Turn off your car, please

Email|Print|Comments       twitter     facebook     Sina Microblog     reddit    

People ride through parked and moving vehicles in Xicheng district, Beijing, Nov 15, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

Beijing legislators on Wednesday called on drivers to shut off their car engines whenever they are stopped longer than three minutes.

Related: Epic shortage of parking in Beijing

The idea has received considerable attention as part of a broader regulation to reduce air pollution.

It was the third time the Standing Committee of Beijing People's Congress has discussed the anti-pollution measure.

On Oct 24, the committee heard from experts and residents, most of whom supported the idea of turning off cars but who suggested that the pollution-fighting habit be encouraged rather than being made compulsory.

The draft amendment now includes no penalty but seeks to guide residents to make environment protection a part of everyday practice.

It asks drivers to turn off their cars when standing more than three minutes near certain special areas such as schools, hospitals, parks and hotels.

• 'Black lung' result exaggerated
• China reports rise in key air pollutants
• Inspection uncovers air pollution problems
• Lanzhou firstly takes odd-even license plate restriction to curb car use
• Pollution warning for weekend
• Cleaning up inside
• Coal for heating identified as top air polluter in NE China
• All parking lots in Beijing to be numbered, mapped
• China faces a long battle for blue skies
• A record of Beijing air quality change

We Recommend

• Luxury-cars parade held in Dubai
• Special forces take tough training sessions
• Fire guts 22-storey Nigeria commercial building in Lagos
• Singles Day:
  In the name of love
• Temperature drops dramatically in Beijing
• Typhoon Haiyan hits south China's Hainan
• Top 10 celebrity moms in China
• Weekly Sports Photos:
• Gingko leaves turn brilliant golden yellow in Beijing