It's exciting to see China seems to be taking environmental issues more seriously- their abysmal environmental policies around their population centers have led to some serious problems and tragic losses.While China's new green city, Dongtan.
According to Business Week,
"About the size of Manhattan, Dongtan aims to be energy self-sufficient using a combination of wind, solar power, and biofuels. The brainchild of Arup Group, a London-based design and engineering firm, the multibillion-dollar project consists of three "villages" juxtaposed to create a central civic area. The plan dictates that no dwelling be more than a seven-minute walk from fuel-cell-powered public transport. Organic farms surrounding the development will supply residents with fresh produce and buffer the island's delicate wetland ecosystem. In 2010, apartments will become available to about 5,000 residents. By 2050, the planners predict, the headcount will hit 500,000."While our first reaction was that it was just a public relations ploy by China, especially after all the negative press about air quality in Beijing for the Olympics, but after reading the specifics of the plan (and that they were produced by an independent British contractor), it seems to be an impressive display of China's power for positive change. We hope there's more to come, both in China and here, in this same vein.
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