The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world’s most pristine environments, is increasingly threatened by household waste and plastic pollution. Each year, large volumes of garbage make their way into this fragile ecosystem.
As China’s largest bank card payment institution, China UnionPay has long championed environmental protection. To address this issue, it commissioned Jody Xiong to create a campaign that would encourage more Tibetans to participate in waste collection.
Xiong, founder of The Nine Shanghai and visual effects director of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, was ranked the No.1 most awarded Chinese creative leader in Campaign Brief Asia’s 2025 Creative Rankings. His previous work Magnificent for the ancient city of Yotkan in Xinjiang earned widespread acclaim, drawing millions of tourists and winning major global awards, including the first-ever Grand Prix for Greater China at the 2025 Clio Music Awards.
Located in a remote western region of China, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau sits at an average altitude of 4,500 metres, where daily necessities are often scarce. However, much of the waste scattered across the plateau is recyclable. Based on this insight, China UnionPay and Xiong’s team developed the core idea: Garbage Exchange for Daily Necessities.
In collaboration with the Sanjiangyuan Ecological Protection Foundation, the campaign introduced a first-of-its-kind “Garbage Exchange Supermarket” on the plateau. Built using discarded glass bottles, the initiative transforms waste into a form of currency, allowing local communities to exchange collected garbage for essential goods. In doing so, it not only improves everyday living conditions but also helps protect the surrounding environment.
To bring the idea to life, Xiong adopted a poetic, semi-documentary style, capturing real moments of Tibetans collecting waste across the plateau.
At an altitude of 4,600 metres, a young rider bends from his horse to pick up a plastic bottle. In temple squares, rooftops, and open landscapes, men and women gather litter – sometimes quietly, sometimes in shared moments of laughter. Under fluttering prayer flags, two young women rest beside baskets filled with collected waste. A father prepares his son for a journey, loading a motorcycle with bottles to exchange for daily necessities. These scenes transform simple acts of rubbish collection into moments of dignity, care, and quiet beauty.
Complementing the film, Xiong collaborated with photographers Zhang Xinhua and Liu Junhao to produce a series of images and posters inspired by these moments, extending the campaign into visual art.
Filmed over 15 days at altitudes reaching 5,000 metres, the project reflects a powerful idea: every small act, every time someone bends down to pick up litter, contributes to protecting the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Credits
Director: Jody Xiong
Executive Producers: Jiang Haiyan, Ya Le, Wu Kun, Chen Suning, Zhang Dengxin, Jiang Wenpengcuo
Creative Company & Production Company: The Nine Shanghai & Beijing Zhiyue Interactive
Creative Director: Jody Xiong
General Manager: Yang Xiaofang
Art Director: Jody Xiong
Director of Photography: Guo Yonghong
Designers: Jody Xiong, Chen Ye
Vocals: Danzhen Luobu
Producer: Wang Yimeng
Assistant Cinematographer: Feng Liang
Aerial Photography: Zhang Yuebing
Editing: Wang Yu, Liu Yang
Color Correction: Zhang Yingjie
Post-Production: Chosen Shanghai
Poster Photography: Zhang Xinhua, Liu Junhao
Sound Mixing: Yu Lu
Trinity: An Yi, Cheng Hao