Cleaning up Beijing.....

[Joshua + Wang Zhuo]

So, I just came back to Tianjin today from Beijing and I cannot believe how much Beijing is cleaning up. I am not sure what they have done to make the air so much cleaner there, but it has worked tremendously. I was not aware that just cutting back factory production and cutting down on emissions from cars could make such a difference so quickly.

 

 

While in Beijing I noticed that the sky really is blue. I saw clouds.......and when I looked up at night I even saw stars. Sometimes we get blue days here in Tianjin, but they are usually only after a heavy rain or some big winds. I thought maybe we just got lucky, but when we returned back to Tianjin (50 minutes by train) it was the same old hazy/foggy sky that I left. I honestly couldn't clearly see the buildings that were far away......I think visibility is about 2-3 kilometers.

 

I hope that China is seeing the errors of it's ways and it is going to start cleaning up. I know all of this does not happen over night, I just hope that after the Olympics they continue to care.

 

Joshua

[rogerluli]

We can only hope its a start...

[GZBILL]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

[Corbin]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

Now there's the heart of a true the glass is half empty type of guy.......

 

 

Though I'm sad to say you are more than likely correct about this

[rogerluli]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

Now there's the heart of a true the glass is half empty type of guy.......

 

 

Though I'm sad to say you are more than likely correct about this

 

Sheeesh can't you guys try to be optimistic...

 

I think its possible that when the large middle-class population of the capitol sees they do not have to live in filth...something may just happen...

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

Now there's the heart of a true the glass is half empty type of guy.......

 

 

Though I'm sad to say you are more than likely correct about this

 

Sheeesh can't you guys try to be optimistic...

 

I think its possible that when the large middle-class population of the capitol sees they do not have to live in filth...something may just happen...

 

There is good reason to be optimistic. The people of China are not only cleaning up for the Olympics, but for themselves and their future. They know their air is not clean when compared to the rest of the world. They know their health-care is a step behind, they know they have steps to take to make changes. The most exciting part about what's happening in Beijing in a few weeks is not only happening there; it's happening across all provinces in China.

 

The people of Beijing are making huge sacrifices to make these changes to clean the air, water and cultural welcoming. Everyone owning a car in Beijing is willingly NOT driving on certain days according to their license number. That alone reduces traffic by one-half each day. Manufacturing facilities are taking active steps to control waste-water and hazardous by-products. What's best about it, is that they notice the result. They have Children and family just like us and want a good future and clean world for them. I fail to understand the negative thinking that makes one think "it won't last."

 

I say: Hide and wait; watch and learn. This country won't disappoint with its hope; with its resolve. The West will learn about Eastern culture and resolve, and the world opinion will quickly change when the media learns it can no longer get a foot-hold on the negative about this country.

Edited July 16, 2008 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[H.Woodside]

While in Beijing I noticed that the sky really is blue. I saw clouds.......and when I looked up at night I even saw stars.

 

That is amazing that it cleared out as quickly as you say, I was there less than a month ago and the smog was terrible, visability maybe 300 yards at times.

[Joshua + Wang Zhuo]

While in Beijing I noticed that the sky really is blue. I saw clouds.......and when I looked up at night I even saw stars.

 

That is amazing that it cleared out as quickly as you say, I was there less than a month ago and the smog was terrible, visability maybe 300 yards at times.

 

 

I think so too..... I was there last month and it was not much better. The only reason that I know it wasn't just one of those "clear" days is because when we returned home it was back to the same old smog. Tianjin really is not far from Beijing. There is basically a 25 minute train ride between the two cities that has some farms and fish ponds. The rest of the ride is leaving one city and coming into the next.

 

Seeing the drastic difference between the two cities made me realize a few things.

 

1.) Improvements really can be made quickly, there just needs to be motivation to do it.

 

2.)The smog is worse than I thought before......I honestly was just not sure if China was never sunny......

 

3.)China realizes there is a problem, they know what they need to do to make it better

 

As for the future? I'll prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Joshua + Wang Zhuo (see edit history)

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

Now there's the heart of a true the glass is half empty type of guy.......

 

 

Though I'm sad to say you are more than likely correct about this

 

Sheeesh can't you guys try to be optimistic...

 

I think its possible that when the large middle-class population of the capitol sees they do not have to live in filth...something may just happen...

 

There is good reason to be optimistic. The people of China are not only cleaning up for the Olympics, but for themselves and their future. They know their air is not clean when compared to the rest of the world. They know their health-care is a step behind, they know they have steps to take to make changes. The most exciting part about what's happening in Beijing in a few weeks is not only happening there; it's happening across all provinces in China.

 

The people of Beijing are making huge sacrifices to make these changes to clean the air, water and cultural welcoming. Everyone owning a car in Beijing is willingly NOT driving on certain days according to their license number. That alone reduces traffic by one-half each day. Manufacturing facilities are taking active steps to control waste-water and hazardous by-products. What's best about it, is that they notice the result. They have Children and family just like us and want a good future and clean world for them. I fail to understand the negative thinking that makes one think "it won't last."

