Beijing authorities switched off the landscape lights and flood
lamps at Wangfujing, the busiest commercial street in the Chinese
capital, for 30 minutes Sunday night, in the hope of raising public
awareness about saving energy.
The lamps along the 810-meter-long street and indoor lights were
not shut off during the blackout so people could shop as usual,
said Li Jun, an official with the construction and management
office of the Wangfujing area.
"The glamorously-lighted street has been a famous tourist
attraction for more than 20 years. I think a blackout here is
significant to promote energy conservation for sustainable
development," said Li.
In some communities of Beijing, residents also switched off
lights and unplugged appliances to experience the adverse effects
caused by lack of energy.
Beijing is one of eight Chinese cities, including Shanghai,
Harbin, Xi'an, Chongqing, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Shenzhen, to join in
the "nationwide energy saving activity" proposed by the National
Development and Reform Commission earlier this month.
In Shanghai, the landscape lights on the Bund were off from
8?PM till 8:30?PM while more than 300 guests in white
T-shirts printed with "nationwide energy saving activity," were
invited to perform a chorus on the Bund.
"The 30-minute blackout is surely exemplary but I hope the
government can take some concrete measures to adjust the lighting
system and promote the energy-saving lamps," said Long Weiding, a
professor at Tongji University.
All About
Energy saving in China
(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2007)
