Results tagged “green”

In more environmental news, the government has decided to subsidize 294 solar power plants which will generate 642 megawatts of power. The subsidies are part of China's "golden sun" plan, a project meant to find alternative energy sources. As Obama made carbon emissions a key point in his town hall meeting with students earlier today, it looks as if Hu Jintao will have some bragging points.

A blogger out of Fujian has compiled an open-source google map that places major pollution sites around china. While similar sources have existed in the past, this is the first one that allows other users to contribute sites with pollution problems. The map, which was created by Guo Baofeng, has attracted a lot of interest on Chinese BBS' and Forums: check it out while you still can, because you never know when it could suddenly disappear.

           

As we stepped off bustling Jiaozhou Lu and through the large and heavy wooden gates of URBN, we felt as if we had left Shanghai. The hustle and bustle of Shanghai seemed to have disappeared and already we could feel ourselves loosening up, relaxing. Just through the threshold was a small cobble-stoned, tree-lined courtyard... and to our direct left, decorated with an artful take on bamboo scaffolding, the hotel.

In a country that was once known as the Kingdom of Bicycles, it's become harder and harder to actually ride one in the increasingly congested traffic. Good news: Shanghai has decided to build a number of new bike paths between major transportation roads and metro stations. In addition, the new bike paths will include an increase in low-cost bicycle rental services, similar to the services offered in Hangzhou. Good for the environment, and way more enjoyable than trying to find a cab during rush hour.

So former British PM Tony Blair and Chinese kung fu superstar Jet Li have teamed up to form a dynamic duo of putting solar panel lights in villages around China (and one day, the world!).

Climate Change: China in Action, produced by the China Meteorological Administration and featured on the always excellent China Green is a short film that documents efforts by the Chinese government, as well as NGOs, scientists and corporations to address climate change:

PSA: Need Work? Come to the 2010 Expo!

The Shanghai 2010 Expo is looking for volunteers of all shapes, sizes, and nationalities, and if you're a soon-to-be college graduate, you're probably still looking for a job.

Free Bikes in Minhang

Minhang commuters and residents have been enjoying free bike rides for the last two weeks. No its not a rash of bike stealers - in fact, it's actually a new government sponsored program partially intended to curb theft.

Here are few handy websites to help you navigate the world of Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia…

In honor of Science and Environment Day today (Saturday), Sagevision and the Ruijin Community Cultural Center, are erecting a ‘Community Trash Art Mural’ in Fuxing Park. They aim to “create public awareness and interest regarding the impact of trash on the environment in China and the world.”

Yet another weekend has arrived, and seems a lot of people have been talking about the opening of the Shelter. They are holding a 'soft opening' tonight and hosting Dex, from the Underground Resistance, tomorrow. For those of you who are in the mood for more of a visual than some dude spinning on the decks (or laptop), there are plenty of live shows to choose from. Just down the street from the Shelter are...

Heres' a public service announcement to (illegal) satellite TV users from Shanghaiist: Don't put stuff on top of your satellite receiver box. We had gotten in the habit of placing the occasional DVD or DVD sleeve on top of our satellite box, which is covered by a bunch of small vents. Not long ago, while working at our computer (surprise, surprise) at around 1 am, we heard a popping noise coming from near the TV...

According to recent rumors we've heard, tickets are on sale this week for the biggest show of the year (in our humble opinion), The Beyoncé Experience! Beyoncé (aka Beyoncé Knowles), the 27-year old singer, model, and actress, is currently one of the biggest superstars in America. She began her career with the ginormously successful all-girl group Destiny's Child and has been just as prosperous as a solo artist. She brings her world tour called The...

OK, we all know about the Great Wall, the Great Firewall and the Great Green Wall. All that is old news now. Get this: China is now building a 6 million yuan, 40-kilometer (25-mile) long, 1 meter (3.3 feet) high wall around Dongting Lake in Hunan Province to guard against the 2 billion field mice that have been on the run from the flooded Yangtse River. Already, the mice have destroyed about 520,000 hectares (1.3 million acres) of crop land when rising water drove them from their burrows. And even the enterprising businessmen in Guangdong who sought to help by bringing the mice en masse to the dinner table did little to mitigate the situation.

Shanghaiist is in a panic. Our Enjoy card expires on Saturday and we have a million (OK, not really, but it seems like it) coupons left in our book and they are all useless by tomorrow midnight. After swapping vouchers like baseball cards with other coupon clippers, the plan for today is to maximize our discounts to the fullest extent for 12 hours or more…



  • "China Digital Times has noted a Wall Street Journal article that reports on heightened sensitivities around the subject - sensitivities that may have resulted in the current issue of the business magazine Caijing being pulled and revised."




