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All dreams have a common beginning

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June 6, 2009, World Environment Day. The Friends of Nature at the flag presentation ceremony of the "Cool China" National Low-carbon Action. [China.org.cn]

FON has now over 8,000 members, many of whom occupy leading posts in China's Environmental NGOs.

The late Chinese master of linguistics Ji Xianlin once commented on Liang's Commitment to environmental protection. He said, "Congjie was a historian, and could have trodden a risk-free path to a successful career. But he wouldn't compromise his ideals. He chose to be a 'friend of nature' rather than a historian, putting aside a secure life as a scholar. This demonstrates the extent of his concern for the people and the nation. It coincides with the time's choice. I have the greatest admiration and respect for him. And I'd rather lose a historian than a 'friend of nature'."

Why did Liang turn from historical research to environmental protection? What inspired him to start FON? How did his green dream begin?

We might find the answer in a story carried by the Southern Weekend on June 10, 2004.

In the spring of 1997, Yang Dongping visited the New York headquarters of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) as a FON representative. The EDF is a well-known American Environmental NGO which was founded in 1967, with a membership of 300,000. Its founder told him that at the outset all they had was 10 people in a room with an idea – that they had to "do something." "I smiled," says Yang. "All dreams start alike. We had four people and an idea in a park."

It was June 5, 1993. A group of 40 people had gathered at a dilapidated pagoda in suburban Beijing. They sat on the lawn in a small park, expressing concerns about China's deteriorating environment.

No official name, no venue, no agenda, no media – it was a spontaneous meeting among a group of Chinese intellectuals who cared. Named after the park, it was simply called the "Linglong Park Meeting", says Liang.

At a time when public environmental awareness had yet to be awakened, a member's words at the park meeting shocked the attendees: According to research, with a population of 1.2 billion, if we target American living standards our consumption of resources will increase by a factor of 60. Who can imagine that this land which has fed us over some 5,000 years could produce 60 times as much food?

"Devouring the most limited resources with the largest population – that double-endangers China's future." These words sent a shiver down the spine of the intellectuals.

Liang and his friends realized it was time to do something, and they thought of founding an Environmental NGO. In retrospect, Liang later recalled that no one had any idea what they might actually achieve, they simply wanted to do something for the environment.

Truly, all dreams start alike.

(This story was selected from the book Stories of China's Environmental NGOs published by Foreign Languages Press.)