A number of ordinary Chinese people who have dedicated themselves to a special cause were rewarded for their efforts to protect the environment Friday.

The Earth Award, jointly organized by China Federation of Environmental Journalists and the Hong Kong-based charity Friends of the Earth, presented its awards on the eve of International Earth Day in the hopes of inspiring the public to better protect the environment.

Ten people each received awards of 40,000 yuan (US$5,000) and ten nominees were given 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) each. The Earth Award is the richest environmental prize in the country.

"As an ordinary farmer, I feel honored to get the award here at the Great Hall of the People, and I am encouraged to carry on my personal campaign of saying no to 'white pollutants,'" said Chen Fei, a farmer from east China's Zhejiang Province, who was honored for his six-year campaign to persuade people to use re-usable sacks or baskets instead of accepting plastic bags for every purchase.

At the ceremony Chen presented a weaved willow basket to Pan Yue, the vice-head of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

"It is a great gift and puts pressure on me to promote environmental protection across China," said Pan, adding that Chen's efforts show that "protecting the environment is not only up to the government, it's up to all members of society."

Another award winner, Zhao Hong, started an environmental association called the Daughters of the Earth five years ago. The organization is credited with collecting 300,000 dead batteries and organizing 20,000 people from more than 20 countries to plant trees.

The award ceremony was held as the capital braces itself for another sandstorm the second of the week. The sandy weather has raged through half of the country's major cities, affecting more than 100 million people, SEPA announced on Friday.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said earlier this week that China should be on high alert to worsening environmental pollution and ecological deterioration and environmental protection should be given a higher priority in the drive to national modernization.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2006)