  • "A member of China's parliament has demanded the immediate closure of a Starbucks coffee shop set up inside Beijing's Forbidden City, the Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday."




  • "Ads for soft drinks and fashion magazines have crept onto Chinese campuses - not only spoiling the ambiance but undermining the very essence of education in the arts and sciences."




  • "The majority of the foreign visitors expected during the 2008 Games have religious beliefs, and we should cater to their needs," said Liu Bainian, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).




  • "What is the truth about the 'green paint on the mountain in Fumin county, Yunnan' incident that shook up the nation? Does the local government bear any responsibility? Was this the act of an individual businessman?"




  • "In a joint statement released late Sunday, the Supreme People's Court, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Justice and the country's top prosecutor also said condemned prisoners should not be paraded through the streets and suspects should not be tortured."




  • "The government took its assault on the internet gaming world a step further this week with an announcement that it perceives the explosion in virtual currencies used in a variety of online gaming forums – everything from Second Life to World of Warfare to virtual poker rooms – as a serious threat to its national security."




  • "The overall airport reconstruction project in the western China region will cost 52 billion yuan (6.5 billion US dollars), including an input of 9.6 billion yuan (1.2 billion dollars) and the sum is higher than the input for the same use in east China, according to media reports from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC)."




  • "Apple has sent a letter to Shanghai Municipal Consumer Interest Protection Commission and said that it will make improvements on its after-sales service, which has seen many complaints from Chinese users."




  • "Until now, one kind of establishment has eluded the city: the boutique hotel. But a new wave of these hotels are opening this year, providing yet another lure to entice the young international travelers who are already flocking to this city, whose transformation is occurring at breathtaking speed."




  • "Yet nearly three months later, the deal's appeal among consumers and financial community is waning after an initial burst of interest, according to Tom Group Inc., one of Tom Online's largest shareholders."




  • "China expects to start making large commercial aircraft developed domestically by 2020, an aviation industry official said Monday, raising the possibility of competition for Boeing and Airbus in the country's booming market for new planes."




  • "More than 200 top athletes of extreme sports from America, Brazil, Japan and other Asia-Pacific countries and regions will compete for over US$100,000 on X Games Asia 2007 this May in Shanghai." America? Brazil?




  • "Thousands of residents in the districts of Xuhui, Minhang and Pudong have already been told that move they must. Many feel taken by surprise. Expressions of opposition have proliferated on the internet."




  • "Bookshop owners in Shanghai are snapping at an influx of camera-wielding pirates taking photos of pages to avoid paying for pricey books, local media reported on Monday."




  • "A fierce strike from midfielder Yu Tao seven minutes into the second half, however, gave Shenhua victory over Shandong on Sunday and earned the team a share of a two million yuan ($258,300) bonus from multimillionaire owner Zhu Jun."




  • "Silvercross, the iconic British pram company that supplied generations of Windsor babies, has struck a deal to sell its products in China, becoming the latest UK company to cash in on the booming Chinese middle class desire for heritage brands." Pram?




  • "Traffic authorities in Shanghai will link cycling lanes around the city this year to create a network of lanes with no obstructions, as one of several measures to improve conditions for drivers and cyclists in the city."




  • "The Shanghai Call Centre, which was launched almost a year ago, provides both English and Chinese information about tourist destinations, culture, sports, trade, medical care and other issues concerning daily life in Shanghai."




  • "Please note: supermarket is fine tuned for convinience, not neccessary for price, or quality. If you want more fresh vegetables, and fruits, many some local market is better, such as the Beicai Market nearby."




  • "China will intensify controls of the growing numbers of bloggers using the Internet to lay bare their thoughts, politics and even bodies, the country's chief censor has announced."




  • "All company-operated and licensed Starbucks stores in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China will be giving away free Tall (12-ounce) cups of coffee to anyone who drops by."




  • "I want to use the blog to not only discuss the development of Chinese Movie Database, but also the movie news that interests me, and my experiences of movie going, and perhaps other things."




  • "A Chinese lawmaker has proposed a tax on urban dog-owners to curb growing numbers of the animals and to fight rabies, state media has reported."




  • "A new property law is a breakthrough, even though it raises hopes that one-party rule may dash"


  • For more del.icio.us links, visit the Shanghaiist Contribute page, which is updated throughout the day.

