Team leader

In 2014, Zhou was appointed team leader of the Liuyang River green guard brigade in charge of about 40 members. The brigade receives support from the government in the form of equipment and also liaises with relevant departments.

"The local environmental protection bureau has at least two meetings a year with our team to share information," Zhou said. "We also have a WeChat group with the bureau to discuss about problems and solutions."

Through Zhou's individual and team efforts over the years, dozens of sewage outlets along the Liuyang River have been closed, replaced by sewage treatment plants and wetlands.

He now wants to focus on promoting methods of ecological restoration and cultivating young volunteers who have also set up environmental protection organizations themselves.

Though he has seen water quality improve, Zhou said the pollution problem still exists in the form of sewage discharge and biodiversity degradation.

The main thing holding him back is his family, who want to see him settled down.

"I need to do more in the future and my family are all supportive," he said. "But they hope I could marry soon.

"But I am not worried because it is usually impossible for someone who is obsessed with something to be understood. Moreover, for a man, the realization of his self-worth is the most important thing."

Zhou Mojun contributed to this story.