Prague - Environment Minister Martin Bursík wants his office to become a leading example of environment-friendly behavior.

Bursík asked the ministry´s employees to use bicycles to commute to work and to recycle waste more consistently.

In a document called "Environmental Politics" signed by minister Bursík and released on the ministry's web page, the authors explain that eco-conscious behavior is one of the ministry's top goals.

The document explains that Environment Ministry is launching a "mission to set an example of environmentally friendly behavior to all entities - organizations as well as individuals."

Autor fotografie: Bleskově

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Bursík himself often commutes by bicycle and his flat in Malá Strana, Prague is environmentally friendly as well.

Ministry's spokesman Jakub Kašpar assured that the aim of the document is to create conditions for eco-friendly behavior of officials and not to punish them for offence.

No fines, no sacking

"This doesn't mean it will be prohibited to drive a car to work. It is rather about improving conditions for bikers," said Kašpar to Aktuálně.cz.

"And when somebody throws a paper into a garbage bin instead of into a recycling container, he will not get a fine, nor even a notice," added Kašpar. 

Environment Ministry is also planning to use renewable sources of energy and eco-friendly products.

Solar panels installed on the roof of Environment Ministry | Foto: Tomáš Adamec

Green revolution

Solar panels have been installed on the roof of the ministry´s building, which is now able to produce enough energy to supply an average family house.

Other goal of the ministry is to use bio-fuelled cars or cars that produce a limited amount of emissions. Minister Bursík and his deputies have been using the bio-fuelled cars.

Read more: Bursík wants bio-fueled government and state cars

Minister Bursík would like this "green revolution" to spread to other ministries as well. He would like one quarter of the state-owned cars to be "green" by the end of 2013.

On top of that, the ministry is planning to introduce the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), a system already used by Czech industrial companies such as chemical plants. The purpose of the system is minimize the negative impact of offices upon the environment.

The system has been in use in state offices in Belgium.