Ten restaurants in Beijing have taken the lead in a campaign to quit handing out disposable chopsticks by hanging large billboards saying "We do not recommend disposable chopsticks" in prominent locations.

An article in the Beijing Youth Daily applauds the measure, which could slow deforestation.

According to the newspaper, China consumes nearly 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks annually, or the equivalent of cutting down more than 25 million trees 20 years old or more. Some manufacturers even use industrial sulphur to whiten chopsticks, posing serious health threats to customers.

Environmentalists concerned about deforestation have launched a campaign to persuade restaurants and customers to stop using the chopsticks.

In conclusion, the newspaper calls for more people to raise awareness of environmental protection by taking steps to eliminate the use of disposable chopsticks.