Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China
October 21st, 2009 by Key | Posted in News | 1,679 Comments »[QQ] October 14, 2009, the 30th annual awards ceremony of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund took place at the Asia Society in New York City. Lu Guang (卢广) from People’s Republic of China won the $30,000 W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for his documentary project “Pollution in China.”
Lu Guang (卢广), freelancer photographer, started as an amateur photographer in 1980. He was a factory worker, later started his own photo studio and advertising agency. August of 1993 he returned to post-graduate studies at the Central Arts and Design Academy in Beijing (now is the Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University). During graduate school, he studied, traveled all over the country and carved out a career, became the “dark horse” of the photographer circle in Beijing. Skilled at social documentary photography, his insightful, creative and artistic work often focused on “social phenomena and people living at the bottom of society”, attracted the attentions of the national photography circle and the media. Many of his award winning works focused on social issues like, “gold rush in the west”, “drug girl”, “small coal pit”, “HIV village”, “the Grand Canal”, “development of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway” and so on.
1. “At the junction of Ningxia province and Inner Mongolia province, I saw a tall chimney puffing out golden smoke covering the blue sky, large tracts of the grassland have become industrial waste dumps; unbearable foul smell made people want to cough; Surging industrial sewage flowed into the Yellow River…”
- Lu Guang
2. Chemical waste from Jiangsu Taixing Chemical Industrial District (江苏泰兴化工园区) dumped on top of the Yangtze River bank. May 15, 2009
3. Fan Jai Zhuang in Anyang City, Henan province, (河南安阳市范家庄) there is only one wall separating this village from the steelmaking furnaces. The villagers live in this heavily polluted environment where the village is under the iron rain every day. March 24, 2008
4. Industrial sewage of Zhejiang Xiaoshan Industrial District (浙江萧山化工园区) eventually flowed into Qiantang River. April 24, 2009
5. Henan Anyang iron and steel plant’s (河南安阳钢铁厂) sewage flowed into Anyang River. March 25, 2008
6. Guiyu, Guangdong province, (广东省贵屿镇) rivers and reservoirs have been contaminated, the villager is washing in a seriously polluted pond. November 25, 2005
7. Shizuishan Industrial district in Ningxia province (宁夏石嘴山湖滨工业园区), the tall chimneys spitted out smoke and dust. Residents took preventive measure for the falling dust from the sky when going outside. April 22, 2006
8. In the Yellow Sea coastline, countless sewage pipes buried in the beach and even extending into the deep sea. April 28, 2008
9. In Ma’anshan, Anhui province (安徽马鞍山), along the Yangtze River there are many small-scaled Iron selection factories and plastic processing plants. Large amounts of sewage discharged into the Yangtze River June 18, 2009
10. In Inner Mongolia there were 2 “black dragons” from the Lasengmiao Power Plant (内蒙古拉僧庙发电厂) covering the nearby villages. July 26, 2005
11. Jiangsu province Changshu City Fluorine Chemical industry land sewage treatment plant (江苏省常熟市氟化学工业园污水处理厂) was responsible for collection and processing of the industrial sewage. However they did not, the sewage pipe was extended 1500 meters under the Yangtze River and releasing the sewage there. 2009 June 11
12. Soil by Yangtze River, was polluted by Anhui Province Ma’anshan Chemical Industrial District (安徽省马鞍山化工园区). June 26, 2009
13. Large amount of the industrial wastewater flowed to Yellow River from Inner Mongolia Lasengmiao Industrial District (内蒙古拉僧庙工业园区) every day. July 26, 2005
14. A Large amount of the chemical wastewater discharged into Yangtze River from Zhenjiang Titanium mill (镇江市钛粉厂) every day. Less than 1,000 meters away downstream is where the water department of Danyang City gets its water from. June 10, 2009
15. In Haimen city, Jiangsu province Chemical Industrial District sewage treatment Plant (江苏省海门市化工园区污水处理厂) discharged wastewater into Yangtze River. June 5, 2009
16. Hebei Province Shexian Tianjin Iron and steel plant (河北省涉县天津钢铁厂) is a heavily polluting company. Company scale is still growing, seriously affecting the lives of local residents. March 18, 2008
17. Longmen town in Hanchen city, Shaanxi Province (陕西省韩城市龙门镇) has large-scaled industrial development. Environment is very seriously polluted there. April 8, 2008
18. There are over 100 chemical plants in Jiangsu province coastal industry district. (江苏滨海头罾沿海化工园区) Some of them discharge wastewater into the ocean; some heavily contaminated sewage is stored in 5 “Sewage Temporary Pools”. During the 2 high tides in every month, the sewage then gets discharged into the ocean with the tides. June 20, 2008
19. Jiangxi Province Hu Ko County Chemical Industry district (江西省胡口县化工园区) is by the Yangtze River. Chemical factory landfill the Yangtze River bank to expand the scale of the factory without authorization.
