People in Henan Province protest against the "ice bucket challenge."（Photo/Chinanews）

Hong Kong government officers accept the "ice bucket challenge."(Photo/Chinanews)

People in the arid area of Lushan County, Henan Province have taken to performance art to protest against the worldwide "ice bucket challenge" phenomenon. Some people in this area struggle to meet their needs for drinking water. Some netizens have strongly supported the Lushan County reaction, while others disagree.

In fact, both activities have their merits, and both have attracted attention. The "ice bucket challenge" has helped people to learn about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and to spread the idea of charity. The "empty bucket in arid area" action has drawn a lot attention to the drought, and also spread the idea of water conservation. In this sense, it is a win-win situation.

In the age of the Internet, people should learn to use all kinds of media as platforms to promote public welfare activities. The "clear your plate" campaign, the "ice bucket" challenge, and the "empty bucket" activity all help in disseminating ideas and raising public awareness. It is a good thing to have more people involved in such actions as long as they do it for the right reasons and in the right spirit. Any rational discussion that is inspired by these ideas will contribute to the maturity of society and of individual citizens.

This article is edited and translated from 《“冰桶”“抗旱”可双赢》，source: People's Daily, author: Li Hongxing