China official says air pollution rules too lax
Published on Nov 11, 2011
BEIJING (REUTERS) - China's air pollution standards are too lax, a senior environment official said in
comments published on Friday, the highest level comment following complaints that authorities are
understating the extent of smog that often envelops Beijing.
The level of air pollution in the capital varies, depending on winds. But in recent weeks, a cocktail of
smokestack emissions, vehicle exhaust, dust and aerosols have blanketed the city in a pungent, beige shroud
for days on end, prompting residents to denounce official readings of 'slight' pollution as a gross undercount.
A Vice Minister of Environmental Protection, Zhang Lijun, appeared to agree in comments published by the
official People's Daily.
'Currently, the air quality in our cities is quite poor, and there's some gap with the air quality guidelines laid
down by the World Health Organisation,' Mr Zhang told a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.
7 natural wonders of the world set to be
unveiled
Published on Nov 11, 2011
GENEVA (AFP) - The Dead Sea, Vietnam's Halong Bay and Australia's Great Barrier Reef are among 28
contenders to be crowned among the world's new seven wonders of nature on Friday.
Swiss foundation New7Wonders of Nature organised a worldwide poll in which anyone in the world could
vote via telephone, text messages or Internet social networks for their favourite sites.
Polls closed at 1111 GMT (7.11pm Singapore time), with preliminary results to be announced at 1907 GMT.
Among finalists announced in July were Switzerland's Matterhorn peak, New Zealand's Milford Sound and the
Galapagos Islands.
Most eco-friendly tours in Korea
Wed Nov 9 12:42pm
Travel and conserve: Dodge bats and photograph salt farms on these eco trips
Becoming a tourist hot spot may mean fame and money for the locale, but it can often bring destruction to
the beauty that prompts people to go there in the first place.
While eco-friendly tourism has been gaining popularity around the world and organizations such as the
International Eco-Tourism Society have been around since the early 1990s, environmentally friendly
tourism in Korea is only a recent development.
According to Good Travel, an environmentally responsible travel agency in Seoul, eco-tourism has is
becoming more and more popular within Korea.
Here are some the most ecologically interesting tours in Korea that are also focused on conservation.
1. Baengyong Cave (백룡동굴)
What was that mnemonic memorization method again?
Approximately 4.5 hours from Seoul by car, Baengyong Cave is one of Korea's officially recognized
National Treasures, and is one of the most interesting eco-tours offered in the country.
The "tour" is more of a hands-on caving experience, with every tourist required to don bright jumpsuits
and headlights before embarking on the 90-minute crawl through the 1,800-meter-long limestone cave
system.
Originally only accessible by boat, you can now reach the cave via stairs built along the cliff to the mouth
of the cave, which overlooks Dong-gang, or the East River. One can only tour the caves when
accompanied by official local guides, who are very fatherly and will explain every single stalactite and
stalagmite on the way if you let them.
For preservation purposes, no photography (and only the most minimal light) is allowed inside the cave,
and maximum occupancy is 20 people at a time.
Beware the bats.
Adults: ₩15,000, children: ₩10,000; Gangwon-do Pyeongchang-gun Mitan-myeon Maha-ri San 1
(강원도 평창군 미탄면 마하리 산 1); From Mitan Intercity Bus Terminal, take a taxi to Baengyong Cave
Experience Center (백룡동굴생태체험학습장);+82 33 334 7200; closed Monday.
2. Jeungdo (증도)
Where being slow is a virtue.
Of the 10 Korean cities that have been named "slow cities" as of 2011, the small island of Jeungdo is
perhaps the most visually stunning, with its beautiful salt farms and mudflats.
With the opening of a bridge connecting the island to the mainland, Jeungdo has seen a significant
increase in tourism, and residents are trying to make it as eco-friendly as possible.
Visitors are shuttled around in electric cars and almost all stores on the island do not sell cigarettes as the
entire island aims to be completely smoke-free in the near future. Pensions and lodging houses also
provide bicycles to visitors for free. The island even has its own local eco-travel agency that handles the
tours of the local wildlife and wetlands.
The island is located about 3.5 hours from Seoul by car.
Gil-beot Travel Agency, 1766-4, Jeungdojido-ro, Jeungdo-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do (전라남도
신안군 증동, 증도지도로 1466-4); + 82 61 261 6200
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