CHALLENGES AHEAD
But in what demographic did that environmental
message sink in?
In a country of 1.3 billion people, not everyone does
what Zhou, Lin Hui and Li Ling do.
An online survey of 300 people, conducted by
ditan360.com in April, showed that only 16.5 percent of Chinese know about the
concept of carbon offset.
"Low carbon? What are you talking about?" asks
Beijing cab driver Liu Yong. "I've heard about global warming. But is it really
caused by carbon dioxide? I'm not sure."
To Liu, a low-carbon life seems like just a fad,
irrelevant to himself because the idea is borrowed from Europe and America.
Others argue the concept is more like a return to traditions.
"To live a simple and frugal life has always been
considered a virtue in our culture. We should have kept it," says Lin Hui.
"Nowadays tradition has been eroded by consumerism as we earn more money. People
want to live in bigger houses and drive bigger cars."
Used to be known as "the Kingdom of bicycles", China
now has become the most sought after market for global auto companies.
There used to be an estimated 10 million bicycles in
Beijing, nearly one for each person, before the city's streets and Hutong lanes
became congested with cars. Now, about 1,200 new vehicles take to the roads
everyday.
"As a developing country we also have the duty to
prevent global warming. That's a duty for all on this planet. If all Chinese
live like Americans, we may need five earths," said Cui.
This reflects a serious environmental challenge for
China. As the most populous nation on the planet with world's fastest growing
economy, it has become the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.
"I hope we eventually return back to the essence of
the Chinese philosophy - harmony between nature and humans," said Lin Hui.
Cui said, while it is very important for individuals
to be environmentally savvy, policy makers should play a major role in guiding
the trend, from production to consumption.
"We need incentive policies to encourage technical
innovation and the use of environmentally friendly products."
Electronic giant Panasonic estimated in 2006 that if
energy-saving lights were used in all new offices buildings in Beijing, 78.51
million kwh of electricity can be saved a year. That equals 58,000 tonnes of
carbon dioxide.
Jiang Kejun, an energy expert at the National
Development and Reform Commission, did similar research. It showed annual
electricity consumption at a three-person household in Beijing can be decreased
from 3,000 kwh to 1,500 kwh if adequate energy-saving appliances and measures
are adopted.
However, only 38 percent of households and 48.7
percent of offices used energy-saving lights, according to a 2007 survey
conducted by the China Youth Daily.
It concluded the biggest challenge in promoting the
use of such products, is cost. An energy-saving bulb is priced at 20 yuan
(2.9U.S. dollars), while an ordinary incandescent bulb costs just 2 yuan.
Experts suggest the government and businesses should
find solutions to give incentives to consumers. Companies with products that are
not "green" should be charged fees to compensate for pollution.
China did enact a rule in June which charges
consumers between 20-40 cents for one plastic bag.
Jiang said, that's a start. In the future, he would
also like to see all products sold in China labeled with information about how
much energy was used to make them.
The ongoing financial crisis may slowdown global
efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as governments and businesses may
lack funds to support new technology development and use, Cui said.
Which means a low-carbon lifestyle for all Chinese
might continue to be just a trend within certain groups.
"Undoubtedly low-carbon development is a correct
direction because in the long term, climate change will be the top challenge for
humanity," Cui added.
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