20. Anhui Province Cihu Chemical Industry District (安徽省慈湖化工园区) built a underground pipe to discharge wastewater into the Yangtze River. The wastewater sometimes is black, gray, dark red, or yellow, wastewater from different chemical factories has different colors. June 18, 2009
21. Shanxi Province is the most polluted areas of China. It is also the province with the highest rate of birth defects. This loving farmer couple adopted 17 disabled children. April 15, 2009
“In Some areas of China people’s lives were threatened because of the environmental pollution. Residents suffering from all kinds of obscured diseases, the cancer villages, increase of deformed babies, these were the results of sacrificing environment and blindly seeking economical gain.”
- Lu Guang
22. Elder shepherd by the Yellow River cannot stand the smell. April 23, 2006
23. 15-year-old boy from Tianshui, Gansu Province (甘肃天水), dropped out of the school after 2nd grade, followed his parents to Heilonggui (黑龙贵) Industrial District. He earns 16 yuan a day. April 8, 2005
24. Inner Mongolia province Heilonggui (黑龙贵) Industrial District, the couple who worked at the Plaster Kiln and just got home. March 22, 2007
25. Villagers from Kang village in Linfen City, Shanxi Province (山西省临汾市下康村) due to long-term consumption of the polluted water contaminated by industrial waste, there were 50 people who have cancer and cerebral thrombosis. 64-year-old Wang Baosheng got ill since 2003, he has fester all over his body so he cannot go to bed and lying face down on the edge of the bed each day. July 10, 2005
26. Breathing in large amount of dust into the lungs, people gets sick after working there for 1-2 years. Most of these migrant workers come from area of poverty. April 10, 2005
27. Zhangqiao village by the Hong River in Wugang City, Henan Province (河南省舞钢市洪河边的张桥村), a 45-year-old woman Sun Xiaojun (孙晓军) could not move her feet and hands since 4 years ago. The numerous hospital treatments were not effective. April 7, 2009
28. Zhaozhuang village by the Hong River in Wugang City, Henan province (河南省舞钢市洪河边的赵庄村), 66-year-old Zhao Bingkun suffering from esophageal cancer since 2004, after the second surgery, treatment cost already have reached over 200,000 yuan. His condition is in late stage, he is having fever everyday, waiting for death. April 7, 2009
29. Zhaozhuang village by the Hong River in Wugang City, Henan province (洪河边的河南省西平县张于庄村), Gao Wanshun’s (高万顺) wife died of cancer. Now he lives in poverty. April 3, 2009
30. Linfen City in Shanxi province (山西临汾市) is seriously polluted area. Farmers after working in the cotton fields for 2 hours are filled with coal ashes. September 24 2007
31. Salt factory worker in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province (江苏连云港) said angrily, “when the wind blowing towards our side, the foul smell from the chemical factories is unbearable. There is even more poison gas at night.” July 19, 2008
32. People form Fanjiazhuang (范家庄) are ready to submit a complain filled with their fingerprints, to seek compensation for pollution damages. March 19, 2008
33. In Shanxi Province there are a lot of charitable nursing homes, to help disabled infants abandoned by their parents. April 14, 2009
34. Liujiawan village by the Hong River in Wugang City, Henan province (河南省舞钢市洪河边的刘家湾村), 13 year old Yang Xiao in November 2008 was ill with obscure disease. She was saved by the donation of the villagers. When the grandmother saw the old village chief came to visit his granddaughter, she kneeled on the ground holding granddaughter’s hand. April 19, 2009
35. The oldest is 9, not going to school. The youngest is less than 2 years old. They lived in severely polluted area. They hands and faces were always dirty. April 10, 2005
36. Mazhuang village by the Hong River in Wugang City, Henan province, (河南省舞钢市洪河边的马庄村) 58-year-old Ma Haipeng (马海朋) was suffering from stomach cancer since 2006 and could not work in the field. He must take medicine every day, otherwise it is too painful. April 6, 2009
37. Every year, a lot of deficiency babies in Shanxi Province were abandoned. Kong Zhenlan (孔贞兰) in Qi town (祁县) who was making a living by recycling trash adopted 25 abandoned children. April 14, 2009
38. Xuanwei (宣威) in Yunnan province is a cancer village. Every year there are more than 20 people die of cancer. 11-year-old student Xu Li (徐丽) is suffering from bone cancer. May 8, 2007
39. In Shexian Village, Hebei Province, (河北省涉县固新村) the existing cancer patients are more than 50 people and more than 20 cancer patients die each year. March 18, 2008
40. Zhangyuzhuan village by the Hong River in Xiping county, Henan province, (河南省西平县洪河边的张于庄村) 22-year-old Zhu Xiaoyan (朱小燕) had a tumor in her stomach in 2007. She died after number of hospital treatments on July 2008. 4-year-old girl with her grandfather came to mother’s tomb. April 2009 2
original source: Fengniao
Followup: Interview with Lu Guang, the photographer of “Pollution in China”
Tags: Art, Lu Guang, Photos, Pollution, Pollution in China
Most of these posts are caught up in the capitalism vrs communism argument and completly miss the point. The issue at hand is the disregard for the environment and ultimately for human life. It doesn’t matter what system of government you are ruled by because the common tread that ties them all together is that they do not care about you, your life, or the circumstances of your death. Do you think bitching and moaning on the internet will change things? Its almost as pointless as protesting, hey look im standing in the street with a sign [insert your liberal motivational empowerment phrase here]. The only thing that has or ever will bring about change is to take up arms. But I doubt that any of you will because the internet is where cowards come to complain.
