Having a look at “the green” in Poland

□ Article & photo/Tian Jianmin Translator/Qin Xiuhua

Before going to Poland, I learned that the forest coverage rate of Poland was more than 30%, and Warsaw, the capital of Poland, over 80%. When I set foot on Warsaw, which is extolled as the “World’s Green Capital”, I understood what a green country was.

From Warsaw Airport to urban areas, four rows of camphor trees guard the road with two-way six-lane, which looks like a green curtain. Although many patches which present different colors have been made on the road, the visual experience of the green trees and the colorful asphalt road will not make people feel the atmosphere of poverty, but instead enjoy the art.

Into the urban area, a modern city with various trees heaves in sight. Whether in the streets and alleyways or in the courtyard,everywhere is covered with trees. Flowerpots and floats in the square or on the side of the road without having an effect on traffic add color to the city. Along the way, traffic signs are clear,and traffic facilities are operating normally, which present the“traffic civilization” of Poland.

It is known that the number of deaths caused by traffic accident was more than 4,500 in 2009. In terms of the population ratio, it is only Romania and Bulgaria that have higher death rate which caused by traffic accident than Poland in Europe. In 2015, the number of deaths from traffic accidents in Poland was 2,938, respectively decreasing by 8.2% compared with 2014 and 57.4% compared with 1995. The reduction of casualties and the development of good transportation habits stemmed from the Poles’ reverence for traffic laws, strict regulations and rigorous enforcement, and more from the desire of road civilization.

As a matter of fact, Poland’s economy development is not as fast as the older EU member and its infrastructure is relatively backward. In spite of few investments in road construction,few expressways and low proportion of high quality highway,these objective conditions do not obstruct the traffic order. Here harsh sound can not be heard in small cities. When pedestrians cross the zebra crossing, cars yield to them. Cars of turning yield to those of going straight. If the road is narrow, cars will yield to each other. When cars wait for traffic lights, there is no phenomenon of cutting in line... The traffic of the city is orderly and efficient.

The reason why Warsaw becomes the “world’s green capital”is that the philosophy of Warsaw municipality in planning layout is to create a famous green city, which has not changed since Warsaw was reconstructed after World War Ⅱ. It is said that the law of Warsaw requires that any new unit should have more than 50% of the area as the green land, and the greening must be completed at the same time as the building. It is because of the regulation that the greening and the building in Warsaw contrast with each other.

At the same time, what is noticeable is that Warsaw, the green capital, is not like a lonely island in the ocean. The urban is perfectly linked with the suburban shelter forest belt, and the greening in urban contrasts with the orchard in suburbs, making the urban and suburban areas a complete green system.

The houses in Warsaw are also green. The wall decorated with plants and flowers looks like the “Great Wall of Green”.Through the window, leaves and flowers, with the white curtain present the feeling of the poem and the distance.