Special report:
2008 Olympic
Games
BEIJING, Aug. 1 -- When Beijing won the bid seven
years ago to host the 2008 Olympics, the city promised to improve its
environment and host a Green Games. Our reporter Zhang Lu will take us to look
at some of the changes in Beijing and we find out fulfilling the green
commitment goes far beyond making the Games a success.
A nice day begins.
At this newly renovated community park, many people
are doing morning exercises.
Su Weigui comes here every morning to fly a kite. He
enjoys the time he spends in the park.
Su Weigui said "There were many changes in the past
year. Now it is green all around, much better than before. Recently, flowers
were also planted."
Su says the "green environment" brings him a lot of
pleasure.
Similar parks were also built in other parts of
downtown Beijing. Residents are happy to see their city become more like a
garden.
In the past seven years, Beijing's green spaces have
increased by more than 51 percent.
Making the city greener is only part of Beijing's
efforts to fulfill its "Green Olympics" commitment. Improving the air quality is
also a big factor, and much has been done to help make the skies bluer.
Liu Guoliang's job has made him very aware of the
changes. He has been a volunteer at a bus station for more than 4 years, and the
work has exposed him to emissions of all kinds of vehicles on the road.
"It's much better now. There is no smell and no black
smoke,"said Liu Guoliang.
The improvement of his working environment has taken
a lot of effort. In order to reduce emissions, the city increased vehicle
exhaust standards, replaced buses and upgraded the emission system for its 67
thousand taxis.
Du Shaozhong, Deputy Director of Beijing Environment
Protection Bureau said "Days with better air quality now account for 70 percent
of total days in a year, up 40 percent from a decade ago. Especially since the
start of the year, major pollutants have dropped by a further 20 percent from
the same period last year."
Measures to reduce pollution also include closing and
removing polluting factories.
Beijing Capital Steel & Iron Group, or Shougang,
is one of China's leading steel makers but also the city's major polluter. It
started relocating its plants to Hebei province in 2005. During the Games, the
plants will cut monthly production to only 27 percent of the usual output.
The company says the huge economic sacrifice is not
only for the Olympics.
"Beijing, as the country's capital, is going to
become an international metropolitan and a desired place to live in. So,
industrial adjustments are imperative. Energy-consuming industries will
undoubtedly be eliminated, it's just a matter of time. We won't remove the
company only for the Games. The significance is far beyond that. " said Zhu
Jimin, President of Beijing Shougang Steel Group.
Far beyond hosting a "Green Olympics", plans are to
continue the trend after the Games. 140 billion yuan has been invested in
reducing pollution. This will benefit city residents in the long run rather than
just impress foreigners attending the Olympics. For Beijing, the August Games is
not the finish line, but a new start--for becoming a "green city".
And in this city, Su Weigui will always find a nice
place to fly kite.
"All these measure, of course, are not only for the
Olympics. After the Games, we will enjoy the green environment as much as now.
And I think it will become even better." said Su Weigui.
The Olympic Games will come and go in 20 days. But
the effects of all the "green efforts" will remain. It will help shape a new
city with a desirable environment and economic sustainability. And that may be
the best reward Beijing can get from hosting the Olympic Games.
(Source: cctv.com)