 

I say: Hide and wait; watch and learn. This country won't disappoint with its hope; with its resolve. The West will learn about Eastern culture and resolve, and the world opinion will quickly change when the media learns it can no longer get a foot-hold on the negative about this country.

 

It's was sunny in Nanjing today. Tonight I can see stars.

[H.Woodside]

 

Seeing the drastic difference between the two cities made me realize a few things.

 

1.) Improvements really can be made quickly, there just needs to be motivation to do it.

 

2.)The smog is worse than I thought before......I honestly was just not sure if China was never sunny......

 

3.)China realizes there is a problem, they know what they need to do to make it better

 

As for the future? I'll prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

I felt the same way when I arived in Harbin after leaving Beijing, what a night and day difference in air quality.

 

Yeah, it would really be nice if they can keep it cleaned up.

 

It sure makes me appreciate the air quality here in Utah, after spending a week in Beijing.

[Joshua + Wang Zhuo]

Well......Sad to say I was back in Beijing yesterday and the pollution was not worse than it was last week. I did notice that the traffic was lighter and the taxi driver said it was much better. There was still a smog hanging over the city though.

 

It was better than Tianjin, but not as much as last week. If I looked straight up, I could see blue sky and clouds, but if you looked in any direction there was a haze hanging over the city. When we returned to Tianjin there was however no blue sky to be found and visibility was about half of what it was in Beijing. I guess this shows that their efforts do some good, but not as much as previously thought.

 

Maybe there was a good breeze last week blowing it all over here on us.

 

 

 

On another note, are all of the cities in China working as hard to clean up their roads and storefronts as they are here? There will be a few olympic events here so they are doing a lot of beautification of the streets and stuff and I was wondering if it was only olympic cities, or if it was all of China. We will be in Guangzhou tomorrow, so I can see how the south is....

 

Joshua

[Aussie in love]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

Now there's the heart of a true the glass is half empty type of guy.......

 

 

Though I'm sad to say you are more than likely correct about this

 

Sheeesh can't you guys try to be optimistic...

 

I think its possible that when the large middle-class population of the capitol sees they do not have to live in filth...something may just happen...

 

 

Sorry guys, with Globalisation in full swing, the mighty USA and other western minnows such as AU will continue to avoid their environmental & OH&S obligations by using China until they can not deliver further.

 

The giants will then move to the next wild frontier, such as Vietnam, Pakistan or Indonesia (if they can sort out their instability) to satisfy their needs.

 

I shudder to think how China and its people will be left. Let's hope I'm wrong.

[NewDay2006]

 

The giants will then move to the next wild frontier, such as Vietnam, Pakistan or Indonesia (if they can sort out their instability) to satisfy their needs.

 

 

IMO, this is part of the US's current problems, we need to keep our jobs here, but for the "giants", they make the big bucks by letting poor people do our work on the cheap.

 

But on the main subject, I'm hoping for a very successful Olympic games in a few weeks.

[GZBILL]

We can only hope its a start...

 

It won't last.

 

By year's end Beijing will revert back to its filthy self.

Now there's the heart of a true the glass is half empty type of guy.......

 

 

Though I'm sad to say you are more than likely correct about this

 

Sheeesh can't you guys try to be optimistic...

 

I think its possible that when the large middle-class population of the capitol sees they do not have to live in filth...something may just happen...

 

There is good reason to be optimistic. The people of China are not only cleaning up for the Olympics, but for themselves and their future. They know their air is not clean when compared to the rest of the world. They know their health-care is a step behind, they know they have steps to take to make changes. The most exciting part about what's happening in Beijing in a few weeks is not only happening there; it's happening across all provinces in China.

 

The people of Beijing are making huge sacrifices to make these changes to clean the air, water and cultural welcoming. Everyone owning a car in Beijing is willingly NOT driving on certain days according to their license number. That alone reduces traffic by one-half each day. Manufacturing facilities are taking active steps to control waste-water and hazardous by-products. What's best about it, is that they notice the result. They have Children and family just like us and want a good future and clean world for them. I fail to understand the negative thinking that makes one think "it won't last."

 

I say: Hide and wait; watch and learn. This country won't disappoint with its hope; with its resolve. The West will learn about Eastern culture and resolve, and the world opinion will quickly change when the media learns it can no longer get a foot-hold on the negative about this country.

 

No, they are certainly not refraining from driving willingly. They do it because they have to -- no choice.

 

And factories are only being closed until the end of September at which time it's back to business as usual.

 

Anybody who thinks that after the Olympics economic progress will not outpower environmental concerns is delusional.

[georgeandli]

Aussie, You're right. Short term for the Olympics. Come September fire up the coal again. Camera's are gone, fire up!