The Chinese government on Wednesday donated 100,000 wrist bands with Chinese characters calling for "joint efforts for energy conservation and emissions reduction" to volunteers for the Beijing Olympics.

These wrist bands came from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Finance.

He Bingguang, deputy director of resource conservation and environmental protection department of the NDRC, said the bands would improve the energy conservation awareness of volunteers, mostly college students, to help the country meet its commitment of the green Olympics.

As part of China's commitment to an environmentally-conscious Olympic Games, solar energy generating devices and energy-efficient facilities have been deployed at Games venues, he added.

Kishan Khoday, assistant country director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), said the bands would help engage more private citizens in China's campaign to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and raise people's environmental protection awareness.

The UNDP has cooperated with both Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee and the NDRC on a wide-range of energy efficiency and emissions reduction programs, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)