Towona Set to Promote 'Green Commuting' for World Expo 2010

BEIJING, April 27 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The World Expo 2010 will be open in Shanghai on May 1.

Recently, Towona media, China's leading bus mobile TV operator, kicked off the promotion of green commuting in partnership with the CANGO Green Commuting Fund. Jointly sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination and US Environmental Defense, green commuting is aimed at spreading the concept of low-carbon and green technology at the World Expo and contributing to smooth traffic flows.

Towona, as the strategic partner of bus mobile media for CANGO Green Commuting Fund, has priority reports for this promotion, including the tasks of issuing low-carbon transport cards, and seeking green commuters, green commuting forests at 100+ enterprises, neighborhoods, and schools. Meanwhile, Towona will also launch online interactive activities such as the "Low-carbon World Expo", the first public service advertising which, featuring by Maurice F. Strong, former under-secretary general of the United Nations, Prof. Gareth Chang, chairman and CEO of Towona, Lan Zhenzhen, VP of L'Oreal Group, and Liu Yingjian, chairman of Hanvon, as well as celebrities such as Zhao Wenzhuo, Su Youpeng and Sun Li, was broadcasted on April 26 over Towona's national mobile TV network.

"Towona always advocates green commuting, which not only contributes to fresh air and smooth traffic, but also protects our living environment by reducing fuel consumption and emission of green house gases. Hence, we call for residents to choose public transport to visit the World Expo," Prof. Gareth Chang said.

Data from Shanghai World Expo National Organizing Committee shows that expo visitors will amount to at least 70 million people, with a daily flow of 400,000 people, and at the peak period 600,000 people. Traffic will pose a huge challenge to the World Expo. So it is imperative to advocate green commuting. Huang Haoming, vice-chairman and executive director of the CANGO, noted, "Nowadays, low-carbon economy and green commuting are essential, and this requires us to change our personal life styles. By taking the opportunity of the 2010 World Expo, we would like to convey the notion of green commuting and publicize low-carbon life among residents in major cities across China through this cooperation with Towona, to fuel the low-carbon economy in this country."

Many metropolises in developed countries suffered from bitter fruit caused by the proliferation of private cars, including gridlock, air pollution and traffic accidents and eventually selected a traffic structure dominated by public transport, supplemented by private cars, bicycles and walking. It has been proven that such a structure is the most dynamic and efficient. According to the Study of China's Transport Energy and Environmental Policy, energy consumption varies greatly with transportation changes: if buses require 1 unit energy consumption per person-km, the figure for cars is 8.1 units, 0.5 unit for subways, and 0 for bicycles.

"Green commuting does not entirely rule out the use of private cars. Rather, it calls for people to try to select the transportation with minimum environmental impact. This requires our concerted effort. If more and more people join in this endeavor, our environment will become even more cleaner and beautiful," Chairman Gareth Chang added.

SOURCE Towona