Jogging in China...

Cosmo

"I'm glad America told that Kyoto Treaty to eat shit. Why should we have to listen to whiners in other countries tell us what we can't and shouldn't do?"
- Some Chinese dude, circa 2003

http://www.news.com.au/world/factory-fire-went-unnoticed-for-3-hours-amid-china-smog/story-fndir2ev-1226554710072

hedonist

Damn. And I thought the air quality out here was bad.

Although...you'd think they'd have smelled the smoke/burning. The second paragraph of the article says fog delayed detection - I assume that was a typo?

(oh, and nice quote )

Cosmo

hedonist wrote:

Damn. And I thought the air quality out here was bad.

Although...you'd think they'd have smelled the smoke/burning. The second paragraph of the article says fog delayed detection - I assume that was a typo?

(oh, and nice quote )

...
You know how you can tell there is a significant structure fire from the rising plume of dense black smoke? Well, they didn't notice the plume of dense black smoke... for 3 hours.
...
I am NEVER going to complain about the air quality in Los Angeles again.

brianlux

I sometimes think about China when I dust the furniture. I read somewhere that a high percentage of household dust on the west coast comes from dust, smoke, soot, exaust and other pollutants that drift all the way across the Pacific from China. And, of course, it mixes with our domestic pollution. That's mind boggling... not to mention sinus clogging!

But I'm not going to just bash China here. I live in El Dorado County, CA where often the already weak burn restrictions are ignored. It's a big county and there are days when the choking smoke is ubiquitous in the county and beyond. I was grumbling a bit to my wife about this the other day and suddenly thought about the Neanderthal thread and started laughing. She thought I was losing it.

Cosmo

brianlux wrote:

I sometimes think about China when I dust the furniture. I read somewhere that a high percentage of household dust on the west coast comes from dust, smoke, soot, exaust and other pollutants that drift all the way across the Pacific from China. And, of course, it mixes with our domestic pollution. That's mind boggling... not to mention sinus clogging!

But I'm not going to just bash China here. I live in El Dorado County, CA where often the already weak burn restrictions are ignored. It's a big county and there are days when the choking smoke is ubiquitous in the county and beyond. I was grumbling a bit to my wife about this the other day and suddenly thought about the Neanderthal thread and started laughing. She thought I was losing it.

...
Oh, that shit is definately catching the wind and heading towards the western shore of North America.
...
But, we... America in general... really can't say shit. I mean, we (America) don't give a fuck about the environment... and we especially don't give a fuck about what other countries say. Why should China be any different? We are the model... they are just doing what we would do... except without all of those pesky regulations and environmental restrictions. You know, the ones we like to call, 'Job Killers'.

Smellyman

Cosmo wrote:

brianlux wrote:

I sometimes think about China when I dust the furniture. I read somewhere that a high percentage of household dust on the west coast comes from dust, smoke, soot, exaust and other pollutants that drift all the way across the Pacific from China. And, of course, it mixes with our domestic pollution. That's mind boggling... not to mention sinus clogging!

But I'm not going to just bash China here. I live in El Dorado County, CA where often the already weak burn restrictions are ignored. It's a big county and there are days when the choking smoke is ubiquitous in the county and beyond. I was grumbling a bit to my wife about this the other day and suddenly thought about the Neanderthal thread and started laughing. She thought I was losing it.

...
Oh, that shit is definately catching the wind and heading towards the western shore of North America.
...
But, we... America in general... really can't say shit. I mean, we (America) don't give a fuck about the environment... and we especially don't give a fuck about what other countries say. Why should China be any different? We are the model... they are just doing what we would do... except without all of those pesky regulations and environmental restrictions. You know, the ones we like to call, 'Job Killers'.

Until the day comes when the rest of the world wants a better environment rather than cheap goods nothing will change.

Also China is actually becoming better with workers rights etc. so jobs are moving to Viet Nam (second verse same as the first). There has also been protests in china recently with 3 new plants getting built. They managed to keep the plants from being built.

fear4freedom

USA emissions are now going down due to fracking and a downturn in economic output. Also, less people working....less gas and energy being used. However, USA is making strides compared to China regarding the enviroment! Its time to notice that and stay focused on improvements in all areas. Its also important to hold China accountable!

brianlux

It's true that China is the number one country in terms of annual co2 emissions but they are very low per capita and we're still number two overall and number two per capita which really doesn't give us bragging rights.