Word pc19xx! Party for your right to fight!
[...] on ChinaHush there’s a pretty astounding photo series about pollution in China. Somehow it surprised me that they were taken by a local photographer, because typically it’s [...]
why isn’t there a cure for cancer? that would totally solve this predicament.
-oh and Fuck government and lack thereof
The solution is obvious -Send al gore to china he will straighten them out
this is fucked up. Respect for Lu Guang. im going to think a little more next time i see something with a made in china logo
There is no cure for cancer, only more causes. Prevent cancer. Stop buying all this crap. Stop allowing the pollution in your neighborhood. I live in south florida where five pipes spew hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage mixed with chemicals into the ocean everyday at the site of the continental USA’s only coral reef system. Do something about it. Stop drinking bottled water. Stop buying CRAP. You don’t need a new chinese dress. You don’t need plastic coated junk mail. You don’t need to buy chinese made plastic coated plastic chemically fireproofed halloween costumes. Make a sign instead, go as a protester.
I usually don’t post comments, but I have to here.
These are some of the most uneducated, illogical comments I have ever encountered.
I love how people of privilege (individuals who perpetuate this problem) can be so misinformed.
America IS going to crap, there is no gurantee that this won’t happen to us and it is all because of people like YOU.
The only problem with America is a lack of illegal aliens and a need for a stronger federal government. As the command specialist major of the army I can solve both as I am that much smarter than you…..
Dave-A,
there is no such thing as a Command Specialist Major….how retarded are you?
My dear Violette,
Perhaps you should condemn China’s laws instead of attacking people who are opposed to such policies by the Chinese government.
Don’t ignore the suffering of the Chinese people.
Free Tibet!!! Free China!!!
If it wasn’t already obvious, then it is surely clear here that our Stuff is made in a Mordor of this very earth, by a people in slavery. In a globalized world, our complicity in their deaths and suffering is no less than those who stood by in the towns of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. These workers’ horrors may be marginally less, but unlike the deathcamps’ neighbours, we cannot pretend we have not seen.
Thank you for your insightful comments.
[...] a link to some award winning photos of pollution in China. Some of you may be thinking, “Ok, Miles. We understand! Pollution in China is a [...]
what is ironic is that this was happening in america, we realized the problem….and yet all we did was export the labor and industry to the opposite side of the world……moved the same problem to somewhere else.
it is our materialistic/cosumer culture that causes this.
as long as its not in my backyard right? to bad this is the future.. its sad really how badly humans will treat one another.
[...] Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China- Starka bilder från miljöförstörda Kina. Hittade via Wille. [...]
[...] Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China | ChinaHush (tags: China environment) [...]
唉。
Vay khodaie man …
Inja chera intorie
chera fekri be halesh nemikonanad
[...] – it seems that, in their zeal for industrial development, the environment gets ignored. Some recent pictures show just how bad some of the industrial areas [...]
Irony? Every time we log on, just using a computer we’re adding to the mass death of the world and causing great effects. You know, cause and effect? We’re ultimately all responsible for everything good or bad in the world. Sitting around responding to things as opposed to making immediate, positive changes in our lives doesn’t help anyone, especially not ourselves. All the bad depicted here, where are all the good? Why are these pics so amazing? Clearly we walk out the door and we can smell how deathly the air is. Oops I’m spending too much time on here, must plant some sprouts. Thanks!
Irony? here you are logged on and complaining about computer use,HA! And then you say,” where are all the good?”. Like what, how manufacturing in this country has declined, unemployment in parts of the country at all time high, foreclosures through the roof.
