Rubbish-free rivers flow smoothly in Shaanxi

Zhang Jirong, a resident of the village of Hanshuiyuan in Ningqiang county, Shaanxi province, is carrying on the family tradition of ensuring the local tributary of the Hanjiang River is rubbish free.

Zhang, 49, walks along the 1,000-meter-long mountain road to the headwater region of the Hanjiang River everyday, picking up garbage the same as his grandfather did for 14 years before.

"When there is no garbage, there are more visitors here and, more importantly, safe and clean drinking water for people in other places," Zhang said.