China to build high-speed rail - all the way to UK

Just a few months ago, China completed an 1100km link of railway for trains running up to 350 km/h, and announced their plans to expand their internal network to some 18,000kms.

Now they have announced their plans to work with India to link their network right through 17 countries in Asia and Europe all the way to London's Kings Cross Station, and with lines through Siberia and Russia to Germany and through South-east Asia. The ultimate outcome, according to the Edmonton Journal, could be a rail link from London to Singapore.

I've heard David Suzuki talk about how people in developed nations are quick to blame the world's problems on "all those brown and yellow people" breeding away in  massive numbers. He makes the points that those people have some of the lowest ecological footprints in the world.

News like this is showing us that, while there are undoubtedly massive pollution problems in China and India, these countries are moving quickly - far more quickly than our own countries would ever move - to turn things around.

If only we could take a fraction of that enthusiasm and vision and implement it here... We can't even insulate house ceilings without stuffing it up.