20090525 環保團體選出十大光害黑點

clipped from hk.news.yahoo.com (星島日報    報道)香港光污染問題嚴重，政府部門去年收到一百五十九宗光污染投訴，較○七年急升八成三，有台灣    建築學專家在新書中直斥香港是「暴力式城市照明」，認為只有膚淺的城市才會以燈紅酒綠來為城市點綴。環保團體地球之友    本月巡查後發現，中西區及旺角    一帶有一百六十多間商號在店鋪關門後，沒有關上燈光招牌，要求政府盡早推出監管光污染法例。 　　香港光污染投訴個案首次突破三位數，各政府部門去年收到的光污染投訴共一百五十九宗，較○七年急升八成三。地球之友於本月十六日零時至清晨五時間，在中環    、銅鑼灣    、旺角西洋菜街一帶巡查，發現超過一百六十間商鋪在關門後，仍然大開燈光招牌或射燈等外牆裝置，更從中選出了十大「半夜唔熄燈」黑點，包括位於銅鑼灣的多間化妝品連鎖店，各「黑點」店鋪均於關門後仍亮着招牌。 　　地球之友繼去年推出「荒謬的燈」選舉後，最近將公眾的投訴意見，整理出「○九荒謬的燈」候選名單，當中包括銅鑼灣角中心附近多個電視屏幕、中環Coach外牆燈飾等，希望透過選舉，提醒公眾光污染有愈演愈烈趨勢。

20090517 Rural hydropower to get a boost

clipped from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-05/17/content_7784828.htm Chen Lei, minister of water resources, called upon water authorities "to turn the country's water energy resources especially small hydropower potential into power supply to advance rural economy and improve people's living conditions in remote areas having no access to the national power grid but being rich in hydroelectric resources." Experts estimate the program will help save 82 million tons of standard coal, and reduce the discharge of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide by 200 million tons and one million tons, respectively, each year. By 2020, electricity produced by small hydropower stations would also be available for 10 million rural families in areas where a logging ban has been in effect since 1998 - particularly the impoverished western regions plagued by fragile ecosystems like serious water and soil erosion- and natural reserves. Most of the potential resources are in China's mountainous areas and foothills, the key areas where substitute energy is badly needed

20090511 China to trial alert system in quake-prone areas

clipped from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-05/11/content_7765067.htm BEIJING -- A Chinese official said Monday that an experimental earthquake alert system, capable of sending warnings within seconds before a quake strikes, would be installed in quake-prone areas. China was building a three-dimensional natural disaster monitoring system, including land monitoring, ocean and ocean-bed observation, and space-air-ground observation, it said. China has built 937 fixed seismic stations and more than 1,000 mobile seismic stations, enabling quasi-real-time monitoring of quakes above 3.0 on the Richter scale. In addition, 1,300 earthquake precursor observation stations have been established, as well as a mobile observation network of more than 4,000 mobile observation stations. Seismological monitoring systems at the national and provincial levels have taken initial shape. A high-speed seismic data network composed of 700 information nodes has been built. A text message service to provide prompt earthquake reporting has been launched, according to the paper.

20090429 After fatal lesson, China builds stronger school in quake zone

clipped from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-04/29/content_7731269.htm A worker drives a digger at the construction site of the Leigu Middle School in Beichuan county, southwest China's Sichuan province, April 27, 2009. [Xinhua] According to Wei Qiang, an engineer from the eastern Shandong province who helped designed the new building, it can resist earthquakes of up to 9.0 on the Richter scale. "More steel and concrete was used in this building" than in the older ones, he said. Li recalled that the old three-story school was built in the 1980s, using just concrete blocks without a steel framework. Criticism arose after the quake, which left more than 80,000 people dead or missing. The poor quality of school construction was blamed for the death of many students. Many bereaved parents took to the streets, questioning construction quality and demanding a reply from local governments. The quality of schools in Sichuan became a national issue overnight.

20090507 Almost a year after Sichuan Earthquake

clipped from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009wenchuan/index.html http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009wenchuan/index.html

20090507 Official tally: 5,335 students killed in quake

clipped from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-05/07/content_7753288.htm A total of 5,335 students in Sichuan were dead or missing from May 12 earthquake, said Tu Wentao, head of the education department of the Sichuan province at a press conference Thursday morning. Another 546 students were handicapped in the southwestern province, Tu said. Thousands of schools collapsed in Sichuan in the magnitude 8.0 quake last May. Statistics from the Sichuan provincial education department showed that 3,340 schools needed to be rebuilt after the earthquake. New houses are under construction in Qingchuan county, southwest China's Sichuan province Wednesday May 6, 2009. [Xinhua] To date, construction of 46.2 percent of the damaged clinics and hospitals has started, Yu said, adding that the rebuilding work of 99 percent of basic public service facilities including clinics and hospitals across the province will be completed in two years. Governments have helped nearly 1.3 million quake-affected people find new jobs, Yu said.

20090501 A memory dilemma in face of earthquake ruins

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn BEICHUAN, Sichuan -- Near the Beichuan old county town, destroyed in last year's May 12 earthquake, Gong Shuqing opens her booth selling ethnic Qiang knick-knacks to tourists. People lament over their deceased relatives in May 12 Sichuan Earthquake, in Beichuan, a quake-jolted county of southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 2, 2009. [Xinhua] In the run-up to the first anniversary of the quake, the ruins, including Beichuan, are becoming tourist attractions. Qingchuan, another quake-torn county in Sichuan Province, opened the first earthquake theme park, Donghekou, on November 12, and in the five months since has received 250,000 visitors. according to the provincial tourism bureau. The so-called quake ruins tourism brought 1.87 billion yuan (US$28 million) to the province The tourists, however, have also triggered controversy on the Internet. "Making the disaster-hit area a place of entertainment is disrespectful to the dead, and will hurt their families deeply," said one posting.