Important lesson from Yunnan forrest
Pick up trash when you see it. One of the most meaningful habits I learned from my american tea friends. In 2016 we were on a group trip in China, on the sacred Jingmai mountain in a grove with tea trees that were 800 years old and older.
There was a laurel tree that was over 1000 years old. Near some trees, locals build altars as a sign of respect and honor.
However, on the way to the grove, packages of food and drinks were scattered here and there. I thought with sadness that the Chinese tourists here before us do not feel the awe of the old forest. But then I looked up and saw my fellow travelers, who did not waste time on sadness, but actively began to collect garbage. Someone else's garbage in a foreign country. Suddenly it became a profound insight - it was the best thing we could do for this unique grove during a short visit. Since then, "Pick up trash when you see it" has become one of the short rules on how to be a good human.
p.s. You can see photos of this grove in the July 2016 issue of Global Tea Hut magazine. It’s stunning