China to build the world's first eco-city

A great step in the right direction by China. They are working with a british architectural company to build an eco-city near shanghai that is extremely environmentally friendly:

None of the buildings is more than eight storeys high. Turf and vege­tation cover the roofs, a natural form of insulation that also recycles waste water. The town has six times more space for pedestrians than Copen­hagen, one of Europe's airiest ­capitals. Pollution-free buses, ­powered by fuel cells, run between neighbourhoods. An intranet service forecasts travel times and connects people who want to share a car. ­Traditional motorbikes are for­bidden, replaced by ­electric scooters or ­bicycles. The roads are laid out so that walking or cycling to work is quicker than ­driving.

Up to 80% of solid waste is re­cycled. Organic waste is burned in an incinerator, catering for part of the town's electricity requirements. Other burners consume rice husks, which ­produce a lot of heat and are plentiful in China. On the outskirts giant ­windmills, driven by the sea breeze, produce electricity too. Each building is fitted with photovoltaic panels and its own, smaller windmill.
-Jean-Pierre Langellier and Brice Pedroletti
Guardian Weekly

Eco City