High hopes for China's 'eco-city'

Shanghai developers plan to begin construction next year on what they say will be the world's first sustainable "eco-city" on a plot almost the size of Manhattan. The Dongtan, or East Beach, project is to be built on Chongming Island and is slated to eventually support half a million residents.

Among other things, the city is envisioned to recycle almost all of its waste, produce its electricity, and ferry people around in hydrogen fuel-cell buses and solar-powered water taxis, according to The Seattle Times

But amid high hopes, there is fear that the environmental project will end up as "another grand idea that failed in practice."

Read the story at The Seattle Times: "Can a bold new "eco-city" clear the air in China?"

[fokwp]

Watch for huge "sweeping it under the rug" style "green" measures - wherein the hydrogen and electricity for the cars and buses is produced with great release of carbon - er - somewhere else, the solar cells are produced at huge environmental cost - er - somewhere, etc., and the press is invited to see how green the future is in the mist of a few pollution-free blocks full of happy residents. This will help China and the rest of the world that buys into this, distract themselves and the public from the real need for reducing consumerism. There is a growing "green" industry for such distraction. Meanwhile of course the illegal coal mines will continue to spring up like mushrooms throughout China.

[kxmmxk]

That's a rather extreme and one-sided comment.

Things are in their "developmental" stage right now. Anything that is tried at the very least provides lessons learned to improve things next time. The whole "all or nothing" attitude some have is amazing ignorant and unrealistic. Real change happens in small steps with lots of experimenting.

Yes, the production of anything at this point takes power, often fueled by oil or coal. But ideally we will eventually have enough power being produced by things like solars cells and wind turbines to build the next generation using those instead of carbon fuels. Building blocks. It's that simple. The all or nothing attitude is what has kept us going nowhere because it's never going to happen that way.

Reducing consumerism isn't going to happen, that's what makes the world turn these days, like it or not, and to suggest such a thing is a fantasy. You can't create something from nothing. Figure out what works. Find new power sources even though the initial building of such will take carbon fuels. Build on those to find even better ways.

Although I do tend to get annoy when people talk about electric cars being green, they aren't today. That electricity came from somewhere. They are greener than gas powered cars because not all electricity comes from carbon and over time less and less will. There is substantial hydro power in various areas and the will be substantial wind power feeding into the grid. Baby steps and experimentation are the only way things ever really change.

All good stuff.