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Pollution Plus

I'd never experienced such pollution in the air until I came here. I know the Chinese government is keen to make a change, but it is going to be hard. There is so much manufacturing and so many great chimney stacks with smoke and ash billowing into the air.

Dust is everywhere - I have my apartment cleaned by a wonderful Chinese lady every week - but I have to dust and clean at least once myself as the dust settles on everything. I don't think I'm paranoid about the dust but it gets on your hands, and clothes if you don't wipe it away frequently.

The blacky brown dust clings to one's shoes, and it is walked in. My slippers that have never been worn outside the apartment have filthy soles. (Impossible to clean it off - it is just better to get a new pair!)

From my apartment window I have a view of some of the campus garden, and some buildings and directly behind is a mountain range which is almost a stone's throw from me. In fact I can walk to the base of the mountain in 15 minutes - but as I write this I cannot see the mountain. Thick smog/fog/cloud hangs like a wet smokey blanket over the mountain and hides it from view.

Obviously China has a major problem with the issue, and we hear from the Chinese leaders on CCTV (the English TV station here) how concerned the Government is about pollution and climate change, and I honestly believe they are doing things to change the situation.

Today on television several companies in Shanghai were named - they have been ordered to reduce their pollution of the air - I'm not sure of the detail, but it is clear that this issue is high on the agenda here.

I see they are closing some factories around Beijing before and during the Olympic Games.

We can only hope that they are able to change the situation quickly - as I have no doubt of its impact on the global climate.



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Now Elly -

Submitted by djbtol on Thu, 2008-04-17 07:15.

Are you allowed to have the banner promoting coal on you post? It seems so politically uncorrect! (kidding)

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Elly's picture

Ha, good one!

Submitted by Elly on Thu, 2008-04-17 16:06.

I sometimes smile at the random ads that appear under/above our blogs. Promoting coal - I didn't see that one.

Elly

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huttriver12's picture

Perhap they WON'T change...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Wed, 2008-04-16 19:24.

until they have to!

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Yes, it is fascinating

Submitted by Elly on Wed, 2008-04-16 23:23.

with all the talk about reducing the pollution around Beijing for the games - I wonder. They have declared spitting outlawed in Beijing - it is a terrible habit especially of men, though I have seen some women do it. Clearing the throat and then spitting - in the bus, on the street, anywhere. After hearing the clearing of the throat - you know what is next. That is an unhealthy habit that could/should be stopped. These are criticisms of course, but by and large I am impressed with so much. The country has come a long way in a short time, and we cannot expect all to be perfect, yet.

Elly

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huttriver12's picture

The Chinese have an interesting outlook...

Submitted by huttriver12 on Tue, 2008-04-15 19:39.

which may be difficult to argue with. They claim the right to do what every other country has been doing for over a century or so, and they are doing it now! They would remind us that the US, and the Soviet Union before their demise, were the greatest polluters.

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The Chinese

Submitted by djbtol on Wed, 2008-04-16 05:58.

may have an argument - unfortunately it is not a good one. Until about 1970 pollution was getting pretty bad in the U.S., especially in the cities. The regulatory mandates of U.S. EPA (formed in 1970) and outcries from the public have gone a long way towards cleaning things up.

Now along comes China and other countries ready to join the industrial revolution. You can bet that aspects of their facilities related to profit are not being built with 1940's technology in mind. Why should their environemtnal controls be antiquated? Pollution control technology is more advanced now. It is not necessarily to their benefit for the Chinese to do it the way the U.S. did it.

It can also be noted that in 1970 there was no talk of global environmental issues. How different today. So why would China allow their pollution to reach such levels now? Is it a cost cutting effort on the part of business, or is it a cultural indifference from agencies, business and the public?

Final point: Until China does clean it up, there is nothing anyone is going to do that can significantly impact the amount of carbon in the air, no matter what the politicians tell you.

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