Smog in China

Today I heard a report on the news that China has shut down industries in and around Beijing and banned thousands of cars in the city in an effort to clean the air for the Olympics. The news showed young men who were on an unpaid forced layoff until after the Olympics. Also there was a report about US athletes’ concerns about eating the food in China. China uses many chemicals and hormones in their food, and western athletes are concerned about getting sick or testing positive for drugs because of the food in China. China has responded by created special organic farms around Beijing to grow food just for the Olympic athletes. The unclean air and unhealthy food in China is a cost they are paying for rapid progress and short term gain. But this is a side of progress they do not want to show the world, which has more respect for the health and welfare of humans. The rest of the world sits and watches and says “That is nice” and continues to trade with China because they can produce stuff cheaply, even though the human cost is high and often harms us. Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, and many other businesses in the USA, are in partnership with China in this delivery of low-cost goods for a high human price. All of this convinces me more that the Green movement in this country and the world is our main hope for a world with clean air and safe food.

So the many urban farmers and we small gardeners play a small but significant role in the world economy. Composting our coffee grounds, which even my financial advisor said he did today, or trying to live simply, which one of my friends who supports Wal-Mart does, are steps in the direction away from the mass production of dirty air and dangerous food in the name of progress.

India is another growing world economic power. However, some in India, especially followers of Gandhi, are struggling to grow healthy food and not pollute the air. I hear from my friend in India, who will lead us on a pilgrimage of peace in the footsteps of Gandhi later this year, that the struggle is very difficult. The Wal-Marts of the world and major industry giants and agri-businesses are trying to force India to go the quick route like China. Hopefully India can resist and be on the technological cutting edge without destroying and polluting the environment and people. Clean air and food is human right.

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