Workers at a delivery service sort parcels in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo by Hu Jianhuan/China Daily]

These materials are usually not recycled, and the plastic bags are not degradable. This creates lots of waste and pollution, let alone the millions of tons of garbage that people generate in their daily routine.

Considering the scale of the problem, Jack Ma has discussed the issue with his colleagues about promoting green logistics several times.

As for how many green express boxes will be used and how much money will be invested, there is no word yet from Cainiao.

"Green package materials undoubtedly increase the costs, and the huge costs cannot be undertaken by Cainiao alone. We will persuade sellers and partners to undertake the costs together," said the source in charge of the logistics business in Cainiao.

Since green express boxes can be reused by Cainiao again and again, who will foot the cost of green express bags is a problem that needs urgent solution, since currently the online sellers pay the cost of buying and delivering package materials.

"We are working together with trade associations and counterparts to develop and produce a kind of degradable green bags, which can be decomposed in soil. However, the cost of these bags is several times the cost of bags currently being used," said the source, adding that there are several samples of the green express bags under test, and the bags will be put into use later in 2016.

Besides the green boxes and bags, Cainiao's green express vehicles, which will be first put into use in late 2016, are planned to gradually replace the current freight cars in a bid to reduce the carbon emission generated in transportation.

The green move by Alibaba has won praise from Internet users, as a user named Wangleba said: "This is a good step as this will save package costs and reduce pollution". The comment got 113 supports.