A senior citizen from Zhejiang province has made some 2,500 bamboo and rattan baskets in the past four years, hoping that people will reduce their use of plastic bags.

Xinhua News Agency reported that Qin Fayou spends an average of two and a half hours on making a basket. He has given all the baskets to children and students at 14 kindergartens and primary schools in Shangyu city.

Qin said he wants to promote awareness of environmental protection among children and their parents.

He has used up his savings to buy the materials but a local car dealer has helped him set up a special fund to support his work.