• Home
  • Energy
  • Sustainability
  • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
  • Environment
    • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Pollution
      • Global Warming
      • Population Explosion
      • Renewable Energy
      • Species Extinction
      • Sustainable Management of Resources
    • Animals
    • Pollution
    • Environmental Policy
  • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Energy
  • Sustainability
  • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
  • Environment
    • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Pollution
      • Global Warming
      • Population Explosion
      • Renewable Energy
      • Species Extinction
      • Sustainable Management of Resources
    • Animals
    • Pollution
    • Environmental Policy
  • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
  • Contact Us
Out of Time
March 23, 2018
Relaxing on the Yangtze River

Relaxing on the Yangtze River

I have some bad news.

My wife and I recently returned from a three week, fall 2017 vacation/tour of China traveling with a very fine Canadian tour outfit, staying in the best hotels, dining in fine Chinese restaurants, and traveling between now major metropolises on China’s newly minted high speed rail (CRH) at nearly a quarter of the speed of sound. We climbed the tallest building in Shanghai and walked on the Great Wall near Beijing. We even sailed down the famous Yangtze River through the now obscured Three Gorges from grimy downtown Chongqing (pop. 35,000,000, and where we saw Giant Panda Ling Ling in the zoo) to the nearly invisible through-the-air-pollution-cloud Three Gorges Dam. We knew there would be air pollution and planned for it by bringing N-95 (3M) and N-99 (see picture above) face masks with us to deal with the expected worst.

The news is this: China’s pollution problem is so overwhelming that, in my opinion, its spread threatens the health of the world. The air pollution cloud is visible from the plane before you land. You are warned not to drink the water and the soil is known to be toxic in many areas. As we traveled on the CRH through the countryside, for instance, we saw many factories, coal-burning power plants and other heavy industries through the hazy moon-scape. Both my wife and I got respiratory infections after about two weeks of travel.

At first, after arriving in Shanghai, the air seemed somewhat clear. I noticed how clean the city was and saw no garbage, no debris, but no insects, and no birds. Visibilities were good and the sky often blue. The view from Shanghai Tower at 1800ft. was impressive with some 10-20km visibility through partly cloudy skies. Maybe the pollution won’t be so bad after all.

Then, after a few days, while traveling north to Qu-fu and Ti’ian, on the way to Beijing, we entered the white cloud. I noticed my breathing changing, my heart rate accelerating and a bad taste in my mouth.  My eyes were irritated and burning. Soon, I partially lost my sense of smell and breathing became painful. Qu-fu, the home of Confucius, was reported to be only “moderately” polluted, but the air was thick with a bad smell and chalky taste. I noticed a few birds flying around the grounds of the Confucius temple, but no insects anywhere. Evening air pollution became fog-like, misty, a shrouding cloud.

Qu-fu at Sunset

Qu-fu at Sunset

Upon arrival Beijing, like Shanghai, was relatively clean, with light pollution and some blue sky.

But that lasted only a couple of days. While touring the Hutong in Beijing, I was struck by this observation-with the exception of a flock of pigeons orbiting the Drum Tower, I saw no birds in any major city; no birdsong, no droppings, no nests, and no birds in the planted trees on the overwhelmed streets of urbanized China.

The Drum Tower, Hutong, Beijing

The Drum Tower, Hutong, Beijing

During the second week of the trip, in Xi’an, I noticed a sick feeling, a malaise throughout my body and had to wear the N99 mask I brought to find any relief. My eyes burned the entire time except when the air was filtered, or we were above the pollution cloud. I developed a cough and again failed to see any birds, insects or other wild life in the city.

The Yangtze near Three Gorges

The Yangtze near Three Gorges

Sickness came with the Yangtze River cruise. Departing from Chongqing,

the most populated city in the world, we set sail for Wuhan, some 3 days away. My wife, coughing and with fever, visited the ship’s Doctor who declared she had acute bronchitis and treated her with an intravenous Chinese antibiotic. We did see a couple of Chinese Kites (vultures) flying over the river valley, but no fish or other wildlife. The air pollution hung like a cloud. We saw the Three Gorges Dam through the haze.

Kites Flying Over the Yangtze

Kites Flying Over the Yangtze

Three Gorges Dam

Three Gorges Dam

I finally succumbed to fever near the end of the trip, in Hong Kong, and was treated for a throat infection, pharyngitis, with Western antibiotics and decongestants.

“The environment [in China] is near the point of no return,” Alex Wolf, an economist at Aberdeen Standard Investments, said in a recent research note. (CNN Money, Nov 2017)

In my travels throughout China, I never had the feeling the air, water, or environment was important enough to try to save, other than in official pronouncements. For instance, I saw very      few windmills but many coal fired power plants, cement factories and other heavy industries from the train windows. I rode in endless heavy traffic in major cities. China claims to have signed the Paris Accord but, indeed, it seems as if China is somehow behind in its goals to “catch up” with the West, and appears to be in pedal-to-the metal growth mode.

According to a statement made in The Economist in 2013, China has emitted more climate change gases from energy production than America since 2006 and by 2014-2015 China will emit twice America’s total. At the present rate of development, cumulative Chinese emissions from energy production between 1990 and 2050 will equal those generated by the whole world from the beginning of the industrial revolution to 1970. About a quarter of China’s carbon emissions are produced in the manufacture of goods for export.[7]

Remember Rachael Carson and the book “Silent Spring”? A silent spring has arrived in China, year round. Sure, the Chinese may have eaten everything flying, but I found no birds, insects, rats, mice, cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, or spiders in any city, anywhere, on the entire trip. No mosquito bites, no bed bugs, no garbage, no sewer smell, no graffiti, and almost no “blue sky.” Is pollution the cause?

The observed air pollution is calculated to contribute to 1.6 million deaths/year in China [0.7–2.2

million deaths/year at 95% confidence], roughly 17% of all deaths in China.

Air Pollution in China: Mapping of Concentrations and Sources

Robert A. Rohde, Richard A. Muller (2015)

What to do?  The air pollution cloud is now going global. See https://airvisual.com/earth for a real time global air pollution display. The water pollution has spread to the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean can only absorb so much. The soil pollution, well, does anyone know really how bad it is?

I could go on and on, but actions speak louder than words. I only have observations and questions, but no real answers. This situation will continue, the pollution will get worse, CO2 levels will rise, and the planet will undergo great changes unless things change.

We’re running out of time.

Share

Pollution

Burton Winn

Leave a reply


Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Recent Posts

    • The Environmental Impact Of Biomedical Waste And How To Reduce It
    • What Are the Most Eco-Friendly Types of Water Filters?
    • The Top 7 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Cabinet Picks For 2023
    • How To Sustain A Carbon-Neutral Lifestyle
    • Sustainable Fishing Methods to Fish More Responsibly
  • Categories

    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Eco Editorial
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Environmental Policy
    • Green Food
    • Green Technology
    • Green Tips
    • Green Travel
    • Infographics
    • Other Stories
    • Pollution
    • Recycle
    • Sustainability
    • Toxics
    • Uncategorized
  • Archives

    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2011



Home | About | Advertise With Us | Bike The Netherlands | Current Environmental Issues | Eco Editorial | Contact