HOSTING THE OLYMPICS: IT’S A GAS GAS GAS
Beijing will close 144 gas stations and 9 oil depots as part an effort to improve air quality in the Chinese capital, just in time for this summer’s Olympics. Air quality is a big worry for organizers of the Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee has warned that some events could be postponed if pollution levels rise too far. Beijing, the host city, is considered one of the most polluted cities on Earth.
All oil depots and gas stations in the city have until the end of May to comply with vapor recovery rules, which are intended to guarantee air quality during the Olympics. Vapor recovery is used during the refueling of gasoline storage tanks to reduce hydrocarbon emissions: a specially designed nozzle is installed on gas pumps to collect vapors from the vehicle's gas tank and return them to the station's underground storage tank. More than 1,000 filling stations will have new nozzles installed at the pumps. The upgrades are expected to cost US$70,000 per station.In addition to the gas station closures, many cars are expected to be ordered off the road during the games, and Chinese authorities have already started closing down factories. Work on city construction sites will be suspended from May onward, and thousands, maybe millions of Chinese workers will be given vacation time in an effort to reduce traffic congestion.
Sources, resources, discourses:
1. China Daily – article
2. Forbes – article
3. The Toronto Star – article
4. BBC News – article and photo
2 comments:
I like the focus on good environmental news in your blog here. Though its important that we kee up to date with the problems, it is easy to lose hope and a regular injection of the more optimistic news is very welcome!
As much money as the Olympics bring in, they don't account for the damage in pollutants caused.
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