Yongin City "Providing Carbon Neutrality Points for Eliminating Leftovers in Cafeterias"

Agreement on 'Carbon Neutrality Project Practice' with Four Institutions and Organizations
Pilot Project for 'K-Food Waste Zero Incentive' in Cafeterias
Mayor Lee Sang-il: "Institutional Cooperation Is Important for Responding to Climate Change"

"We will give carbon neutrality points if no food waste is left."

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province has established a cooperative system for practicing carbon neutrality together with major institutions in the area. In particular, the city decided to conduct a pilot project that awards carbon neutrality points if no food waste is left in the cafeterias of these institutions.

At the 'Public-Private-Academic One Team Carbon Neutrality Project Practice Agreement Ceremony' held on the 2nd in the Mayor's Reception Room at Yongin City Hall, Choi Mi-young, President of the Yongin City Daycare Center Association (from the left), Kim Hee-jung, Superintendent of Yongin Office of Education, Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, Kim Yong-guk, Head of the Eco-friendly Safety Division at the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, and Kim Jae-il, Vice President for External Affairs at Dankook University, are holding up the agreement document. Provided by Yongin City.

On the 2nd, Yongin City announced on the 3rd that it signed the 'Public-Private-Academic + One Team Carbon Neutrality Project Practice Agreement' with the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, Yongin Office of Education, Dankook University, and Yongin City Daycare Center Association at the mayor’s reception room. The signing ceremony was attended by Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, Kim Yong-guk, Head of the Eco-friendly Safety Headquarters at the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, Kim Hee-jung, Superintendent of Yongin Office of Education, Kim Jae-il, Vice President for External Affairs at Dankook University, and Choi Mi-young, President of Yongin City Daycare Center Association.

The city plans to jointly reduce greenhouse gas emissions with these institutions and take the lead in realizing carbon neutrality by forming a social consensus on carbon reduction actions and widely spreading it as a city-wide movement. The '+' in the agreement’s name symbolizes the intention to encourage participation from more institutions and organizations.

The participating institutions and organizations will cooperate for carbon neutrality and promote the carbon neutrality point system to children, students, citizens, companies, and institutions, carrying out various activities to encourage participation in the system.

In particular, the participating institutions will launch the nation’s first 'K-Food Waste Zero Incentive Pilot Project.' This project will operate a 'No Food Waste Day' on a trial basis in cafeterias or school and daycare meal rooms, and individuals who practice this will receive a small amount of 'carbon neutrality points' as incentives. Carbon neutrality points are rewards given for reducing electricity, gas, and water usage, and accumulated points can be used for discounts on electricity, water, and gas bills, as well as for public transportation fares and purchasing eco-friendly products.

The Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute is revising regulations to add 'Food Waste Zero' to the incentive items of the 'Green Life Practice Carbon Neutrality Points.' Once the regulation revision and related system are established, the city plans to pilot the program in the city hall cafeteria and promote activation through awards for outstanding participants.

The Yongin Office of Education also plans to operate 'No Food Waste Days' in school meals and expand the 'Self-Service Meal Class' to help students reduce food waste. Dankook University and the Daycare Center Association will also participate in operating 'No Food Waste Days.'

Mayor Lee said, "To respond to climate change, it is important for each institution to cooperate and for citizens to actively participate," adding, "I hope this agreement leads to everyone’s actions and practices and becomes a good example of effectively responding to the climate crisis."

Meanwhile, the institutions that signed the agreement officially launched a working-level consultative body to implement the carbon neutrality practice project and plan to carry out various carbon neutrality activities such as carbon reduction campaigns and sharing excellent cases of greenhouse gas emission reduction.