Tens of thousands of Shenzheners joined opening ceremonies for the annual green program of activities across the city yesterday.

The event, two days before World Environment Day which falls on June 5, is aimed at enhancing residents' awareness of environmental protection.

Guo Yurong, director general of the municipal environmental protection bureau, said more than 100 activities will be held during the next four months, allowing the public to play a key role in environmental protection.

"Activities include reporting illegal industrial polluters, a No Car Day, tree planting, recycling used batteries, free lectures and the annual Shenzhen Residents' Environmental Protection Award," she said.

The bureau expects more than 1 million Shenzheners to take part in the activities.

According to the bureau, tens of thousands of residents will walk to work or use public transport to mark No Car Day on Friday.

The annual Shenzhen Residents' Environmental Protection Award will be held in September.

Vice Mayor Lu Ruifeng said local residents play a crucial part in environmental protection. "Last year, the city arrested 513 illegal industrial polluters based on whistleblowers' reports, accounting for a quarter of the total number of polluters arrested," he said.

He also praised the city's six nongovernmental environmental protection organizations, which have some 100,000 members.

"Focusing on ecological systems, marine and water resources protection, these organizations are crucially important in raising the public's awareness of environmental protection," the vice mayor said.

Editor: Yan