    Photo by Mike Chen found via the Shanghaiist Contribute page.

    There's a few things in this life that start with the letter M that Shanghaiist doesn't like. Malingerers, marmite, and men with no moustache but full beards (OK, the last one is a bit of a stretch M-wise). Some would say that these are irrational and ill-conceived categorisations, but there is another one on the list that isn't — and that is mosquitoes. And it looks like Shanghaiist isn't going to enjoy our coming summer evenings.



  • "After seven days spent re-editing the adult drama 'Lost in Beijing,' producer Fang Li said Friday that he and director Li Yu have agreed on 65% of the cuts requested by China's Film Bureau. The movie is scheduled for a February 16 premiere at the Berlin Film Festival."




  • "Craig chatted with fans and signed autographs at the cinema in Beijing's fashionable Wangfujing shopping district which laid out a red carpet welcome for him and Green, who plays Vesper Lynd, a prickly official at the British Treasury."




  • "It's the United States vs. China again, this time in the Four Nations tournament in southern China. Germany faces England in the other game Tuesday in the 80,000-seat Guangdong stadium, a warmup for China's World Cup in September."




  • "Although Mr Han, who is also the city's acting party secretary, gave no details of how much money had been returned to the city or how it was recovered, his comments were an attempt to draw a line under the scandal."




  • "The actual photos load fine. Fortunately most of the site navigation is text, but the little buttons above each image are image files, and none of them display."




  • "The garden was built in 1924 and originally named Columbia Plant. It sits on 15,000 square meters and is one of the oldest gardens in the city."




  • "The Shanghai Sunshine Community Youth Affairs Center has teamed up with the Yangpu District government to set up a hip-hop club for youngsters." For ages 15 and under.




  • "If you deal with China, pigs are part of the deal, but they play a different role from elsewhere. Anthropologists duel over why peoples in the ancient Middle East (not just the Jewish pastoralists) avoided the 'abominable pig.' This is a puzzle."




  • "Some articles smelled like real advertorials, and that might explain why I did not find any ads in this magazine."




  • "News Corporation's MySpace made its strongest move toward the Chinese mainland during the past few days, and www.myspace.cn has now posted a message saying, 'China's leading Web2.0 website is under construction.'"




  • "The website, www.blshe.com, targets Chinese intellectuals and aims to become an on-line platform of communication, social contacts and business, said the founder Mao Xiaolin."




  • "In this textbook, terms like 'our country,' 'this country' and 'the mainland' have been changed to 'China' to indicate that Taiwan is not part of China, the daily said."




  • "Ronaldo is suing the Chinese company for using an unauthorized photograph of him in its huge advertising campaign. The lozenge maker invited him to a banquet in 2003 (and paid him a handsome sum for him to attend), but apparently never mentioned how all of the pictures taken that night would be used."




  • "Check it out: www.myspace.cn is active, and now belongs to a company called Mai Sibei (my space, geddit? or 北京麦斯贝信息技术有限公司)."




  • "China, still working on its long-delayed homegrown third-generation wireless standard, has leapfrogged itself by launching the world's first fourth-generation standard, state media said on Monday."


  • For more del.icio.us links, visit the Shanghaiist Contribute page, which is updated throughout the day.

    Photo by Shanghai Sky found via the Shanghaiist Contribute page.

    How big will the Shanghai premiere of Casino Royale be tomorrow night at Shanghai Film Art Center? Well, the stars of the movie will actually be there. And that doesn't happen too often — last month, Edward Norton flew to Beijing for a Painted Veil press conference, but didn't make the trip for the premiere in Shanghai the following day.



  • "Clevenger claims from the first moment his boss mentioned an international assignment, he responded that he and his family would go anywhere in the world except China." Interesting story.




  • "'China is a multiethnic country,' the network's ad department said in a notice sent to ad agencies late Tuesday. 'To show respect to Islam, and upon guidance from higher levels of the government, CCTV will keep any 'pig' images off the TV screen.'"




  • "Shanghai officials refused repeated requests for an explanation of the Jianying school's closure. Wang Xin, a spokeswoman for the Shanghai Municipal Education Commmission, would only say of the migrants, 'We are not kicking them out of Shanghai.'"




  • "I am sure, though, Fallows does NOT grab the booties of hapless Japanese passengers. Why? Because he CHOOSES not to. Whatever culture he and countless other foreigners live in, they selectively CHOOSE behaviours that may not be countenanced in their home countries."




  • Download away.




