Rewards add to allure of green lifestyle in south

A man riding a bicycle along the coast.[Photo/IC]

Hesitate to ditch your car and ride a bicycle instead? What if the choice could bring you cheaper meals or movie tickets?

South China's Guangdong province is expected to launch a pilot scheme this year to champion a low-carbon lifestyle by rewarding the public for everyday behavior that helps cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Five cities, including the provincial capital of Guangzhou, have applied for the scheme and are required to submit their plans by Friday, an official with the provincial development and reform commission told Xinhua earlier this week.

According to a directive released by the commission in mid-July, residents in pilot cities can accumulate reward points in return for using less water, dumping less trash, taking public transport and purchasing energy-efficient appliances. They can then exchange the points for discount coupons.

The incentive-based measure, said to be the first of its kind in the country, is aimed at addressing the increasing carbon emissions by residents in Guangdong due to rapid urbanization and improved standards of living, said the directive.

Large local manufacturing companies have seen declines in emissions after a provincial carbon exchange was launched in late 2013.

According to the directive, citizens can obtain, store and exchange their "green points" after logging onto a smartphone app or website, which have access to consumer data provided by public utility providers.