Garbage Bank: Tibet treats environment as gift

(ECNS) -- Since early summer this year, herdsmen have been insisting on cleaning up trashat Kangrinboqe Scenic Spot to exchange for gifts at the "garbage bank" in Pulan County in Ngari, Tibet Autonomous Region.

Located in the southwest of Tibet as well as the junction of China, India and Nepal, Pulan County is home to many scenic spots like Kangrinboqe and Lake Manasarovar, which attract many tourists.

To clean up garbage left by tourists, Pulan County set up a "garbage bank" at Kangrinboqe Scenic Spot in 2018 where people can exchange trash for gifts.

At present, 80 garbage bins have been set up across Kangrinboqe Scenic Spot; 38 garbage cans and two compressed garbage transfer vehicles have been added to the county. The local environment has been greatly improved.

In the past four years, the special bank has removed about 40 tons of garbage, exchanged more than 2,400 gifts, and given four herdsmen stable jobs.