  • "One underground film, Green Hat《绿帽子》, written and directed by Liu Fendou, offers an example of how the Internet provides a platform for the dissemination of materials that are not officially sanctioned and could become widely known in no other way."




  • "The handles are for emergency use to stop the train automatically so that passengers can open the door by hand to escape," said Yin Wei, a Metro company official. "They must be easy and quick to reach. Setting them inside glass boxes that must be broken to open is not a good idea.'"




  • "In 2000, daily rent in M50 was only 0.4 yuan (five US cents) to 0.5 yuan a square meter on average. It now stands at about four yuan."




  • "'Nobility of Time,' a US$1 million bronze sculpture created by Salvador Dali, will be erected on Nanjing Road W. next year."




  • "Police are calling for any passengers who saw the brake pulled to step forward with information, but said so far they have no idea why the brake was pulled."



  • "An update from the Pudong airport, where booze and cigs are conveniently priced in US$." Prices on scotch, other spirits and cigs.




  • "The meetings would focus on arrangements allowing the Yankees to send coaches, scouts, player-development and training personnel to China and to receive Chinese association personnel at the Yankee facilities in the United States, the team said."




  • "Dutch company 2waytraffic, which holds the rights to the popular TV quiz show, 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?' said Thursday that it has licensed a Chinese company to produce a local edition of the program."




  • "But more generally, journalists and officials say, Chinese reporters are demanding such hush money with increasing regularity from businesses and government agencies in exchange for the withholding of unfavorable news."




  • "Shanghai-based Ctrip said it had signed an agreement to become strategic partner with Microsoft's MSN China Web site (www.msn.com.cn), allowing the Chinese travel agent to tap over 20 million MSN Messenger users in China."




  • "They believe there is talent to be cultivated in China, and when future prospects have a choice of where to sign, the Yankees want their brand and reputation to stand out."




  • "If match attendence is anything to go by, Shanghai seems unaware it has a local basketball team at all." Same as it ever was (since Yao Ming).




  • The lines are ringing off the hook.




  • "So the horse meat was like Italian ham, and the raw sheep's heart was like slices of liver pate."




  • "A first class seat on China's new bullet trains from Shanghai to Nanjing will be sold at 86.4 yuan (US$11.22) ..."




  • "Hu, a strait-laced communist with little sympathy for cultural relaxation, did not directly mention censorship." Great!




  • "Chinese media reports quoted Xishan police officer Zhao Jian as saying that drunk foreigners in Kunming was a growing problem and that he expected many foreigners to be escorted to the hospital for sobering up."


  • For more del.icio.us links, visit the Shanghaiist Contribute page, which is updated throughout the day.

    Photos by Nick Liu found via the Shanghaiist Contribute page.

    We used to work with an English girl named Catherine who would speak of "Eau de Shanghai" in a joking manner whenever we would walk past an alleyway that exuded one of our city's more heinous distinctive smells. We think Catherine would be amused by a product we discovered today — yes, Shanghai Perfume. Evidently, it's been around since 2003.

    It may be the pariah for self-respecting filmmakers (and film buffs) everywhere, but if it’s true that there’s no business like show business, then, the Oscars are anything but irrelevant. Case in point: The recent announcement that China will have not one, but two of its own submitted for consideration in the crapshoot otherwise known as the Best Foreign Film category. Of course, it never hurts when you’re able to find a loophole in the system. For all intents and purposes, the would-be blockbuster The Banquet should be represented by the mainland -- it features one of China’s most beloved (and commercially successful) auteurs in Feng Xiaogang, while starring Chinese megastars Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun. So how come it ended up as Hong Kong’s submission? Well, the catch is that The Banquet is a Hong Kong-China co-production, which means those of you who were pulling hard for Johnnie To backed the wrong horse.

    Late last month, we told you about the Shanghai Wild Animal Olympics, and we probably didn't infuse the post with the proper amount of outrage. Thankfully, some commenters picked up our slack and even directed readers to the animalsasia.org website, which includes information on how you can help put an end to such disgusting displays. We will now quote that information here:

    As fall settles in and another calendar page gets turned, thoughts turn from bbq's and vacations to holidays and the realization that '06 is coming to an end. With all that going on, with change in the air, we wonder what is it that made that makes the -ists ponder?

    How’s that an “escape” from Shanghai you ask? Good question. And a “captivating jungle experience” in a freaking mall? Point taken. Alright, there is still the miniature golf part, which is the real/only reason why we’re telling you about this place.

    More photos here.

    Blogwatch is a semi-regular look at what is going on in the English-language Chinese blogosphere.

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