The 2008 Beijing Olympics are fast approaching, and with less than 8 months to go, some are voicing their concerns for the city’s air quality. Beijing, known by some as the air pollution capital of the world, doesn’t exactly have the best record when it comes to caring for the environment.
70% of all fresh water around the city is undrinkable and over 400,000 people die prematurely from air pollution each year. For a while, there seemed to be no signs that it would be getting better anytime soon; air pollutants over China increased by 50% in the past 10 years alone. But, under pressure from the ever-nearing Olympic games, recent mandates and goals, along with conscientious citizens, have been making strides toward cleaner air.
One such step was reaching a goal of 245 “blue sky days“ last year. This means that, on a scale of 1-500, (1 being the lowest pollution level, 500 being the highest) they must score below 101. They just barely scraped by, with December 31 filling the final spot for the 2007 goal. For a while, some feared that the Olympics would not be able to take place in Beijing at all. Dangerous pollution levels, like those often reached in the city, can cause shortness or breath or trigger asthma, among other complications.
Should we be submitting athletes to these potentially damaging conditions? High pollution levels may interfere with the athletic capabilities of the contenders, which could result in unfair wins. The regular citizens of Beijing are used to breathing in hazardous amounts of pollution, but foreigners are not prepared for such conditions. In fact, top male distance runner Haile Gerselassie of Kenya, has threatened to drop out in fear of damage to his health.
Zhang Lijun, vice-minister of the Environmental Protection Administration, has promised that all the necessary tasks to allow the Olympics to take place will be completed by June. Still, that only means that they must reach certain levels the 4 major pollutants: inhalable particles, sulfur dioxide, chemical oxygen demand and nitrogen dioxide. This would not provide entire protection from health problems.
Are these temporary stipulations even making a difference? Sure, most high-pollutant factory sources have been shut down or moved, but at the same time, 1,200 new motor vehicles are added in the city each day. Not to mention that, since the shut-downs are temporary, there will logically follow a surge in production, during which the factories will be increasing production to make up for lost time.
From the very start, the Olympics in Beijing were met with overwhelming support by the citizens. It would be a great disappointment if they were unable to host the Olympics, but we need to take some things into consideration before allowing it. If Beijing can clean up its act, it will have well deserved the honor of holding the 2008 Olympics, but will it simply descend, once again, into environmental turmoil once the whole thing is over?
It is their duty to reduce toxin levels in the air for this special international event, but this should always be their duty. Though it is unfortunate that it took the idea of holding the Olympics to motivate action on the issue, at least this may remind the citizens of Beijing in the future about the importance of going that one extra step to save the environment. Whether it is riding a bike, turning off a light, or forgoing that extra minute in the shower, we all need to play a part in keeping the earth an inhabitable place for many years to come.
Citations:
“Clean Air at Olympics ‘No Problem,’ China Vows.” MSNBC-World News. March 11, 2008. NBC. March 19, 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23581237/
Yardley, Jim. “China’s Olympic Goal: Turn Smoggy Skies Blue.” International Herald Tribune. December 29, 2007. Herald Tribune. March 19, 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/28/news/pollute.php
“Satellite Data Reveals Beijing as Air Pollution Capital of the World.” The Guardian. October 31, 2005. The Guardian. March 19, 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/oct/31/china.pollution
March 21, 2008 at 12:02 am
I agree, China should definitely clean up its air, not only for the Olympics but for good. It is for it’s own benefit. It is possible that the factories that have temporarily moved out of China to decrease pollution levels for the Olympics will come back and pollute even more. I think that China should work harder to reduce its pollution levels, at least it should reduce the number of cars that are added each day.
March 26, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Well, because of the oncomimng Olympics, I think they should try a lot harder to clean up the air because it is bad for citizens and for the atheletes wanting to compete in the sporting events this summer. It also will help make the world better for all of us to live (all around the world) I think they might want to consider more eco friendly factories and cars and try to be more concerned with what the future holds in this world in a sense of pollution and clean air.