Posted on 07/16/2008 9:54:29 AM PDT by InvisibleChurch
China's devastating pollution problems aren't just taking a toll on China -- they're also affecting the rest of the world, says New Republic. For example:
Acid rain partly caused by Chinese sulfur emissions, pours down on Japan and South Korea. On some days, one-third of California's background air pollution -- consisting of dust, sulfur and trace metals -- can be traced back to China. Some 80 percent of the East China Sea, one of the world's largest fisheries, has become toxic, due to sewage dumps from the mainland. Even if the Chinese government does spruce up Beijing in time for the 2008 Olympics, the environmental situation in China remains horrifying, says the New Republic:
Some 16 of the 20 dirtiest cities in the world are in China. Studies have found that contamination in the air and water now costs China up to 10 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) each year. A recent World Bank study estimated that pollution causes some 750,000 premature deaths in China each year. Toxic discharge from factories is turning rivers in China bright red or even black. Water shortages and rampant desertification are threatening to force tens of millions off their land. In 2006, China saw 60,000 pollution-related "incidents," a number of them turning violent. Source: Bradford Plumer, "Cultural Devolution," The New Republic, July 9, 2008.
For text:
http://www.tnr.com/story.html?id=9ef5103b-15cf-4bd6-b7a1-34940b9edeca&p=1
For more on Outdoor Air:
http://eteam.ncpa.org/issues/?c=outdoor-air
For more on Environment Issues:
http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=31
“A recent World Bank study estimated that pollution causes some 750,000 premature deaths in China each year. Toxic discharge from factories is turning rivers in China bright red or even black.”
And we’re eating their food. When you buy something that says ‘distributed by’ an American company, it’s usually Chinese or Mexican (another really CLEAN place!). NO, they don’t label where food is produced, thanks to our legislators.
Hard to believe that many on this site can envy the lack of environmental regulations found in China and other terd-world countries.
“other terd-world countries”
Are you in the Savage Nation?
I won’t visit THe New Republic to read the rest of the article. I’m curious where the other 4 of the twentiest dirtiest cities are. Were they part of the former Soviet bloc?
No but I have Seneca Nation in my family tree.
There is a huge difference between limited conservation of a few national parks and the big brother environmentalism of the EPA and some of the other agencies. So I don't think anyone here wants China's "free market" approach to the environment; but at the same time no one wants the nanny state. A freER market will always produce a cleaner environment on the whole, despite some individual polluters.
Huh? Without Fed and State laws the "public" would be ants in a land of corporate giants.
Look, for example, at the public reaction to Circuit City's maltreatment of its employees. Public reaction has pretty much finished that company.
Watermelons are “Green” on the outside, but “Red” on the inside.
Despite the collusion of the two groups, nobody has been worse for the environment than Communists. As much as “Green”’s bemoan capitalism, when you OWN something you make sure it is maintained. When everything is owned in common then get what you can get and let someone else clean up the mess.
Indeed.
One of the reasons China can produce things cheaper than we can is simply that they have no environmental laws to contend with.
This gives them a big competitive advantage, but at what cost?
And if you don't there's always the Superfund Act
Compared to the USA, which has been experiencing CLEANER air year after year; both China and Russia were absolute environmental basket cases.
Recourse doesn't mean much when leukemia, asthma, and birth defects are the tell tale signs that somethings not right.
Do you claim that leukemia, asthma and birth defects are on the increase in the U.S.A.? Do you claim that pollution is on the increase? Do you have any evidence of either?
Do you think that Capitalism needs to be curtailed to ‘Save the Planet’?
Kind of suggests that environmentalists are communists, right? The wacko's may just be, but each side has extremists.
Do you claim that leukemia, asthma and birth defects are on the increase in the U.S.A.? Do you claim that pollution is on the increase? Do you have any evidence of either?
No. How could it with all these damn regulations?
Do you think that Capitalism needs to be curtailed to ‘Save the Planet’?
Capitalism can accomplish anything we want it too, if its nudged in the right direction.
I am for smart usage of our lands and resources, rather than a “hands off” approach.
I think most tree huggers are guilty of anti-technological mysticism such that they think a beaver's dam built for a beaver's purpose is a beautiful thing of nature that creates a pond or lake that benefits many other species; but a human dam built for human purpose is not natural and the resulting pond or lake “destroys” habitat.
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