BEIJING, China - Friday morning was just gorgeous. The temperature was in the 70s (Fahrenheit), there was very little humidity, and the sun was shining. Yes, we could see the sun. It is just the kind of day organizers must have been hoping for, given the constant harping of the international media about the smog. These are, after all, supposed to be the "Green Olympics," and the gray air has not helped the image of Beijing as an emerging environmentally friendly city.

It does seem that the organizers have done a lot to make the games appear green. There are recycling bins everywhere and when you take your tray up in the cafeteria, a worker separates the trash out for you. Only the food waste is thrown away. The recycling bins in the media center are for plastic, paper, bottles, cans, metal, glass - and textiles.

In our dorm there is a drop-off for used batteries. The lights in the hallways are controlled by sensors and quickly turn off when you stop to unlock your door. The toilet in our room has two buttons, depending on how much water you need to flush. I've noticed that many of the trash bags say (in English) that they are biodegradable. These are the little touches a guest like me sees. There are other measures under way.

In today's China Daily one of the top articles is about increasing the tax on cars that have a 4-liter or bigger engine. It's 20 percent now, after September 1 it will be 40 percent. The measure is designed to cut down on fuel use and pollution. Another article talks about a government official who says the amount of water being used during the Olympics is not straining the city's water supply. He said that recycled water accounted for 60 percent of the city's consumption on its greening project.

Many of the venues were built with green features, organizers say. On Wednesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson presented the Olympic Village with one of the highest environmental certifications, LEED gold. The buildings in the village derive most of their power from geothermal and solar sources. They also have rain-water capture systems.

According to the China Daily, Paulson said, "China's leaders know the development of green buildings is a critical need, and the Olympic Village can serve as a model for this development."