2008 & Beyond: Green efforts go beyond Olympics

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Source: CCTV.com | 07-31-2008 14:34

When Beijing won the bid seven years ago to host the 2008 Olympics, the city promised to improve its environment and host a Green Games. Our reporter Zhang Lu will take us to look at some of the changes in Beijing and we find out fulfilling the green commitment goes far beyond making the Games a success.

When Beijing won the bid seven years ago to host the 2008  Olympics, the city promised to improve its environment and  host a Green Games.

The Olympics not only offers a stage for the world's top athletes to perform, but also serves as a catalyst for higher participation in sports among people around the world. In tomorrow's special report, Zeng Siwei travels to Tianjin, one of the co-host cities, to check out public enthusiasm for exercise.

A nice day begins.

At this newly renovated community park, many people are doing morning exercises.

Su Weigui comes here every morning to fly a kite. He enjoys the time he spends in the park.

Su Weigui said "There were many changes in the past year. Now it is green all around, much better than before. Recently, flowers were also planted."

Su says the "green environment" brings him a lot of pleasure.

Similar parks were also built in other parts of downtown Beijing. Residents are happy to see their city become more like a garden.

In the past seven years, Beijing's green spaces have increased by more than 51 percent.

Making the city greener is only part of Beijing's efforts to fulfill its "Green Olympics" commitment. Improving the air quality is also a big factor, and much has been done to help make the skies bluer.

Liu Guoliang's job has made him very aware of the changes. He has been a volunteer at a bus station for more than 4 years, and the work has exposed him to emissions of all kinds of vehicles on the road.

Liu Guoliang said "It's much better now. There is no smell and no black smoke."