Inner Mongolia: Striving for green

We were taken to one of the many grasslands within the province, situated in Baotou, to explore the peace it had to offer. The grasslands offered tranquillity close to the city's heart, an escape for the people who lived nearby. The local government had lots of protocols in place to keep the land prosperous and thriving. We were taken to a horse stable and introduced to the beautiful animals that this region respects so much, and we were given the chance to ride them. The horses were able to wander freely in the grassland area with their riders, it was hard to imagine that a bustling city was a stone's throw away.

Inner Mongolia's love and appreciation for horses also transcends into their ecological conservation efforts, which was evident when we visited the Dalate "lead from the Front" Solar Farm. The solar farm, which holds the Guinness World Record for largest solar panel image, is in the shape of a horse. The solar farm is made from 196,000 panels and produces over 2 billion kilowatt- hours annually, cutting carbon emissions by 1.65 million tons per year. The shear vastness of the solar panel was a sight in itself. Situated within the desert, the solar farm used a smart system to alter the positions of the panels every 15 minutes, in order to align them with the sun and make the most of the sun's power. Stretching over 60,000 mu, the solar farm is a clear example of China's dedication to curbing their carbon emissions and their ability to utilize the environments they have available.