China gives bleak assessment of its battered environment

China gives bleak assessment of its battered environment

www.reuters.com

More than half of China's cities are affected by acid rain and one-sixth of major rivers are so polluted the water is unfit even for farmland, a senior official said on Friday in a bleak assessment of the environmental price of the country's economic boom. China has repeatedly promised to clean up its stressed environment. But it often fails to match that with the resources and political will to enforce Beijing's mandates, as local officials put growth, revenue and jobs ahead of environmental pro

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The world's top consumer and producer of lead, China has struggled to rein in polluting industry under lax environmental regulations. Lead-poisoning, especially in children, has roused public anger and resulted in sometimes violent protests.

As a environmentalist, I wish China the best in dealing with environmental pollution. I feel bad for all the Americans that have lost their jobs but at the same time I still like my cheap products made from China. The only reason the elites wanted to move factories to China was to get the dirtiness out of their backyard and they have succeeded. Now America is a service economy and China is totally screwed by pollution. I only hope China will learn from the pollution like Japan and built a Eco-conscious society.

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Things like this worry me! Here in the UK we have become a nation pretty much dependant on import for everything!! I hear that the US is the same to a degree!! Countries are like any other business, they have money coming in, money going out, they take out loans to get through the down times, cut corners to save expenses etc. What will happen to the economy and the supplies of goods we rely on if China goes out of business? In fact what happens if any country goes out of business? It simply has to have a knock on effect!

Even looking at Japan, did you see all the farmland that was destroyed in the tsunami? Thats part of the global food supply right there! What will happen when everyone is trying to import but no one is producing the goods? looks like the talk about food shortages etc may be coming to fruition! Bushcraft course anyone???

And I don't even want to think about the impact we as a race are having on the earth at the moment, never mind just China! I've watched some seriously scary documentaries lately! All we do is take, kill and suck life out of every possible thing we can! I have a feeling that mother nature is extremely hacked off right now and will no doubt be taking action very soon!!

“The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chinas' polluted rivers:
"Yellow" River

More of the "Yellow" River

Xiangjiang River

My PC is being bad...so maybe after I re-boot I can find some more pictures.

Absolutely disgusting the utter disregard for life (human and otherwise) this (and other) country has.

Originally posted by MIDNIGHTSUN

The world's top consumer and producer of lead, China has struggled to rein in polluting industry under lax environmental regulations. Lead-poisoning, especially in children, has roused public anger and resulted in sometimes violent protests.

As a environmentalist, I wish China the best in dealing with environmental pollution. I feel bad for all the Americans that have lost their jobs but at the same time I still like my cheap products made from China. The only reason the elites wanted to move factories to China was to get the dirtiness out of their backyard and they have succeeded. Now America is a service economy and China is totally screwed by pollution. I only hope China will learn from the pollution like Japan and built a Eco-conscious society.

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

You like your cheap products from China This is part of the problem, as the world buys these products with very little to no restrictions on what they are putting into these items. I always look at the labels when it comes to food, home health, baby items, toys and pet products. I never purchase any of these products if produced in China. If they don't care enough about there own health, they sure as hell don't care about yours or mine. To say they let these jobs go overseas to help our environment I think is not true at all. It was and is always about the money.

reply to post by seekingtruths

I'm a poor college student with debt, don't blame me.

reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN


Of course we can blame China.

But what of our own corporations, which were the catalyst for this?

Will we turn our backs on them when they try to return home? Or will we fall for their stupid rebranding, and continue to buy their products?

Who was it? Chase that became "Alli Financial"?

reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN


But I thought China's lack of regulations would magically IMPROVE their environment. Isn't that the basic argument from the Right back in the states.

Originally posted by MIDNIGHTSUN
reply to post by seekingtruths

 

I'm a poor college student with debt, don't blame me.

edit on Sat Jun 4 2011 by DontTreadOnMe because: Mod Note: Big Quote – Please Review This Link.

Do I blame you??....No.. but at the same time I think we all should be responsible for what we purchase and put into our own systems, be it internally or externally. You say you are an environmentalist.., you do realize that by purchasing products from the worlds largest polluter that you are in some small way contributing to OUR problem. By our, I mean the worlds problem.

reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN


Im glad youve learned so much from Mr. Hocking.

obviously your using the time resting upon the biggest bubble in history wisely.

