A so-called "eco-friendly" apartment complex complete with solar panels that derives more than 90% of its energy needs from coal? China struggles to take sustainable development seriously.
As one of the world's most polluted nations, with its fast-expanding cities filling with polluting factories and ports, and clogged with automobiles, China is struggling to find the balance between cost-effective affordable development and expensive, but much needed, environmentally and health-friendly construction. As Calum MacLeod, of USA Today reports, "China is building more eco-cities designed to be low-carbon and energy-saving than any other country, according to a survey by the University of Westminster in London. The USA ranked second."
Still, "China's buyers don't appear to be motivated by environmentalism," notes MacLeod. Instead, basic needs trump sustainability.
Many projects appear stalled and are nothing more than "promotional gimmicks by commercial developers," says MacLeod. "Housing Vice Minister Qiu Baoxing said the eco-city concept has been overused in China, and some projects actually damaged the environment, reported the state-run Xinhua News Agency."
FULL STORY: China builds most ecologically friendly cities.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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