Taichung City handed out 10,000 free seedlings to the public Saturday in a bid to encourage tree-planting and earth-friendly activities. Taichung Mayor Jason Hu, city councilors and borough chiefs planted a ficus religiosa in a new park in the central Taiwan city. Hu said that the Taichung City government will strive to promote ecology conservation and environmental protection, as well as to show love for the earth by planting trees. The city councilors and borough chiefs also helped to distribute seedlings at the site, taking the opportunity to interact with voters. Meanwhile, a tree-planting activity was also held in Taichung County, where nearly 3,000 trees were planted in a flower field in Houli Township. Wang Cheng-ten, Deputy Minister of the Council of Agriculture (COA) said that 3,000 trees can absorb carbon dioxide equivalent to the output from 9,812 air conditioners in one day. 