We talked about what low-carbon (低碳) lifestyle was last week. Our article attracted quite a few people’s attention, especially government officials, teenage students and white-collar (白领) workers. So in today’s article, we’re going to introduce some of our readers’ letters. Let’s see what ways they choose to reduce their carbon footprints (碳足迹).

My name is Zheng Xiyu. I’m a secretary. Every day, it takes me about 40 minutes to reach my office by bus. But I’m now thinking of switching to a different kind of transportation—a bicycle. Although riding a bicycle takes 10 more minutes than using public transportation, it’s more convenient (方便的) and environmental friendly. It’s also good exercise for me.

I’m Li Lin and work as a professor in a university. I think I’m a champion (冠军) of the low-carbon lifestyle. My office uses energy-saving lights, which are turned off automatically (自动的) when not needed. In addition, I always make sure that the air conditioning system is turned off when I leave the office. All these ways can greatly reduce electricity consumption (消耗). Another way to save energy is to double print the paper, which will save about one ton of paper per year.

I’m Lin Hui, a website designer. I always choose products with longer shelf life (保质期) when I go shopping. This is to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions (温室气体排放) such as CO2. Back in my office, I work for an environmental website which was set up by my friends and me two years ago. It provides all kinds of information about low-carbon (低碳) lifestyle such as environmental policies besides tips on how to save energy.

China has plans to follow a specific (特定的) method for protecting the environment and saving the nature, based on rules set by the Chinese Government on March 17, 2024. Here are the highlights.

People in Western countries are eating less meat these days, whether for their health or because they want to protect animals. But now they have another reason: Eating less meat can help to prevent climate change, according to a recent study published in Nature.

Raising livestock (家畜) is bad for the environment. When animals like cows digest (消化) food, their stomachs make greenhouse gases, which are a major cause of global warming. Seventeen percent of greenhouse gas emission (排放) come from livestock farming, the New York Times reported.

In addition, to raise these livestock, people have to cut down forests and turn them into farms. Forests play a key role in fighting global warming because they absorb greenhouse gases.

Eating less meat according to certain guidelines could cut global food-related emissions by nearly a third by 2050. The study found keeping a vegetarian diet in the long term could bring down emissions by 63 percent.

But eating less meat won’t be easy. According to the study, people in Western countries will need to eat 90 percent less meat than they do now in order to have an influence on our climate. Scientists are now trying to find new foods to replace meat.

Some say that insects could help. A 2013 UN report said that eating insects is healthier and better for the environment. They produce 75 percent less greenhouse gases than livestock.

Some experts are creating lab-grown meat. They make meat in a lab using livestock cells. In March, a US company JUST said people in the US might be able to buy its lab-grown meat by the end of this year.