HOW BAD IS THE AIR IN CHINA? (SOMEONE TELL TOM FRIEDMAN, WHO DREAMS OF AN AMERICA BEING MORE LIKE CHINA ):
In Beijing, the level of dangerous PM2.5 particulates was more than 39 times higher than World Health Organization guidelines.
In Zhejiang province, a factory burned for three hours before neighbors realized the smoke was not smog.
Artist-turned-dissident Ai Weiwei famously posed in a gas mask. In the most polluted country on earth, the “seemingly never-ending haze and fog” was the worst ever.
ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE:
The Chinese central government is cash-strapped these days and so does not want to commit to making big expenditures. Moreover, China’s powerful state enterprises—the polluters—have indicated they will not pay either. Similarly, local interests have already been fighting the central government’s environmental efforts, and they are sure to ignore any emission commitments Beijing might make if they have to bear costs.
Nine years ago , my Aunt who lived in California, went to visit China for 2 weeks.
Upon arrival at the Beijing airport, after being in the country for 30-45 minutes , she had an asthma attack and was hospitalized.
She remained hospitalized right up until her return flight back to the U.S.
The doctors were able to get her sufficiently able to fly back to the States.
She died 9 months later of respiratory illness.
The Chinese have “Chutzpah” telling us to clean up our air.
They pollute their own air, our finances , and our industries.
I call their demand what it is : B.S. !!
I’ve been in Shanghai when I felt a gas mask was truly needed. In all my travels I have not experienced more polluted air.
I think we need to send them our EPA... lock, stock, and barrel.
All weather flows from west to east, that is the polution in Southern California is from Inda and China, you could turn off EVERY internal compustion engine and shut down every coal, oil or gas fired industry and there woul be very little change in air quality in So. Cal