China to ban cars from the Olympics, comply with international standards for car emissions
China will ban about half of its 3.3 million cars from the streets during the Beijing Olympics (August 8-24) in an attempt to cut air pollution. Necessary cars like emergency vehicles, buses and taxis will be allowed but only if they have an even or odd number license plate number that matches the even or oddness of the date. China may also change the emissions standards of cars and gasoline sold in Beijing to comply with international standards. Will all of this lower the air pollution at the Beijing Olympics? Not likely. Recently, China tested the car ban and discovered it actually increased air pollution.
[Source: Guardian, Xinhua News Agency]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BGJ 12:14PM (3/12/2008)
Maybe the pollution increased because only cars were banned? I didn't see anything in the linked articles that said motorcycles were banned. Aren't scooters/vespas very popular in China? Aren't most engines on these 2-wheelers 2-stroke? Doesn't a 2-stroke engine pollute much more than a modern 4-stroke car engine?
I really don't know the answer here, someone enlighten me.
More importantly, the world should ban the Olympics in China due to their shameful record on human rights, oh and the fact that they are financially supporting the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan by supplying weapons to the Sudanese military.
Guess why? Oil. Sounds very familiar...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/11/AR2008031102086.html
Ok lets review. Securing oil supply = war/death/destruction. Can we get off the dino-juice already? Isn't the money spent on killing people for energy better spent finding new ways of securing energy *without* killing people?
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