If China presses environmental issues manufacturers will simply find another place to call home. Corporations are loyal only to shareholders. They have no patriotism. They don't care about community, environment or people. I grew up around US Steel Gary Works probably a lot like some areas of China.

We'd have to sweeten the pot considerably to get manufacturers back. The environment and wages would be a big problem. Without controls corporations will walk all over the people/environment, too many and they'll simply find a more profitable less environmentally friendly place.

We got hooked on all the manufactured crap we can't live without. All that convenience comes at a cost. Large scale manufacturing pollutes. Not too many people would want to live by most mills of any kind. I can tell you Gary was no picnic. Ever smell a paper mill? If you want the jobs and products you take the pollution that comes with it.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Snowflake would never carry a knife!
I guess big money carries an environmental destroying stigmata.

I was actually just watching a documentary on this last night.

This is obviously China's major problem. The worst part about it is that it affects crops, and most of Chinese food production to be used domestically do not meet international standards.

There are people who try to remedy the situation, be it politicians to lawyers to tree planters, but the political system in China is more interested in economic growth (not unlike all countries). On an individual level, the Chinese elite are interested in money before environment.

What the Chinese establishment does not seem to understand is that you need to take care of the environment in order to maintain the quality of life of their people and sustain healthy food production. Though, modern China seems to be more concerned with producing a middle class who can afford good quality food and live in safe shelter from the sewage-water and acid rain.

I don't know how this will turn out for China, but it looks like they are banking on their country outlasting and outdoing the US before they deal with this problem.

reply to post by 7thcavtrooper


I thought it would be better than outfitting a gun. But you recognize where i pulled the head from. Nice.

I'm a strong supporter of wage and environmental parity tariffs. The US should impose tariffs on countries that have near slave labor wages like China, and also tariffs that reflect the added expenses that companies that still manufacture here incur to comply with environmental laws. Such tariffs would not really affect products from most western democracies because wages and environmental laws are pretty close to our own, but would level the playing field against East Asian businesses that benefit from slave labor and no environmental compliance costs.

reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN


Explanation: S&F!

Disclaimer: OL is an unabashed Chinaphile. I love China! But I am not ignorant of the short commings, but since Australia's backyard isn't so tidy, I tend to try keep my mouth shut [but only when and where it comes to China ]. I cannot just sit idly by this time!

I'd add the Three Gorges Dam into that environmental catastrophy!

Here is what I recommend ...

Personal Disclosure: COMPRESSED AIR and some COMPASSION!



P.S. OL remembers an old Chinese story about its creation which stated that China had 5 distinct regional areas of influence each with its own independant type of distinct culture and practices etc. like the 5 different fingers one has on a hand each doing their own thing... but in times of trouble... they could all work together by coming together and making a very robust and solid fist! I think that metaphorical story has much to gained from if it was truly understood and applied.

Go to my profile and look up my threads on compressed air being a potential saviour!

And... Go to my profile and look up my threads on China being a potential saviour!

Because its all the same... when the ship is sinking!

With all of this in mind, take the time to review the Seafood that is available in the frozen section of your Grocery's freezer section. You will find "Product of China" on every shelf, especially in Walmart.

I am astounded that people put this in their mouths without ever understanding where the product comes from and how dangerously poisonous it really is!

If it is a bottom-feeder and we eat it, then we might as well wallow in the bottom too!

I am hanging on to my last can of pre-Gulf Tuna, it won't expire for a year or two but the nostalgia is what I gain from it.

reply to post by Greensage


China needs to develop a little old-fasioned American Spirit. Dump Mao and come to Jefferson baby! You know you love Big Daddy Tom!

Who's your daddy!

Originally posted by incrediblelousminds
reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN

 

But I thought China's lack of regulations would magically IMPROVE their environment. Isn't that the basic argument from the Right back in the states.

No. Property rights would improve our environment.

I don't even know if the Chinese have property rights.

Originally posted by Rockdisjoint

Originally posted by incrediblelousminds
reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN

 

But I thought China's lack of regulations would magically IMPROVE their environment. Isn't that the basic argument from the Right back in the states.

No. Property rights would improve our environment.

]

Probably. But I'm referring to the right wing mantra that the best path to environmental protection is deregulation of industry.