On Sunday, China launched a drive to encourage the public to save energy and become more environmentally-friendly.

In Beijing, residents are being encouraged to buy energy-saving bulbs at a 90-percent discount. People can buy a 5-watt or 10-watt energy-saving bulb for 1 yuan, which is less than 15 US cents. The discounts were financed by government subsidies.

The Beijing Youth Daily carried an editorial praising the government's drive. It said that the energy-saving bulb isn't new on the market, but due to its comparatively high price, it is not widely used by ordinary citizens. People say it's energy-saving, but not cost-saving.

The daily said the low costs of the energy-saving bulbs will definitely boost its use. It said the environment being one of the most important subjects of our time, it is quite right for the government to promote energy-saving ideas among the public. However, the responsibility of saving the environment cannot lie on the government's shoulders alone.

Today's citizens are great energy consumers. Thanks to advanced technologies, the number of electronic equipment in our homes has increased a lot. Therefore, while enjoying the benefits of modern life, the paper stressed that people shouldn't forget to do their bit for the sustainable development of the whole country.

The energy-saving bulb is surely a step in the right direction, but it is just the beginning. The newspaper hoped the promotion of such bulbs can make more people conscious about the amount of energy they consume. Only when the idea of saving energy is deeply rooted in every aspect of lives, and everybody truly becomes an energy-saving citizen, can our society continue developing steadily.