Sample Article Review On Environmentalism In China

In the South China Morning Post's article called “Dumping of untreated acid in Chinese canal highlights nation's water pollution woes,” we read that a Jiangsu chemical plant was recently charged with the fine of 20 million yuan ($2.88 million) for the violation of dumping nearly 2,700 tons of liquid acid waste into the Grand Canal. The reason for this fine is due to the immeasurable level of environmental damage that this caused. The fine attests to the drastic importance of respecting the earth and its bodies of waters, understanding that it is all maintained by a delicate natural balance that cannot be tampered with without experiencing severe consequences in the long run.
In another article called “China back on two wheels as bike-sharing revolution gains traction,” we read about how the seemingly unstoppable rise in urban pollution has instigated bike-sharing companies to attempt at spurring on the widespread use of bicycles. This will also serve the purpose of lessening the amount of congested traffic in the city. In light of this attempt to reduce smog and pollution, another article titled “Scientists find bacteria in Beijing smog that lead to antibiotic resistance” explains how the heavy air pollution in Beijing is preventing people from benefiting from some of their most powerful antibiotics, leaving them susceptible to diseases and illnesses that were otherwise thought to be treatable. This is a clear example of how environmental issues come much closer to home than most people realize.
In the New York Times' Asia Pacific Beijing Journal, an article titled “Beijing's Electric Bikes, the Wheels of E-Commerce, Face Traffic Backlash,” we see that even attempts at alleviating these smog-induced problems face problems where there should be acceptance and appreciation. Beijing now has 5.6 million cars on the road, and up to 2.5 million electric bicycles. Many automobile drivers have been claiming that most electric bicycle drivers are ill-trained and cause problems on the road, while the bicyclist complain that they are merely scapegoats for the real killers of the road, which are the cars themselves. What electric bicycles have also done is increase the demand for deliveries of goods sold on the Internet, creating an entirely new market in and of itself that has led to a boon in online shopping. It seems that no matter the good intention behind solving environmental issues in China, there is always another side of the coin which has a whole new set of people unhappy with the ramifications.
All of these environmental issues have come as a result of forty years of immense economic growth in China. Smog, contaminated waters, toxins in the soil, and villages full of cancer have been just some of the major issues that have arisen out of this rapid growth in the economy. Existing plans and regulations have up until now failed to create a more green China. The blame can be traced not only to corrupt energy and power companies, but also the citizens themselves who insist on buying and driving personal vehicles that run on low-standard fuel. It is clear that having a mentality of economic growth no matter what the cost will continue to have severe ramifications for not only state governments but the individuals themselves. Even with action like the “Great Smog of Linfen,” which had the city's deputy mayor publicly offering an apology to residents, there is still a great deal of understandable skepticism in regards to the actual action steps that will be taken in the long journey back to environmental health.