City folk cashing in on going green
Print Edition
Authorities in South China鈥檚 Guangdong Province are set to launch a pilot scheme this year to champion a low-carbon lifestyle by rewarding people for going green.
Five cities, including the provincial capital Guangzhou, have applied to join the scheme and are required to submit their plans by today, said an official with the provincial development and reform commission.
Under the scheme, people living in participating cities will get points 鈥 which can later be exchanged for discount coupons 鈥 for using less water, dumping less trash, taking public transport and buying energy-efficient appliances.
The scheme is designed to reduce carbon emissions in Guangdong, which have soared due to rapid urbanization and improved standards of living, the commission said.
People will be able to track and exchange their 鈥済reen points鈥 via a smartphone app or website, it said.
Nie Bing, who heads a team developing the app, said it is currently under testing, but already has hundreds of registered users, Nie said.
Some people have even begun claiming their rewards.
Liu Jia, who has been testing the app, said he redeemed points awarded for taking the subway or walking to work for discounted meals at a fast food restaurant.
鈥淕reen consumerism is not only a spiritual goal for me, it also makes financial sense,鈥 said the self-styled environmentalist.
Pilot cities are encouraged to mobilize businesses to offer discounts that are more generous than ordinary promotions to people who build up 鈥済reen points.鈥
Nie said he hopes that greater privileges can be given to those who embrace a low-carbon lifestyle.
鈥淔or example, in cities with car purchase restrictions, their application should be prioritized,鈥 he said.
The incentive-based measure can spur the public鈥檚 demand for low-carbon technology and products, and eventually force manufacturers to cater to the market, which is 鈥渢he real value of the incentives,鈥 he said.
The government has called for the program to be rolled out across the province by 2018.
As the world鈥檚 largest greenhouse gas emitter, China raised new climate change goals a month ago, promising to cut its emissions of carbon dioxide per unit of gross domestic product by 60 to 65 percent by 2030 from 2015 levels and achieve a peak in emissions about the same time.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
