Lena sent an email with the picture above, taken in Beijing. “Low carbon” eating – is that a new diet? As all organic matter on Earth is based on carbon it seems like a hard diet to maintain.
According to Lena the English skills of Chinese people are not always great. Thus it is likely that what they meant is low carbohydrate. Although who knows for sure?
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A couple quotes:
"the “low carbon life” in China. The program explored this new lifestyle through the burgeoning vegetarian restaurant scene in Beijing, and a handful of consumers who claimed to eschew meat out of consideration for the environment. It was a bit narrow in focus but suggested that some people are making this connection, and reducing their meat consumption as a consequence."
"What does the green ad say? Beneath the big heart, it reads “Low carbon: best way of life.” On the right, you have a mug of beer, with a suggestion to save 0.2 kg of CO2 by drinking one less; below that a suggestion to save 8.65 kg of CO2 with an energy-efficient electric (rice?) cooker; then to eat 0.5kg less meat with a savings of 0.7kg CO2; and lastly to save 0.46 kg CO2 with 0.5kg less food."
Apparently it's the current government push in China:
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/09/25/idINIndia-59535820110925
http://www.brookings.edu/events/2011/0531_china_carbon.aspx
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/09/17/china-moving-forefront-emergi...
They probably mean the restaurant doesn't use solid-fuel stoves or something of that kind.