Beijing Bans Polluters
Have a polluting vehicle? Then give Beijing a wide berth. You are no longer welcome here. Starting in June, any vehicles driving into China’s capital must carry an “Environmentally Friendly” label issued by their local authorities, Gasgoo reports. Environmental oinkers will be banned from driving inside the 5th Ring Road of the capital. From October 1, vehicles not meeting the standard can’t enter the capital’s areas inside the 6th Ring Road—a monster more than 100 miles long surrounding Beijing well outside the city proper. Part of a far-reaching plan to clear the air in China’s capital.
This follows a ban of “yellow plate” (polluting, not meeting Euro 4) vehicles that was enacted January 1, 2009. It removed 300,000 polluting cars from the inner city streets, with amazing effect. I can actually see the horizon from my window. Last year, we could barely see the next building.
But what about the other green? Asked whether out-of-town vehicles delivering fresh vegetables, fruits and other farm produce to Beijing will be banned also, an official said the authorities “are studying” the matter. Translation: “Ooops, didn’t think of that.”
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Is there anywhere in this world that won't suck within the next 5-10 years?
Is California and China stealing "ideas" from each other or just sharing similar ideology?
I was in China 3 years ago and the people need all the help the government can give them for cleaner air. There is a tremendous problem with Gobi Desert dust also (which the Chinese are trying to solve at least a little bit with a huge tree planting effort) but pollution from vehicles and coal burning are the real killers. Good luck to them. And remember their air travels to the U.S. Most of the sand and pollution probably falls out but not all of it.