China Cleans Up with Olympics | Green Energy News

January 11, 2004 – Vol.8 No.42

CHINA CLEANS UP WITH OLYMPICS.

Got dirty air and undrinkable water in your city or town? Here’s a way to clean it up fast: Host the Olympic games.

The U.S. and China have signed a cooperative agreement that will ensure that the 2008 Beijing Olympic games are environmentally friendly.

With help and expertise from the U.S., the Chinese capital will have 1000 electric buses operating in revenue service, new traffic signals that sense pollution levels to limit vehicle idling, and the implementation of green building technologies to help clean the air. The city, too, with U.S. help will clean up its water supply. Tap water in Beijing is considered undrinkable.

The agreement was signed between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Among the long list of research projects that MOST wishes to advance are the development of a high power wind generator and more applications of solar energy. Visit MOST at http://www.most.gov.cn/