In light of a significant increase in the amount of leftovers during the one-week Chinese New Year holiday, the Environment Protection Administration (EPA) urged the public to adopt an environmentally friendly "green diet."

The China Post reports that leftovers account for around a quarter of the garbage generated by the average household per day on average, according to the EPA. Based on this calculation, the whole country produces 4,500 tons of leftovers every normal day.

During the Chinese New Year festival -- one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese society -- extra leftovers are generated, the EPA news release said.

The EPA called for the public to follow its "green diet," in which followers "cook only the dishes they can finish" and "order only the dishes they can finish when dining out."