The 2008 Summer Olympics are only 2 weeks away and the forecast is: smoggy skies and algae-covered seas. Beijing has begun a widespread shutdown of factories, construction sites, power stations, traffic lanes; taking drastic measures to clean the carbon heavy skies before the games begin. And the whole world will be watching. . .
Zoom in on the Bird Cage (Bird’s Nest)—the (ultra cool/ postmodern creepy) National Stadium that will hold all Olympic track and field events, and the opening and closing ceremonies. Next stop, the National Theater—an alien looking dome with an underground entrance, probably the most controversial building in new Beijing. “A modern building in an existing place is disturbing. That is a fact,” reported the project’s French architect, Paul Andreu, to NPR.
All the construction of said megastructures in an already congested city makes for a whole lotta pollution. And what happens when polluted run-off water reaches the sea? A big mess of green algae to clean-up before the sailing events start.
The modern paradox of progress leading to pollution; we’re curious to see how it will be played on tv screens and in the blogosphere (Bloggers be warned: Google’s a little different over there. In certain spots you are guaranteed to encounter the Great Firewall of China)
What of the sustainability of these innovative advancements in modern China? Most of the construction is still fueled by oil or coal; meanwhile there is a mess of biomass just floating around, waiting to be converted into biofuel. Will the national government continue to finance projects that pollute but look pretty, or turn to productive cleantech opportunities? The future (and the sky) is still hazy.
Sharona
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