[...] Pictures, Pollution in China From China Hush Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China by Key October 21st, 2009 October 14, 2009, the 30th [...]
[...] Pictures, Pollution in China From China Hush Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China by Key October 21st, 2009 October 14, 2009, the 30th [...]
very sad and very pathetic,not just for china as a country but as the evolution of mankind.what the fuc is the matter with us have we not figured out that this is the only planet that can sustain life as we know it.are we so consumed with our own ignorance and selfishness that we just dont realize or care .we are literally shitting were we eat.we have mastered the art of destruction and war, perhaps its time to master the art of respect and tolerance.we are now into the 21st century its time for change no more borders,no more religion, no more elitist bs monetary system,no more war.mankind now has the resources and technology to feed educate and house every human on this earth, and the only reason this dosent happen is because of fuken money.shame on us.we all drink the same water breath the same air,walk on the same planet so why do we allow our selves to be lead like sheep to the slaughter by only a handful of men.the common people of the world have to ban together as one,we have to put our racism and religion aside these are tools of the rich to occupy the common folk so that they can continue to make slaves of us all.be water my friends be water,education for the masses is the only thing that will save mankind,and remember the planet will drop mankind like a bad drug habbit if we dont get our shit together.
I could not have said it better myself.
I couldn’t agree more.
Wow…
Your solution to all the problems in a communist country is to wipe out capitalism and install more communism?
You are a real genius…
you dont have to be afraid of change,and why do you think it would be communism weve done that, weve done socialism,weve done nazism,imperialism and capitalism.now i hate to break the news but the powers that be have been the same for over 1000 yrs for them and they are only a small percentage have been fooling us all.there has not been a justifiable war for a very long time.the french and russian revolution were probably the last ones.we as a human race have not evolved socially we have all been programed to hate whether its through religion race or economic status.im to young to be a hippie and in my opinion that generation gave up and betrayed the rest of us,but john lennons song Imagine would sum up how i feel and what i believe.mass education is the key to all of our happiness and tranquility not war and fear.here are some documentarys which should be watched by every one Zeitgeist: Addendum ,Earth 2009, and Home 2009 i dont think theres a sensible person alive that would disagree with which these docs try to convey .be water my friend be water
Thanks oneear for the syllabus of how to become enslaved 101. Good luck with that when someone holds a gun to your head and you beg for your life. Just give him a hug, I’m sure he’ll understand. Maybe you forgot this, but the hippies lost in the 60s, they’re all popping viagra and praying their 401k holds out.
your fear and paranoia is totally unfounded however its not your fault you have been programed to believe in such foolish things like god country and the american dream,none of which are a reality.as for the gun to my head commit im canadian so i dont have to worry about that,i mean i could easily sit here watch my 50 inch tv smoke and grow my weed all day,and say fuck the world.but someone has to stand up and say what the fuck.do you really think that the baker in iraq or afganastan is any different than you or i.stop being a paranoid sheep and start living,always question authority keep your stick on the ice and dont eat the yellow snow,be water my friend be water.
[...] Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China | ChinaHush [...]
This is shocking- how come China has been and is still allowed to do this!? Disgraceful.
its not just china every country is responsible for this and every other ecological terrorism, from canadas destruction of the north in search of oil, the deforestation of the amazon and in general the whole of south america ,all those nuclear and atomic bomb testing in the atmosphere and oceans(over 1200 tests 900 american) ,the polluting of our lakes and oceans(google garbage in the pacific).the scary thing is when china and india become wasteful consumers like us westerners were all fked.and dont forget that most everything made there comes here ,
Canada’s destruction of the North for oil… Speak for your self, That nut ball in Alaska is doing more to harm the environment then we are up here in Canada. accuse us of clear cutting forests, accuse us of sending asbestos to third world countries, but the oil being extracted is small in comparison, and we dont control the american oil companies, they control us.
A Canadian, from Canadiana, eh
Cheers Fellow Canadian.
America is the Oil Satan here.
Do you know we are actually forcing our dollar down so ‘Buy America’ will buy our resources? And if we didn’t, they would likely exploit another nation – luckily Canada has the social programming and labour laws we do – or we would likely be driven into resembling these photos.
Cheers Canada
Having a neighbour like America makes us infallible anyways – we are like a Beautiful Hat – and America is the undeserving bastard that was born wearing it.
here ya go sunshine check this site http://dirtyoilsands.org/visuals,are you suggesting we just ignore this when there is no need for it check this electric generator http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4qjZocje0c be water my friend be water
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I hate children workers.. any kid under 16 have no sense for quality.. fuckin retards..!!
Hey ignorant, politically incorrect dumb-ass, get your grammar right.
