US Embassy Categorizes Beijing Air Quality As 'Crazy Bad'

digitaldc writes "Pollution in Beijing was so bad Friday the US embassy, which has been independently monitoring air quality, ran out of conventional adjectives to describe it, at one point saying it was 'crazy bad.' The embassy later deleted the phrase, saying it was an 'incorrect' description and it would revise the language to use when the air quality index goes above 500, its highest point and a level considered hazardous for all people by US standards. The hazardous haze has forced schools to stop outdoor exercises, and health experts asked residents, especially those with respiratory problems, the elderly and children, to stay indoors."

Comments

No kidding.

[Jugalator]

When I was in Beijing a few years ago, after a while the days there started to feel kind of like the day before you're going to catch a cold.

I was at a loss for words

[Christoph]

I found it hard to believe or describe when I visited (in 2004). From one block north, the Forbidden City was obscured by smog on a cloudless day. It otherwise felt like you were smoking all the time.

When will China have their 60's?

[cryfreedomlove]

When will the youth of China decide they've had enough of conformity and respect for authority? China has raised it standard of living in recent decades but they still suffer from a severe lack of basic freedoms, corruption, and choking pollution. The civil rights movement and Vietnam triggered the events of the 60's in the USA. When will the same happen in China?

A Prime Example of Externalized Costs.

[Ron Bennett]

The bad air quality is a prime example of an externalized cost.

Many people claim the reason for offshoring is wages, but that's only part of it...

Much of the savings comes from the ability to operate a factory in China under less stringent rules - less labor protections, less safety, less pollution controls, etc.

Eventually China will crack down on polluters (they already do on an ad hoc basis, such as briefly during the 2008 Olympics) improving air quality, but also increasing production costs, which will then push many companies to offshore to the next cheaper place where such costs can again be externalized.

Ron

p.s. why is the comment entry window so narrow? More breakage - Slashdot was more usable in 1998 than it is now, but hey I guess this is progress... bah!

Re:The only insanity is seeking more sickness

[Froboz23]

"Shared insanity is an excellent term for the brief turn away from Conservatism (NOT Republicans) that the country underwent, and is now correcting."

Correcting indeed. With the Republicans now controlling the House, they get to appoint a new chair to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee. The front-runners for the position are:

Joe Barton - He's the guy who apologized to BP for their cruel treatment by the US Federal Government. He also received more campaign contributions from the oil industry than any other member of the House, which makes him an expert on energy policy.

John Shimkus - He quoted the book of Genesis in House testimony as evidence that God promised He would never let bad things happen to the Earth, and He should be entrusted to protect the environment.

Nope, no insanity there.

Here's details about it, from a respected news source:

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/366030/november-17-2010/chair-apparent