Posted by Greenbang on October 26th, 2007
A UN report says humanity is in serious danger of killing itself if it continues to use the planet’s resources in the same way at the same rate it does now.
The Times has this, but it’s not for the weak-hearted. Actually it’s pretty grim:
The speed at which mankind has used the Earth’s resources over the past 20 years has put “humanity’s very survival” at risk, a study involving 1,400 scientists has concluded.
The environmental audit, for the United Nations, found that each person in the world now requires a third more land to supply his or her needs than the Earth can supply.
Posted by Greenbang on October 26th, 2007
The world’s population has grown by 34% to 6.3bn in 20 years73,000km2 of forest is lost across the world each year - 3.5 times the size of Wales
60% of the world’s major river have been dammed or diverted
Source - The Times, taken from the UN Global Environment report
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
If you want to chat with Greenbang, then why not come and find him on Facebook and Skype.
Just type in “Greenbang” on either application and let’s talk.
We’ll be waiting…
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
She’s back - our Greenbang China blogger Yan Yan has returned from a vacation and is fresher and fitter than ever.
We thought we’d have a China day on Greenbang because she’s been working so hard looking at all the eco news out there.
So big it up for Yan Yan - the face of Greenbang China…
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
CHINA WATCH “Made in China” goods may rise in price, due to severe environmental-protection policies coming into force in China.
There is no free lunch in this world. “Made in China” products are so cheap not only because of cheap labour but poor enforcement of environmental and pollution laws.
It is said in China that exporters used to sacrifice the environment to achieve lower cost, but now if they violate new green rules, they could be banned from trading abroad for up to three years, according to the latest notice issued by China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Chinese exporters may see their production costs rise by five to ten percent, if a new policy to force exporters to abide by environmental protection rules comes into force, said an official from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).
The MOC has issued a notice that exporters would be banned from trading abroad for one to three years if they were found violating environmental protection rules.
Exporters would pay extra for discharge facilities and environment testing, MOC official Chen Guanglong said on Monday.
Some exporters have ignored the country’s regulations on environmental protection while striving for lower costs, according to the notice jointly published by the MOC and the State Environmental Protection Administration.
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
CHINA WATCH Director Chen Kaige was named 2006’s ungreen-person-of-the-year for reportedly destroying the natural environment at Shangri-La in Yunnan province while shooting for his previous movie.
He has now returned to the limelight to be “green” when shooting his new film in Beijing’s Forbidden City this time, according to Chinadaily.
Chen is one of the most famous directors in China with his well-known movie Farewell My Concubine.
But his movie “The Promise” is causing all kinds of fuss. It is reported that Chen dyed the trees in the Garden of Perfect Splendor in Beijing for that film, and the colour on those trees has stayed for two years.
Last year, Chen was fined 90,000 yuan (US$11,250) for littering and destroying vegetation while shooting his 42-million-dollar mythological epic “The Promise” at a scenic nature reserve in Shangri La, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
Chen has already started shooting the Mei Lanfang movie in Beijing’s Forbidden City, the imperial palace built in 1406 and a major tourist attraction in Beijing.
Chen was careful about the environmental issues this time, Friday’s Shanghai Morning Post quoted a member of the film crew as saying. “A meeting was held before we started shooting in the palace. Smoking, littering, touching and damaging cultural relics are strictly forbidden,” he said.
But is it a green walk or just talk? We are too familiar with news created by directors who simply to boost the box office takings when a new film comes out.
Anyway, I will see his new movie to check his promise. See, their trick works!
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
CHINA WATCH The Yellow and Yangtze rivers are called the Mother Rivers of China, and now they are probably like the Thames in the 1950s.
Greenbang China once looked at the Yangtze River from a plane, and found out the water seemed shiny because of the greasy pollutants in the river.
And the Yellow River, as its name speaks, it is practically stuffed with sand so became yellow.
We’re glad to read this piece of news that China is working with World Bank and EU to put 175 million Euro to clean up the rivers. Chinadaily says:
“The 5-year program, involving 25 million euros in grants from EU, more than 80 million euros in loans from the World Bank, and over 70 million euros from China, will work out a comprehensive plan and policies on pollution control along the Yellow River, and promote the public awareness of reducing industrial pollution and waste discharge and saving irrigation along the middle reaches of the river, particularly the Henan, Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces.
The 175-million-euro fund will also be used to finance people living in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei provinces and Chongqing municipality to plant economic and ecological forests in an effort to improve ecological reservation along the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River.”
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
CHINA WATCH A Chinese official stepped up to deny any environmental disasters caused by the Three Gorges gigantic dam project, as Greenbang reported one week ago.
Wang Hongju, mayor of Chongqing Municipality said, “The Three Gorges project has not deteriorated the environment in Chongqing.” cited by Chinadaily.
Chongqing Municipality and neighboring Sichuan Province, where the Yangtze River runs through, have suffered extreme weather events, a scorching drought last year and devastating flash floods this summer.
Since the party congress is around the corner, it is understandable officials will deny negative news…
“The Three Gorges project has not deteriorated environment in Chongqing, a sprawling metropolis next to the project, Mayor Wang Hongju said Monday.
Water in the Chongqing section of the Yangtze River is clean and drinkable, “and the water quality is the best in Chinese cities at current,” Wang, who is also a delegate to the ongoing 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said on the sidelines of the congress.”
Posted by Greenbang on October 25th, 2007
CHINA WATCH A friend in Shanghai strongly recommended Greenbang China to write about its airport – the Shanghai Pudong International.
Okay, so it’s an airport - not exactly friend of the Earth.
Though this project is not yet finished, the energy-saving plan sounds promising. The airport is going to use natural light, wind and rain to slash its original energy consumption to half, it says.
Check out more on Shanghai daily (subscribers only):
“It is hoped about 130 million kilowatt hours of electricity will be saved each year after the project is completed, putting the airport’s annual energy consumption at 150 yuan (US$20) per cubic meter.
The energy-saving project is estimated to cover its construction cost exceeding 100 million yuan within eight years, project designers said.
One of the most impressive aspects of the design is a massive skylight system featuring 138 skylights. The feature is not just an energy-saving measure but a way to showcase the airport’s striking architecture.
Designers are also planning to set up a series of ventilation holes on four sides of the terminal making use of the high wind pressure around the airport.
Designers said water from the 32-kilometer river around the airport would be treated and recycled for the terminal’s toilet flushing and car washing operations.”
Posted by Yan Yan on October 24th, 2007
Yup, that’s right, check out Tom’s MySpace site and his videos: one on his new film, one on his electric car. You know, pretty much like anyone else’s site…
My Electric Car - Part 1
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