At least 30 environmental protection events are scheduled in Shenzhen during the coming June to mark the World Environment Day on June 5, a press conference was told Friday.

The events, organized by the municipal environmental protection bureau, include a campaign to stop using disposable tableware, as well as exhibitions, forums, competitions and a festival with the theme of "sustainable development."

The bureau also plans 100 forums, with the first one held Friday. Mei Ng, director of Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong), gave a lecture at the forum.

Of the other 99 forums, 19 will be held across Shenzhen and 80 will be held in various communities, a spokesman said at the press conference.

The most important events will be held June 5, the World Environment Day. Canteens in all government buildings will stop using disposable tableware on that day, while government officials will also start to use recyclable paper to print name cards.

Guo Yurong, general-director of the environmental protection bureau, will exchange ideas on sustainable development and an ecological society with netizens online via the Web site www.sznews.com. Guo said she would put suggestions collected from netizens on her blog at the same site.

A Web site will also be set up by the bureau in June, where people can trade their unwanted items online to help the recycling process.

"You can see from the schedule, some activities last for the whole year, because we want to make a real impact on the public awareness on environmental protection," Guo said.

According to the bureau, if all government canteens stop using disposable chopsticks, it will save four trees every day, or 1,460 trees a year.

Other events include environmental protection tours, tree-planting, a competition for kites made from recycled paper, and salons.

(Shenzhen Daily May 15, 2006)