I lived with my grandma during my childhood in an old community in the former Xuanwu district. When I was a kid we used to buy hundreds of coal briquettes to heat the room in the winter. In addition to the inconvenience of carrying those briquettes in the freezing winter, the rooms were sometimes choked with smoke when we lit the stove.

In 2010, the government replaced the traditional coal-burning stoves with electric radiators in the community where grandma has spent most of her life. We also receive a special price for electricity - half price in the morning. This makes the cost of heating in the winter even less.

Liang Wenchao, 30, a Beijing resident who works in the media industry

I love camping, especially in summer and autumn. We usually drive through the downtown to the Olympic Forest Park in the north of the city with friends and relatives to spend the weekend.

The new Riverside Forest Park in Daxing district has saved us the trouble of the drive. After just a few minutes' cycling, we can picnic in the grassland or nap in a hammock.

Many people complain that the environment in the southern part of the capital is not as good as in the northern part. But I believe Riverside Forest Park, as well as the Nanhaizi Park, in Daxing district, will further improve the air quality.

Xia Yin, 26-year-old Beijing resident who works in Daxing district.

I just bought a new apartment in Daxing district. Compared with the apartments in the central part of the city, real estate prices here are so much more affordable for me.

I am optimistic about the development of southern Beijing, especially in the past few years. The new streets are spacious and the forestation is beautiful.

The government has created some forest parks in Daxing and Fengtai districts, which have and will further improve the air quality. Also, with many biological medicine companies and high-end manufacturing businesses moving in, the economic development here is expected to quickly grow.

Feng Hui, 36-year-old technician in Beijing.

(China Daily 03/11/2013 page4)