SHANGHAI, Jun 5 -- CITY students, office workers and company leaders are being encouraged to be "green" commuters and leave their cars at home.

The nationwide campaign has been taken up by the Shanghai Green Oasis, an association centered on ecological protection, and other environmental groups.

Local residents are urged to walk or cycle short distances, take trains and buses more, drive less days in a month and join a car-sharing pool.

"We will launch the activity in campuses in the next few months until September 22 which will be 'No Car Day' for the city," said Kang Hongli, an association official.

The campaign will focus mainly on campuses, residential communities and big companies.

They will visit 100 schools and hope there will be at least 500 green pledges from each one.

The association will work with the American Chamber of Commerce to call on the 1,330 United States firms to sign pledges.

Once an individual agrees to take part in the campaign, he or she can agree to eventually buy an environmentally friendly car, to use the car less and share it with others, take the bus or Metro more frequently, and walk if time permits. People can choose one item or more for the pledge.

The campaign has already begun in Beijing. Nearly 1,000 volunteers rode bicycles in the capital on Saturday to promote the drive to not drive.