Friday, I joined 4 billion people to watch the China’s Olympic Games opening ceremony. And stayed glued to my TV for the whole four hours of the show. How could I not be dazzled?
- (Bullit Marquez/Associated Press)
China’s awesome PR move still cannot hide the grim environmental reality behind the spectacle:
- 16 of the world’s most polluted cities are in China
- 2 million pollution-related cancer deaths in China each year
- 500 million Chinese who lack access to safe drinking water
- 1 percent of China’s 560 million urbanites who breathe air considered safe by European standards
Of course, as the world’s largest importer of China goods, we the American consumers are playing a huge role in the Chinese mess. And we are being paid back in rising world emissions and unhealthy air over our coastlines.
La Marguerite 