talked that she was terminal (晚期). But she lived each day with a positive attitude. Still, she died on a cold winter day with heavy snow falling down.

During the short time we had together, I learned so much from Kai about how to truly live. She taught us so many lessons about kindness, happiness, hope and cheer.