Greenpeace grades the Beijing Olympics
Hey China, don't think you're getting anything past Greenpeace. They're watching and judging your Olympic efforts according to their strict environmental standards.
Surprisingly? Greenpeace actually thinks they're doing okay! Not as good as Syndey, but better than Athens. Oh, snap!
Oh, no one is going to use them as a paragon of eco-friendly living - we're talking about China, not Finland. But Beijing made a big effort in anticipation of the Olympic games, including:
- increased the availability of public transportation, with five new subway lines
- converted 32,000 households to from coal to electric heating systems
- created their first wind power station
On the downside, Greenpeace is "disappointed" that China opened more landfills instead of trying to be "zero-waste." Also, the lack of transparency around their environmental data and certification of Olympic venues casts a shadow on their efforts. Finally, there is the question of if/how China will maintain these good practices after the games, and extend them to the rest of the country.
Want to read more? Check out the report China After the Olympics
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