A resident throws garbage into an intelligent garbage bin at Guangming community in Donghu District in Nachang City, Jiangxi Province in east China, October 16, 2019(XINHUA)
People in Shiqifang Village in Zhejiang Province, east China, have recently witnessed a unique mechanism to promote garbage sorting. They have been given a green deposit book each that records credits if they do well in sorting their garbage. The accumulated credits can be used to buy daily necessities and food, such as soap and rice, or services, including gym hours, medical services and health examinations.
Deepening industrialization and marketization generate more garbage today and farmers can buy more with greater convenience. However, many lack understanding of garbage sorting and its importance, making it more difficult to implement garbage sorting in rural areas than in cities. Therefore, an incentive mechanism helps to form good habits. The green deposit books encourage people to participate in environmental protection and ensure they benefit from it.
Villagers with limited education have to undergo a series of changes in their understanding of garbage sorting, from shock and rejection to acceptance and making it a habit. As a new policy, garbage sorting reduces costs and enhances people's benefits if they follow the rules. Also, it is helpful in adopting advanced technologies to make waste sorting convenient and easy.
This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Beijing Youth Daily on November 11
(Print Edition Title: Green Credit Incentive)
