China’s Carbon Neutral Town A Token
China is surprising many people these days with their seemingly environmental friendly initiatives. They have banned free plastic bags (billions are used daily in China) and they are having talks with Great Britain in hopes of coming to an agreement for the reduction of greenhouse gases (at least a framework for the discussions of). They just announced that they will build an entirely carbon neutral town of 10,000 residents. That is a great step towards making the world a better place, well, okay maybe not.
The town, Dongtan, will be built on an island and like an island it is a small paradise in an otherwise toxic sea. Thousands of residents cannot negate the billion others in China that produce and consume and produce and consume.
It should be noted however that at least the government is taking small steps. The steps being taken are mostly due to international criticism, the fallout from the toxic toys being shipped around the globe and of course to give China a friendly face as the Olympics draws closer. The idea is a good one, an entire town that is carbon neutral. However, the reality is that the town will be supported using the money tainted from the widespread environmental abuse so common in China. If China created whole regions that were carbon neutral, then that would be hailed as dramatic and serious steps in the right direction. The United States is the major carbon producer in the world, but we do try, albeit halfheartedly. We no longer, legally, pollute for profit, we do have safeguards. Our future lies in creating environmentally friendly alternative fuels, where China’s future is coal, oil and toxic waste. China cannot continue its growth with environmentally friendly practices. It has to pollute.
These little token measures, like Dongtan, at least show that international pressure does have some effect on this up and coming economic giant. As time goes by and China’s middle class grows they will start wanting healthy lives, for their own sake and their children. Dongtan could provide a blueprint for other cities in China. A blueprint that the middle class will point to and say “we want more towns like that, we deserve towns like that.” A breath of fresh, clean air is just a memory reserved for the very old in many regions of China. Hopefully, fresh air will become a dream of the middle class and steps will be taken to make that dream a reality.