Many urban vigilantes form groups to pitch for ‘no computer’ weekends.
As climate change negotiators battle it out in Copenhagen, in China an unlikely ‘green army’ made up of youthful city folk — and invisible dogs — has launched a campaign to urge computer users to ‘shut down’ over weekends — and get a low-carbon life instead.
A group, calling itself NC63 (No Computers for 63 Hours), over the weekend (from 6pm on Friday to 9am on Monday), has even formed vigilante squads to ‘raid’ internet parlours and ‘fine’ gamers and diehard internet addicts in the interest of inculcating environmental-friendly and healthy lifestyles among China’s white-collared workers and youth.
The campaign was initiated by Guan Shaobo, marketing manager of mosh.cn, a Chinese social networking site, and is supported by most Chinese portals. Guan says the campaign intends to rally people “to support a low-carbon, green life” by turning off computers over weekends — and take up real-world social activities.
Like a general marshalling troops, Guan has banded together a volunteer force to enforce the NC63 objective. Last fortnight, the campaign kicked off in Beijing with 100 volunteers teaming up at a high-end shopping district. They were despatched to internet parlours, restaurants and other wi-fi outlets, and ‘challan’ anyone online, by handing out information leaflets about NC63’s objectives and the merits of a low-carbon lifestyle.
Some volunteers even walked ‘invisible dogs’ — that is, strutted around with leashes with imaginary dogs — symbolising healthy activities that Guan and other NC63 volunteers want the digitally obsessed to take up.
“There’s merit in using the internet moderately, particularly over weekends,” says Guan.
“It opens up a whole new world of activities, including socialising, that people otherwise miss out on.”
NC63 draws inspiration from the international campaign, Shutdown Day, which envisages a once-a-year shutdown — going without a computer for a day and getting involved in outdoor activities. The merits it advertises from a sparing use of computers are electricity saving and greater engagement with family, real-world friends and nature.
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