Here, I rewrote your stupidity for you:
“I hate child workers. Any youth under 16 has no sense of quality… sex having people with (intellectual/cognitive/learning) disabilities!”
Jeeze, you’re dumb.
Humans are a disgusting cancer to Earthmother. If China, America, and Britain had a nuclear war, it would do everyone else megatons of good. Time to stop raping the planet, folks. Time to lose the addiction to the fantasy-land of modern man. Time to forget about your “sustainable living” rubbish; it’s only prolonged rape. The Human-Cancer needs to be eradicated; the Takers need to be ended. The Children of the Earth need to restore the Original Instructions. Natural Law outweighs Man’s laws, and I follow Nature. Deconstruct society. Fight the eVil with loVe.
National socalism and illegal aliens can fix that. All I require is that you live on your knees.
Save the planet, kill yourself.
[...] Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China [...]
Oh My God…
Are you sure? I think possibly someone else’s God, but not mine.
[...] Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China | ChinaHush [...]
[...] saastumisesta. Työstään hän voitti W. Eugene Smithin apurahan humanistisesta valokuvauksesta. – China Hush linkki Alkuperäinen lähde Lu [...]
There is no cure for cancer, only more causes. Prevent cancer. Stop buying all this crap. Stop allowing the pollution in your neighborhood. I live in south florida where five pipes spew hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage mixed with chemicals into the ocean everyday at the site of the continental USA’s only coral reef system. Do something about it. Stop drinking bottled water. Stop buying CRAP. You don’t need a new chinese dress. You don’t need plastic coated junk mail. You don’t need to buy chinese made plastic coated plastic chemically fireproofed halloween costumes. Make a sign instead, go as a protester
Just wanted to remind everyone here how much smarter than you I am. Incase you forgot with your lesser minds. National socalism will be glorious!
STOP BUYING FROM CHINA… SUPPORT NO CHINESE INDUSTRY, PRODUCTS or BUSINESS!
Do I need to fire up my A-10?
problem is its north american corporations over there we are the ones causing this all the big auto companies have been there for a while because of cheap labour and no environmental laws same as mexico and south america,wake up people if you want to make a difference stop shopping at walmart and stop supporting the banking system take all of your money out of the banks stop using the stock markets this is just a tool to make the rich richer its not meant for you or me.dont be fooled into thinking people like the rockerfellers or rothchilds give a shit about us.be water my friend be water
Hey Dave, your a moron. Shut the hell up.
agreed
Great pictures, people seem to be forgetting that we don’t live in a world where were all conjoined governments, sure theres the UN but to say WERE responsible for the problem is complete bullshit.
To be honest, we did go through similar problems but we were just smart enough to stop it before it started having much larger negative effects. For the dirty pollution now in China, and some other un-mentioned countries that seem to be screwing up the global environment , they are in sooooo much debt. Here in America we are having economical problems, but thats due to our ignorance, not our needs. Out in these heavily-polluted countries, they need our help. Now im not in the UN so im not sure how much pressure they’re putting on China to change their methods, but all i know is if the problem is economically unresolvable, (due to the thoussssands of populations depending on their income, on top of the international debt.) We can definately help out, because fuck, we created the economy, its just all the fucking dicks at the top all arround the world, are just taking in money, for their own generations to come. Our population is getting so big, and we’ve made things so complicated that were all connected. We dont just simply have one family with the same name, were whole fucking big family. Its all you selfish people selling drugs, on top of your two other jobs, trying to start big companies with foolish ideas, stop thinking of recreational things, and start thinking about everything arround you.
Everybody’s stressed, look at the comments on this page. And for cure for cancer, there is no “cure” to anything in this world, simply remedies. If a cancer cell can kick in to replicate a duplicated cell 20x its speed, it can definately be reversed – uhh Nanotechnology…. So yeah all you people sitting on your computer 24 hours a day writing dumbass comments, stop wasting your time and start reading books, taking pictures and talk to people.
- E.T
this is in human? disgasting hah
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To be honest, I have always thought of China as a vast country filled with fields and small villages. I suppose that comes from the idealistic view the media has portrayed it as, other than what they’ve shown in the past years of the industrialization boom. I was completely SHOCKED to see these photographs… it’s horrendous to think that we, as humans living on a single planet, have caused such destruction of the natural world. “It’s okay to do it, though. We don’t see it!” is not an excuse.
The pictures of the people suffering from cancer and disabilities caused by the pollution were so… mind boggling. Not only are the industries wreaking havoc on the natural environment, they are damaging the people who work and live in those areas.
I guess I don’t understand if it is a lack of education, or just greediness that has caused this. I do know one thing, though– it needs to end, NOW. Lives are at stake, and the fact that China has a very large population is no excuse.
