The poor air quality in Beijing is proving to be a big concern for athletes competing in the Olympics. In an attempt to address the problem, the Chinese Government has scrambled to enact several new measures designed to decrease pollution.
If we look back a couple years, we find the 2020 hybrid bicycle by Jamie Tomkins. Created as a concept vehicle for a GE Plastics Automotive Competition, the bike was targeted specifically towards China's pollution problems. The bike was to be built from cheap materials and plastics, and it was a very sporty that would hopefully sway a lot of motorists into using the bike.
Sadly, that concept never went into production, but new focus is being given to the project. Where that will lead exactly no one knows for certain, but it could be lessons learned for any country.
Of course , the question does beg to be answered – if the air quality is so bad that the athletes are worried about competing, what would it do to the first round of biking commuters?
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