Every Effort Counts

It is beyond ironic that one of the world’s most polluted cities will host this year’s “Green” Olympics. We read somewhere that in a recent ranking of 72 major world cities, Beijing came in dead last for overall environmental livability. As all eyes turn to Beijing this summer we are curious to see how she’s going to clean up her act.

Here is some of what we found out:

Beijing will ban cars on alternate days from July 20, depending on whether their number plates end in odd or even numbers, a measure which authorities hope will take 45 percent of the city’s 3.29 million cars off the roads and reduce car emissions by 63 percent.

Also, open letters published in state newspapers call upon citizens’ sense of civic duty and urge them to choose public and other ‘green’ sources of transportation as a means to help make the Olympics a national success. Factory closures and construction bans are also being implemented as a means to cut back air pollution.

The list of immediate remedies goes on and on. But is the word “immediate” problematic? Aside from creating a safe place for the Olympics, what value do these immediate remedies have if no long-term changes are made?

CFW is going to look into how the Olympics have influenced Beijing’s and China’s long-term efforts towards environmental sustainability. In the meantime, we want to leave you with this thought.

During a speech at Radio City Music Hall last week, Bill Clinton addressed our own country’s green movement. With regards to the value of small green efforts vs. long-term systems he had this to say:

Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good.

In other words: every effort counts.

Maybe it’s just me, but that idea is so utterly American. And on a hot sunny day like today, it makes me want to go buy hot dogs and a watermelon. Organic, of course.

More on Beijing's Efforts