I can’t imagine living in a country with such contamination. Sure, the United States is bad.. but we don’t exactly have pipes running into our rivers, lakes, and the ocean and pouring out sewage.
So…. what will we need to change first? The leadership? The industries? The people who exported those industries to China? Our collective mindset? I say that’s what we need to change first… we need to realize how our actions affect other people in this world.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
“I can’t imagine living in a country with such contamination. Sure, the United States is bad.. but we don’t exactly have pipes running into our rivers, lakes, and the ocean and pouring out sewage.”
We do have those pipes. You just have to know where to find them. I live on the coast and these things are everywhere. I laugh whenever I see surfers. They don’t know what they are swimming in. I’ve also worked for the government and am pretty terrified after learning just how polluted our country is.
I think I’ll have a glass of cognac while pretending to care about these people, who provide the rich west with cheap goods.
You have to add China fur farms pictures too. Thats a kind of pollution too.
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Ever see the Tar Sands in Canada? It’s like some of these pictures were taken there.
I look at photos like this and feel defeat. Why did god decide to make such terrible creatures? Monkeys with brains that have no conscious of their environment or fellow man? Here we are destroying the world, the only thing we have… for greed. power. control.
This must be hell. I just want a huge meteor to hit this miserable little spec and start over. to end all the suffering. all the sadness. all the rape and pollution and violence. the mass torture on animals, the fur …the consumerism. when will these people with power care? i want so badly to make a difference but the people who could truly make the impact are the people with all the power. and they don’t care if they turn the world into a toilet, as long as they have a nice villa at the top of the turd. forgive my cynicism, but i give up.
think of how hard it is to never buy anything that says “Made In China”. And that’s not all of it, thats a portion of the items. Some items were assembled in china, but brought somewhere else for the other steps, some items use chinese materials, but ultimately were made elsewhere. China is hugely connected to the western civilization. The west needs a serious change in life, everything you do needs to be considered, and I’ll face it, thats not going to happen unless there is drastic change in living conditions.
I think it honestly would be better for us to become extinct.
If you truly think the world would be a better place without mankind, feel free to start the process by killing yourself. Then perhaps someone might listen to you.
[...] photos : Lu Guang Tags : Capitalisme, China, Chine, Communisme, Economie, Humanisme, [...]
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Sisters & Brothers: It is TIME for us slaves to rise up and save our children and our planet. REVOLUTION!!
LOL? They don’t have PlayStation 3 in China??
The computer you are sitting at, is part of this.
Hey I have an idea, how about everyone fixes there own lives first then work on the world….
it’ll be to late then
This is the result from all the consumer greed that is carried out, this is the price we have to pay. for your cheap goods bought from walmart. no one should live like that.
At China’s rate, they’ll eventually end up culling their own population through manufacturing for WalMart. Despite calls for population controls, China is building that into their manufacturing process. With little or no quality controls, safety controls and waste controls, China’s people will continue to suffer under a government discovering a world market for their products. Even if that world market gets poisoned by China’s end products.
Consumer Greed? There is no such thing. If you produce a product that people are willing to purchase, then that’s just good business. Capitalism. However, if you produce a product with disregard for your environment, then that’s the same as storing your dinner plates in the toilet. It’s just plain stupid and not greed.
No, this is the result of Chinese officials ignoring polluting industries. IN the U.S. we addressed the problem of pollution decades ago. How? Why? Because we have a government which responds to the desires of the people. Slowly, but it does respond.
Many of you here must be too young to remmeber the pollution that was building in the U.S., and what wwe did as a nation to end it. Now, it is the responsibility of the CHinese government to “clean up its act”…literally.
This is not the fault of “consumerism”, or “capitalism”, it is the fault of government officials ignoring the problem of polluting industries. The technology is there to clean up 95% of this mess seen here. The Chinese government simply chooses to ignore the problem, and their own people.
you resolved it by moving to china and mexico,take your head out of the sand,its the bullshit capitalist consumerism thats destroying the planet.you dont think the last 60 years of nuclear and atomic testing in our atmosphere and oceans hasnt done any damage perhaps thats the reason so many people have cancer today,or your coal plants,north america is still the number one polluter.its time we start taking responsibility and stop blaming everyone else,after all their just following our lead.be water my friend be water
These photo’s make me feel seriously ill – more people need to see these.
