Be ready when disaster strikes

Accident and injury rarely comes with a warning: being prepared with the right tools, medicines and foods is essential if you want to ensure your safety and comfort.

Emergency gathering spots around town

Before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Beijing government set up 28 emergency zones and shelters around the city in case of natural disasters, mostly in parks and public spaces, and the number may expand to 300 in the next five years.

NGOs appeal for animal rights

It’s no secret that China’s treatment of endangered species such as tigers, certain sharks, rhinos and elephants hasn’t been great. Legislation to protect animal rights has never been passed despite graphic media reports of abuse: bears confined in small cages and tapped for bile, cats boiled alive, sharks killed for just their fins.

Chasing a green dream – Husband and wife dump careers to care for Earth

Environmental protection and sustainability are pressing subjects for China, where the environment has suffered rapid and irreversible damage due to development and industrialization.

Eco chic in fashion design

The first concern of most customers when looking to buy clothes is usually not environmental protection. They look for price, practicality and brand name instead of means of production.

What would you do on the eve of the end of the world?

What would you do today if the world came to an end tomorrow? Beijing Today collected replies from people around Beijing. The answers are diverse and reflect an assortment of views and lifestyles.

Shougang turns heavy industry base green

Last year, the state-owned steel giant Shougang Group decided to end its production and transform the former factory into a “green steel city” of the future.

Local man out to change the way we treat trash

For a decade, the Beijing Municipal Administration Committee has been trying to pass garbage regulations that would make every resident responsible for reducing and classifying waste, as well as paying for his or her own waste disposal.

Farmer’s Market aims to make a difference

Food safety concerns have led thousands of urban shoppers to explore Farmer’s Market, a volunteer group bringing organic produce to the capital.

Growing your own vegetables

Reports of food tampering often hit the news. In search of health, savvy locals are thinking of ways to grow their own organic carrots and cabbages.