An Inch of Water
Posted by SCapozzola on July 2nd, 2008The poet Charles Reznikoff once noted that what matters is “not the five feet of water to your chin, but the inch above the tip of your nose.” Cheerful words indeed, but particularly poignant today for the residents of Qingdao, in China’s Shadong province. Preparing to host the boating competitions of this summer’s Olympic Games, the city’s residents are currently working non-stop to clear a stunning algae bloom that has swallowed up large swaths of coastal water.
Qingdao officials blame the algae bloom on “increased rainfall and warmer waters in the Yellow Sea.” However, the Algae infestation now covers more than 5,000 square miles of the sea, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Possibly the International Herald Tribune is closer to the mark when it notes that “many coastal Chinese cities dump untreated sewage into the sea. At the same time, rivers and tributaries emptying into coastal waters are often contaminated with high levels of nitrates from agricultural and industrial runoff. These nitrates contribute to the red tides of algae that often bloom along sections of China’s coastline.”
While China does have environmental laws on its books, they are seldom if ever enforced. As a result, Chinese manufacturers frequently violate every accepted air and water discharge standard.
Not having to incorporate environmental restrictions into their production saves money aplenty, but it also means tons of noxious smokestack emissions and the sort of groundwater runoff that produces unnaturally vast algae fields.
In the next few weeks, AAM will be examining the consequences of Beijing’s environmental disregard with a report focusing on lax emissions standards for Chinese steel producers. You can be sure ManufactureThis will have much to say when that report is issued. But for now, here’s to a safe and healthy Olympic Games in the People’s Republic.
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