In 2000, when Beijing made its bid for the 2008 Olympics, it promised to get all cleaned up if it could please, pretty please, be the host. Its wishes came true, but China's goal of throwing a green Olympics seems ever out of reach. To quote ourselves:
China has promised to throw a "green" Olympics in Beijing in 2008 -- but simple livability may be the megacity's bigger challenge. Beijing has 15.2 million inhabitants; if current trends hold, that number could grow to 21 million by 2020. Gridlock is endemic, as the number of cars more than doubled in the past six years. Already-bad air quality is deteriorating. The city's water supply is so overtaxed that some experts are calling for rationing. City officials are racing to replace thousands of old, stinky public toilets, while over a hundred construction projects related to the upcoming Olympics are hurtling forward. Critics blame decades of bad urban-planning policy for the city's problems. "In the past, we never thought of the capacity of resources," said Huang Yan, Beijing's deputy director of planning. "We only focused on development." She's introduced a master plan that includes the bold goal of rendering Beijing "a city suitable for living."
So it's unfortunate, but not surprising, to hear news that China's food is so chemical-laden that athletes who eat it may risk failing drug tests. Even those who didn't take anabolic steroids before arriving in the country may get a healthy (well, unhealthy) dose from their chow mein. Of course, the Chinese folk who eat it every day get an equally unhealthy dose.
Many of the hundreds of millions of China's farmers buy anabolic steroids for their livestock and antibiotics for their fowl from salesmen who promise better prices for bigger pigs and healthier ducks.
Dangerous pesticides, fertilisers and chemical additives to make the produce more attractive also combine with heavy metals washed into the food chain through contaminated rivers and streams.
Add to that poor hygiene and food handling, and the recipe for regular outbreaks of mass food-poisoning is complete.
But, uh, at least Olympians will have solar-powered showers to puke in.
EU pushes China further after pledge to slow carbon intensity
Copenhagen climate summit (part 1): the expectations
Comments
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Biodiversivist Posted 2:39 pm
19 Dec 2006
In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world
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Whiskerfish Posted 7:02 pm
19 Dec 2006
Cheers
Whiskerfish (in the not yet quite so f*cked up region of southern Africa, but we're learning...)
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midnightowl Posted 12:19 am
20 Dec 2006
Global Business Watch
http://www.gbwatch.com
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Biodiversivist Posted 2:31 am
20 Dec 2006
In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world
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David Roberts Posted 4:02 am
20 Dec 2006
In the end, only hard, inflexible limits force humans to change their behavior. But China is hurtling toward those limits.
It's too bad, morally speaking, that we Westerners used us so much more than our share of stuff. But if China can figure out sustainable development, they'll be the world's foremost super-power by the end of the 21st century, and we'll be left with regrets and a whole lot of useless exurbs.
www.grist.org
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septembervelvet Posted 3:54 pm
20 Dec 2006
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bookerly Posted 12:47 pm
23 Dec 2006
China is fair game for criticism, as is anywhere else. But if you intend to make statements such as "gridlock is endemic", you might at least offer some proof, or facts???
I mean, I only live in Beijing, so what do I know? Gridlock in this city of 15 million is far less than in Los Angeles (4 million?) or San Francisco (7 million in the whole bay area?).
We could say of America "Murder is endemic", "Injustice is endemic", "Racism is endemic", "Greed is endemic" or many other perjorative statements. But if we did, we might be expected to offer some level of proof. Or is "Grist the new Fox"?
As to the worsening air quality, says who? I first came here 16 years ago, and while there are many days I don't like the air, it is better now than it was then, despite adding millions in population.
The statement that the population will reach 21 million by 2020 is presented in an alarmist manner, as if that is automatically a bad thing. As far as I know the long term prospects are to reach around 30 million (though I forget by when). China expects to move roughly 600 million people out of the countryside into urban areas (which will benefit the overall environment, as well as help address issues such as poverty). So ALL cities will get bigger. Point being?
Let's talk about food. I am not personally concerned about the meat (since I don't eat it here or in America), but do you really think that the American meat industry is so different? You are really self-delusionary if you think so.
As to "Dangerous pesticides, fertilisers and chemical additives to make the produce more attractive also combine with heavy metals washed into the food chain through contaminated rivers and streams.", what on earth makes you think that America is any different?
And "Add to that poor hygiene and food handling, and the recipe for regular outbreaks of mass food-poisoning is complete.". Who says that there is poor hygiene and food handling? Where and why?
Hysteria.
Based on this kind of statement, I guess you have all given up on eating vegetables after the mass food poisonings in America (EColi anyone)?
Tone and style matter. Factual reporting should be welcome.
Grist gets the FOX news award for the week.
patrick
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bookerly Posted 1:05 pm
23 Dec 2006
The article about the steroids is interesting, I only wish there were more sources than one person. Good reporting should have multiple sources, anything else is dangerous. Is this a real problem or an exagerated one? Hard to tell from the information given.
That said, I am no expert on Chinese food production (and my knowledge was not increased from the article). However, you should note that there is a Chinese organic farming base, I don't know the size, but there are products from greens to rice to wine and tea that all come from organic bases. Many of them appear in regular markets, as well as in vegetarian restaurants.
But, in truth, China is a big country. It is dangerous for anyone to see one thing in China and claim to know about the whole country.
Certainly it struggles with the idea of sustainability and with problems related to everything from pollution to species protection. It will have many failures as well as successes on the road to finding a correct path.
Will China throw a green Olympics? I bet yes. Umm, is interet gambling allowed here? If we can find a way to register them, I could use the money? (smile).
It is also curious that of all the developing countries, only China is subjected to such careful scrutiny in the Western press. Articles about food safety in Africa? India? South America?
Critical coverage of China would not only consist of sporadic hysterical sniping, but an on-going examination of all the issues, dealing with both successes and failures.
The chance of a green Olympics is much greater than the chance of such coverage.
patrick
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