Children get creative as they learn about recycling waste in Beijing, Oct 31, 2016.[Photo/IC]

3. 'Green' consciousness

Another silver line is that more than 70 percent of those born in the 21st century are keenly aware of environmental protection.

But what's surprising is that respondents from rural areas are more aware than urbanites. They give preference to environment over economy, something that comes out more starkly in 2015 than in 2005, with a five percentage points jump.