It never ceases to amaze me how many always find a way to blame all the worlds problems on those evil Americans. People are being poisoned by pollution from factories in China. Who’s fault is it? Obviously the Americans. People are poor in Latin America . Who’s fault is it? Obviously the Americans. My only question is it we’re responsible for everyone else who’s responsible for us?
the rest of us have asked that question ourselves,dont get me wrong i respect the american people and your constitution was by far the best in the world pre 911,however its the people who truly control your country thats given yous the black eye.iraq for instance is an illegal occupation kinda like isreal and palestine,you do know your government sends billions to isreal every year and has since their occupation in 1949.heres the reality we are all here on this planet in the middle of somewhere but really nowhere.life has evolved on this planet for billions of years,every thing on this planet is a necessity for our survival the trees the soil the oceans.now mankind has come up with silly imaginary borders to divide us ,weve created silly gods to control the masses,and come up with a monetary system that only benefits less than 1% of the population.now the modern world as we call it which is 20% of the world uses 80% of the resources,my question would be what happens when the other 80% of the population wants to be wasteful consumers like us.be water my friend be water.ps i do believe most of these pics are of plastic and steel companys.
In answer to your question, Americans have made it a practice of policing the world, which is why we get blamed for so much!!!!
I for one believe it’s entirely possible to have cheap goods and environmental responsibility at the same time. I would be tempted to say that we should give China time to figure that out, but these people don’t really have that luxury. Perhaps it’s time for an intervention?
I agree with the first part… that was key the point of my post below. Although I think an intervention is a little far fetched; that’s a monumental task. China needs internal political reform. Unfortunately I think the very small percentage of government leaders will not relinquish their power for anything short of a revolution. That might sound even less likely than an intervention but there are literally tens of thousands of riots in China each year, and if you look at their history, revolutions are something China is accustomed to.
[...] alla dessa personer istället försökte göra något åt detta, som är ett VERKLIGT problem och inte något upphypat ”problem” någon ”hittat [...]
Makes me feel really guilty for being such a consumer… most anybody in the western realm with an inflated standard of living is guilty of supporting this
Nope! Without consumerism there is no production, and without necessity of production there is no jobs, and without jobs all you have is poverty. You should not complain about consumerism, you should blame the governments of the countries where exploitation happens, for they do not protect their own people as they should.
you are wrong. consumerism does not mean that nobody will consume anything.it does not mean that there will not be any more production. consumersim means someone telling you that the only way to be happy is to consume something…keep buying something needlessly. That the highest goal in life is to be able to possess all the things that your heart desires. And these desires are naturally yours, they are cultivated in you through a series of propaganda and manipulation.
Consumerism is just another word for commerce; an inherent trait to human ingenuity. It is undeniable that trade benefits both buyers and sellers, or else they would not partake in the transaction. If you don’t believe that, then at least accept that China uses its comparative advantage in cheap labour to produce goods not only for export but for the 1.33 billion Chinese guilty of ‘consumerism’. Economic productivity is vital to raising living standards; the real issue is the inequality of wealth throughout China. If the Chinese Communist Party elite were less concerned with manipulating the economy through state owned enterprises and more concerned with social welfare, public health and eduction, perhaps there would not be such disparity of income in China.
I partly agree. However, economic growth in western countries is highly driven by internal consumption. Large part of GDP comes from people buying things in their country. And in such an economy, people can actually raise their life standards. Why? Because if GDP is largely due to internal consumption, then a pressure will exist for increasing salaries (so that people can buy more), so then prices can rise (inflation) and the industry thrive. Everyone is happy. Or at least, happiness is maximized. For me, the best economy is one driven by internal consumption and with a small inflation rate. Of course, exporting should also be healthy. China’s is! However, if there is no consumption-driven economy, as in China, what’s the point of rising their living standards. Chinese government won’t care about it, because it wouldn’t help in generating wealth. If this change happened in China, things would improve for Chinese even without changing their political system. Cheers.
Hvtec, this doesn’t make much sense to me. It would make more sense if you said ‘domestic production’ in place of ‘internal consumption’ though. It would then suggest domestic producers raise living standards in the US as you say, however, it makes little difference if the consumers of that production are domestic or foreign; in the either case the producer surplus is the same. But besides that, domestic production doesn’t necessarily equate to economic growth or higher living standards. Many developed countries subsidise their domestic producers at a great cost to the nation including Australia’s car manufacturers or America’s farmers. Ideally, domestic production will only occur under comparative advantage, like China’s advantage of cheap labour. It is this efficient use of resources that leads to real GDP growth. However, this still doesn’t address the inequality of income distribution across China. Establishing a welfare system of pensions and benefits would help, but would require massive political reform first.
Yup, and that’s where jobs come from. I hope you’re not unemployed.
What strikes me most is how easy it would be to replace the pics with b/w from our own (European) industrial revolution days.
Environment? We’ll deal with it when the profit is right.
Workers/People? Come on, one dies, 10 are in line to take the job. So what?
Basically it’s a slap in the face. A slap in the face of human rights. A slap in the face of all we (Western nations) pretend to stand for. As long as it doesn’t cost us.
