Life of Guangzhou - Ecological Project to Reduce Car Use

A nationalwide project involving the planting of one million trees was launched yesterday in Shanghai to encourage car owners to cut their use of vehicles and grow trees to protect the environment.

Tony Blair, former U.K. prime minister, announced the CoolDriver project organized by U.K.-based Climate Group at a meeting in Shanghai after awarding several Chinese enterprises, including Shenzhen Development Bank and Ping An Insurance, for their environmental protection achievements during the Million Forest project, which began a year ago.

Part of the Million Forest project, the CoolDriver project calls on Chinese car owners, particularly those in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, to participate in a series of events, including a "no-emissions day" and car-sharing plans.

The one-year project is hoped to influence one million car owners, which would in turn eliminate one million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

On its completion, sponsors of the project will donate one million sea buckthorn trees to northwestern China's Gansu Province. The fruit of the trees can also be sold by local people, Blair said.

The plants can help prevent soil erosion and protect the environment in Gansu, he said.

Wu Changhua, head of Climate Group's China branch, said global warming is the biggest challenge facing humans. "We hope car owners can participate in this project and cool the globe down," he said.

(Jane Lai)

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