Starting from September 28 until October 2, the employees of workplaces and offices in Hanoi will take part in the Green Transport Week movement by going to work using environmentally sustainable forms of transportation.
The Green Transport Week is proudly initiated by Action for the City and the Climate Change Working Group of the VUFO -NGO Resource Center with financial support from CARE International in Vietnam, Caritas Switzerland, Action for the City. The Campaign promotes a movement among employees in Hanoi to choose green transport modes in their daily activities as a practical action to slow down the climate change process. The official website is www.giaothongxanh.org

Shaping from last year’s Green Transport Day 16 May 2008, the Green Transport Week targets to employees of workplaces in Hanoi to “get to work differently” using green transport modes such as cycling, walking and taking the bus. There will be a friendly competition among all workplaces to find out the Travel Wise workplace, based on the participation rate of each. A total of 2000 employees working in Hanoi will take part, traveling at least 16,000 km with green transport modes and save equivalent of 600 kg of CO2 and other toxic green house gas.

By registering participation online, participants are able to see the results of their healthier commutes with respect to greenhouse gases reductions calculated by taking into account kilometers not traveled and leaving their vehicles at home.

"Daily trips to the workplace or office are a part of daily activities for many people in Hanoi. Reducing the emission from these commuting activities would result in a significant improvement of the air quality, saving cost for society and improving health quality for all. For every trip to work, by shifting from a 4 stroke motorbike to taking a bus, you could reduce the emission of green house gas and toxics by 600 times."- said Tran Thi Hai, the Campaign Coordinator.

Workplaces in Hanoi are encouraged to try out more environmentally sustainable forms of transportation, which will hopefully become a sustainable pattern for them. Statistics from the Campaign will also contribute for further policy makers and other sectors to join force to facilitate and retain the green commuting behavior of Hanoians.

Action for the City is a non-profit organization under VUSTA, established on 12 January 2007 and approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for all in Hanoi and other cities of Vietnam by increasing community participation and empowering behavior change. Website: www.vidothi.org

The Climate Change Working Group is a network of international non-governmental organizations in Vietnam as well as Vietnamese NGO hosted under the VUFO NGO Resource Center.  It facilitates the climate change debate, enables NGOs to share their current engagement and future interest in addressing climate change, and discuss the need and options for NGO coordination regarding climate change. Website: http://www.ngocentre.org.vn/?q=node/5457

Contact:
Dang Huong Giang
Director
Action for the City
1 Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
Tel: 04 6 2700 184 , 046 2702553
Email: giaothongxanh@gmail.com