The Olympics: Green or Brown?
Beijing’s pollution isn’t a secret. But as part of its bid to secure the Olympic contract, the world’s 13th filthiest city (according to a World Bank study) embarked on a massive cleanup to improve air quality, sanitize drinking water and purify the rivers in time for the games, which began on Thursday. New sports stadiums were built with solar power and other energy-saving technologies, while new public transit systems were introduced to the streets. But can Beijing really claim this summer’s games are green?