Source: CCTV.com

05-07-2007 14:47

China presented the concept of Green Olympics when it successfully won the bid for the 2008 Olympic Games six years ago. And updating the host city's public restrooms is a major part of its green endeavor. Thousands of public toilets in the capital have already been renovated since 2001, but much still remains to be done.

86-year-old Liu Fengyan has been living in this hutong in downtown Beijing for more than five decades. Nowadays, though, he no longer has any qualms about using the public toilet. Three years ago, a brand-new public restroom replaced the old one.

Beijing resident Liu Fengyan said, "The previous toilet was dirty and unattended. I fell twice into the filthy ditch inside. But thanks to the 2008 Olympic Games, we have a clean, modern, and convenient toilet -- even with an attendant taking care of it."

But other Beijing residents -- such as those in the southern part of the city -- are not yet so lucky. Food vendors near these old restrooms have to put up with their foul odors all day long.

Since she moved here 2 years ago, Dong Shuzhen has had a hard time coping with the smells.

Beijing resident Dong Shuzhen said, "It's really awful. And it's worse when it rains. I'm thinking about moving away. It's bad for our health and life."

But this public restroom is only one of many that still need to be dealt with before the 2008 Games. Beijing's local government has already pumped over 1 billion yuan into its public toilet renovation project in the past six years. It has promised to replace all the old restrooms with new ones that are multi-functional. These new restrooms will also feature single stalls for the disabled, English signs, even braille.

With a little more than a year to go before the Beijing 2008 Olympics, public toilets in the capital city are looking better. Visitors will find it much more convenient to answer the call of nature. And that will be a relief to everyone.

And in tomorrow's special report in our Olympic series, we look at what goes into choosing an Olympic theme song, as Beijing continues its search.

 

Editor:Liu Fang