Slashdot: China Planning For Sustainable Cities. ⇒
18 July 2005, lunch time
This is a post from my link log: If you click the title of this post you will be taken the web page I am discussing.
18 July 2005, lunch time
This is a post from my link log: If you click the title of this post you will be taken the web page I am discussing.
It better not be some made for North America but used in China development! 8o| What is up with these Companies going over there and imposing our lifestyle on people of other cultures? I just don’t get it! 8o|
Just before I get bashed! lol… Sustainable cities are great, but I just don’t think we need another Chandigar, where some maniac goes in and designs a whole city based on his idea of how big box concrete buildings are the greatest thing since sliced bread. I just hope they take into account local’s wishes. That’s all.. Is that so hard to ask?! 8o|
by sh!ma on July 18 2005, 1:11 pm #
Shima, when even the Chinese govt doesn’t heed local wishes, how can you expect a foreign company to do so?
The Chinese have been very busy in thinking about their future energy use. They may be burning oil and coal like no tomorrow, they do realize that its a short term solution. They are looking into serious alternatives and that explains there interest in broad relations with say Australia which has the world largest deposit of untapped Uranium. They atleast have an eye for the future. I cannot say that for any Western country especially the United States.
by Sunny on July 18 2005, 11:38 pm #
The “West” != US. (Thankfully!) A number of Western countries are looking for alternatives. For example, about 20% of Denmark’s electricity comes from wind and for Germany, which has thousands of wind turbines, the figure is about 10%. (Figures from Wiki’s Wind power).
by Ryan on July 19 2005, 2:02 am #
Yes Ryan. I meant ‘most’ not ‘any’. Should proof-read. Nice link btw.
Even the US has wind turbines. That doesn’t mean they have a solid strategy for the future. Believe it or not in Australia the main opposition to wind power actually comes from environmental groups! I find them elegant on the other hand.
Even the French have a plan. They are over 70% nuclear. And now they are looking into fusion and not just fission technology.
Why we are not pushing solar panels in houses, water recycling etc in homes beats me.
by Sunny on July 19 2005, 2:42 am #
Sunny, If I remember correctly, much of the untapped uranium is under land deeded to the aboriginals. I don’t think the aboriginals were too happy with the idea of massive strip mining on there land.
by Styx on July 19 2005, 12:43 pm #
Styx, you are right. Many aboriginal groups have voiced a concern regarding the same. But I don’t see the present Federal govt doing anything about it. The just posted close to a $20 billion AUD budget surplus riding high on the resource trade with China.
Plus, considering that most of these Uranium deposits (and also gold deposits) are in Western Australia, they may just decide to secede if the Federal govt decides to stop them. They have tried before.
by Sunny on July 19 2005, 9:17 pm #
Believe it or not in Australia the main opposition to wind power actually comes from environmental groups!
Can you elaborate? I’m having trouble thinking of why that would be case. (I’ve heard that birds fly into them, but still…)
Why we are not pushing solar panels in houses, water recycling etc in homes beats me.
A good point…Solar panels are suppose to be reaching affordability. It would be nice if they became a commodity in the near near future. (For something other than calculators!)
by Ryan on July 20 2005, 2:57 am #
Ryan, its a combination of factors, some ecological but mostly aesthetics. Most of Australia’s biosystem (trees, uniqe flora and fauna) is near the shores. Installing a big number of such units would mean clearfelling of native forests.
The problem continues on the shoreline as well (Australia has the world’s longest) where it is mostly aesthetics and noise. Its a bit ridiculous. I find them graceful.
Off shore plans have been mostly shelved for protecting marine life.
So yes the potential is there but the govt has not really taken it very seriously. And since Australia has abundant natural gas, coal and a very small population, renewable sources of energy are not in the agenda. Which is very unfortunate.
The only thing I notice is the solar panels on some houses. I mean you would think in a place like Australia we would have solar panels all over the place but they are rare. Usually some houses have them to heat the swimming pools. Plus there are not many incentives from the state govts for folks who contribute to the grid. They would rather burn coal and gas.
by Sunny on July 20 2005, 4:57 am #
Thanks for the detailed answer.
[Although, my patriotism demands that I dispute which country has the longest shoreline ;-)].
Australia doesn’t endorse the Kyoto Protocol, right? Is it not given too much credence either?
by Ryan on July 21 2005, 2:00 am #
Yeah, Kyoto was given the middle finger as well. The reasoning is that it doesn’t apply to developing countries. Well how about setting an example? NZ does support the Kyoto protocol, although they are having second thoughts.
The two main parties, the Liberals (majority) and Labor both say no to Kyoto. The only party that supports is the Greens who only have one member in the Senate. Unlike the US, the Senate is really an afterthought here. Occassionally, Labor and Greens get together on environment issues but that has changed lately. So basically both the main parties agree that Kyoto be damned. And the general public could care less.
by Sunny on July 21 2005, 6:41 am #
Canada’s Kyoto efforts seem to be leaking gas as well. Bad news.
by Sunny on July 22 2005, 9:48 pm #
Not sure if its a good or bad idea but has the right people / countries in the mix.
by Sunny on July 27 2005, 10:54 am #