Country/ Total Emissions (Million Metric Tons of CO2)/ Per Capita Emissions (Tons/Capita)

1.China 6534 /4.91
2.United States 5833 / 19.18
3.Russia 1729 / 12.29
4.India 1495 / 1.31
5.Japan 1214 / 9.54
6.Germany 829 / 10.06
7.Canada 574 / 17.27
8.United Kingdom 572 / 9.38
9.Korea, South 542 / 11.21
10.Iran 511 / 7.76
11.Saudi Arabia 466 / 16.56
12.Italy 455 / 7.82
13.South Africa 451 / 9.25
14.Mexico 445 / 4.04
15.Australia 437 / 20.82
16.Indonesia 434 / 1.83
17.Brazil 428 / 2.18
18.France 415 / 6.48
19.Spain 359 / 8.86
20.Ukraine 350 / 7.61

data from EIA 2008 (most recent I can find off-hand but the numbers haven't changed that much since.)

PJ_Soul

Honestly, China scares the hell out of me and this is why.

PJ_Soul

brianlux wrote:

It's true that China is the number one country in terms of annual co2 emissions but they are very low per capita and we're still number two overall and number two per capita which really doesn't give us bragging rights.

Country/ Total Emissions (Million Metric Tons of CO2)/ Per Capita Emissions (Tons/Capita)

1.China 6534 /4.91
2.United States 5833 / 19.18
3.Russia 1729 / 12.29
4.India 1495 / 1.31
5.Japan 1214 / 9.54
6.Germany 829 / 10.06
7.Canada 574 / 17.27
8.United Kingdom 572 / 9.38
9.Korea, South 542 / 11.21
10.Iran 511 / 7.76
11.Saudi Arabia 466 / 16.56
12.Italy 455 / 7.82
13.South Africa 451 / 9.25
14.Mexico 445 / 4.04
15.Australia 437 / 20.82
16.Indonesia 434 / 1.83
17.Brazil 428 / 2.18
18.France 415 / 6.48
19.Spain 359 / 8.86
20.Ukraine 350 / 7.61

data from EIA 2008 (most recent I can find off-hand but the numbers haven't changed that much since.)

But CO2 is not their only problem.

Jeanwah

PJ_Soul wrote:

brianlux wrote:

It's true that China is the number one country in terms of annual co2 emissions but they are very low per capita and we're still number two overall and number two per capita which really doesn't give us bragging rights.

Country/ Total Emissions (Million Metric Tons of CO2)/ Per Capita Emissions (Tons/Capita)

1.China 6534 /4.91
2.United States 5833 / 19.18
3.Russia 1729 / 12.29
4.India 1495 / 1.31
5.Japan 1214 / 9.54
6.Germany 829 / 10.06
7.Canada 574 / 17.27
8.United Kingdom 572 / 9.38
9.Korea, South 542 / 11.21
10.Iran 511 / 7.76
11.Saudi Arabia 466 / 16.56
12.Italy 455 / 7.82
13.South Africa 451 / 9.25
14.Mexico 445 / 4.04
15.Australia 437 / 20.82
16.Indonesia 434 / 1.83
17.Brazil 428 / 2.18
18.France 415 / 6.48
19.Spain 359 / 8.86
20.Ukraine 350 / 7.61

data from EIA 2008 (most recent I can find off-hand but the numbers haven't changed that much since.)

But CO2 is not their only problem.

Yeah, they also have a problem with constantly building cities when there is no demand for them...

Annafalk

I think fresh air is so very important, I have a relative who has worked all his life driving taxi in the largest city we have, sitting in the traffic all day.
He now has cancer and the bad air he´s been breathing in must have something to do with it,
I think so anyway..

Cosmo

fear4freedom wrote:

USA emissions are now going down due to fracking and a downturn in economic output. Also, less people working....less gas and energy being used. However, USA is making strides compared to China regarding the enviroment! Its time to notice that and stay focused on improvements in all areas. Its also important to hold China accountable!

...
I wonder if the reason WHY the emmissions are being reduced in the U.S. is due to Government Regulations and Restrictions.
You know, it was the government (EPA) that has forced compaines to quit dumping manufacturing waste from chromium and cadmium plating into ground water and river systems. If private industry had its way, it would go the cheap route and dump the shit in the water, rather than processing it for proper waste disposal. The same goes for the EPA requirements for cars.
Sure, it is a pain in the ass and costs more money, but it results in cleaner air and water for us.
I'm not one of those 'For Big Government' that people often accuse me of... i just know that without some authority telling profit seekers to do the right thing... those looking to make the greatest profits will cut whatever corners they can to increase their payday.
Sort of like what the Chinese are doing.