Global EditionASIA 中文双语Français
Opinion
Home / Opinion / Bruce Connolly

Experiencing China's ongoing environmental improvements

By Bruce Connolly | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2019-07-05 07:09
Share
Share - WeChat
Former Beijing Shougang Steel Works becoming a 2022 Olympic venue 2019 [Photo by Bruce Connolly/chinadaily.com.cn]

My early travels, just like today, had mostly been by train. As a railway enthusiast it was a thrill to be hauled by some of the world’s last operating steam locomotives. Journeys passed through landscapes often dominated by heavy industry, using coal. China was rich in that resource with growth most noticeably in my earlier days here a major priority. Particularly within northern cities, coal provided essential winter heating and daily hot water supplies. Indeed for some communities it still does.

Living within an older part of Beijing, even in the mid-1990s I remember the large number of tall brick chimneys that were part of that system. Around the older, traditional hutongareas, homes and restaurants often depended on small, circular coal-fired stoves. Nationwide public buses and trucks relied on heavy diesel fuels while private cars were just appearing. Winter skies consequently were often a yellowish-orange clearing when the cold north winds blew down across northern China. How things have changed today. Coal, used locally in Beijing, for example, has virtually disappeared. Buses are either electric or gas-powered, and even cars and taxis are going increasingly electric.

Most Viewed in 24 Hours
China Views
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US