The Wulihe Stadium in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, provides an ideal illustration of the environmental philosophy of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Surrounded by 67,000 sq m of green land, the stadium has a relaxing atmosphere and provides visitors with a pleasing view.

The stadium, which was put into operation in June, will host 12 football matches as one of main sub-venues outside Beijing during the August 2008 Olympics.

From design and construction to operation, the new stadium is totally in accordance with the "Green Olympics" philosophy, focusing on saving energy in building, ecological preservation, sustainable use of resources and use of environmentally friendly construction materials, authorities said.

"In purchase of construction and decoration materials for the sports facilities, we request suppliers provide environmentally friendly products marked with eco-green certifications to ensure that the products meet environmental standards," a stadium official said.

Meanwhile, items that will be used during the games, such as business cards, tissues, toilet paper, notebook paper, gift package paper, disposable paper cups and tableware, will all be biodegradable and ecologically friendly.

The stadium is furnished with a reclaimed water treatment system, which will allow used water from swimming pools or bathrooms to be reused for cleaning, irrigation, flushing toilets and washing cars.

A widespread network of computers and convenient access to broadband Internet services with IC cards has made a non-paper office in the stadium possible.

"After the Olympics, the stadium will continue to serve as a key venue for sports events and play an active role in enriching the lives of locals," the official noted.

(China Daily October 12, 2007)