People who use public transportation in Taipei City could win free MRT rides and a range of other prizes starting this month when the Taipei City Government introduces a new system at certain MRT stations that will allow passengers to measure their carbon footprint.
The “carbon reduction or low-carbon transportation” inquiry system will be installed at Map of Taipei Amusement information service kiosks that function as virtual city guides and can be found in six MRT stations, including Zhongxiao Fuxing, Zhongxiao Dunhua, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Taipei City Hall stations.
Passengers can use the system to calculate their “carbon footprint” by inserting their EasyCard into the kiosk, and the system will show a record of their public transportation usage along with the amount of carbon dioxide saved, Taipei City’s Department of Environmental Protection said.
Chiu Yi-liu (邱一流), a division chief from the department, said the system aimed to encourage the use of public transport as a way of cutting carbon emissions.
“Statistics show that people who drive, create four to five times more carbon dioxide than those taking the bus, while scooter drivers create 1.5 times more carbon dioxide than those using public transport. We believe the new system represents a small step toward stopping global warming,” she said.
The city government is scheduled to launch the system by the end of the month. It will review the data every two months and give rewards to passengers who reduce the size of their transportation-related carbon footprint the most.
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