Hypocrisy at its best. Because we love the cheap stuff they produce. And we turn a blind eye to how it is produced. Not in my backyard doesn’t cover it by half. This is globalization: Not being able to turn a blind eye because the world is your back yard.
you are so…damn right.
You are so… damn wrong! Well, you’re right that this might have happened during industrial revolution. However, at least in Europe and in most civilized countries, industry is not as polluting as it used to be, or as it is in China, India, or other less civilized countries. You don’t see in Europe or USA, pollution as that seen in these pictures. I’m not saying there is no pollution! There is, loads of it. But not at the scale as in China. Pollution of the kind we see in pictures is obviously to be fight against! Why? Because it damages people’s life quality. And people is what matters, in the end. But, because of that, industry is also necessary. A balance between industry production and unavoidable pollution must be reached, specially in these ‘uncontrolled’ countries like China. There is no such thing as a pollution free world in harmony with frugal life quality. That’s why life before the Industrial Revolution was not better than today’s. By far. I agree with efforts to quench pollution, but I hate radicalism. Let’s be rational! And I love the photos, btw. Very graphic, and very relevant!
The point is that this did happen in the “first world” during its industrial revolution. China is now having that period of boom and along with it comes a blatant disregard for the environment.
Do you also really believe that Western Europe/ N. America was not in anyway “uncontrolled” at the turn of the century?
Oh, yes, I agree completely. Things might have been out of control a few centuries ago. But remember that there was no scientific knowledge as there is today, and Europe experienced absolutist political regimes until WWII and even after that (like Eastern Europe before 1989). And in the time of industrial revolution there was no health care at all, so no one was aware of some dangers, so basically industries were free to do anything they wanted to, because there was nothing against it. However, today we know better, and there are alternatives to the behavior we see in the pics. What we see there is most likely the cheapest option, and the only way to prevent it is by active law enforcement. China should do it, for its own sake. I just do not agree that the end (wealth boom) justifies the means pictured here. Remember that Germany, for example, has a GDP comparable to that of China, however you don’t see such landscapes in Germany. Freedom in Germany prevents that.
You are so ,,,, damn ignorant! What the hell do you mean by “China, India, or other less civilized countries”? How is China or India less civilised than Europe?
I’m also wondering how you’re conveniently ignoring the critical nature of western capital here. Western investment is creating these industrial behemoths and reaping the profits of its products, but the west decides not use that influence to enforce measures at these factories to reduce pollution.
A fair point, but just about all all foreign direct investment into China is from private firms, not governments. For example, Walmart receives about 10% of China’s total exports to the US (I think that’s about 9 billion dollars worth of goods). And unfortunately private (profit maximizing) firms do everything they can to minimise costs, so lobbying for environmental protection in China isn’t a top priority.
What ever happened to China’s responsibility anyway. It’s their nation, perhaps they should act like it and take steps towards environmental regulation, after all, they’re the ones suffering.
I think a micro scale analogy is suitable… China is a negligent factory; upper management is unorganised, follows little or no regulation of health and safety and ultimately allows workers to suffer. The rest of the world buys the factories product. Is the world responsible for the suffering of worker, or is management of the factory? And before anyone blames the consumers, remember, without buyers there is no need for factories. Good for the environment, yes, but at the cost of family incomes? I don’t think so.
oh and by ‘civilized’ I assume hvtec meant developed in a infrastructural sense… as the chronological progression of economic developed implies a more civilized nation by way of sanitation and sewerage systems and public health care, etc.
Absolutely! I am from Guatemala and witnessed how the fields were fumigated from planes to have “nice looking and healthy fruits” for the multinationals in the business of canning fruits and vegetables for export. Where were the workers when the fields were sprayed with chemicals? they crouched and slept in open huts – totally clueless about the dangers to their health. This was happening in the late 80′s…I don’t know how it is now.
come on. what do YOU think? who cares really of this in your country? or in mine? nobody. this is something like africa. it’s too far away from your own back yard. you see the pictures, and i see them, and a lot of our politicans too. we all say “oh my god, it’s terrible!!”, and then (of course) nothing happens. we go back to the morning caffe, and forget it. in minutes.
would YOU send them 10% of your paycheck? no you wouldn’t. neither me. neither our politicans. we have our problems, and we just don’t care other’s. i really don’t want to know neither my neighbour’s, because maybe i could help to solve it. i AM a human, like you, like them.. or something like that..
just go, and help your neighbours. THEN come back here, and cry about this!
(sorry about mistakes. my english is..)
This is a little different from the problems in Africa, It is a little more “close to home” In that this problem is largely created by the developed worlds willingness to trade with China, Sure we could blame the corrupt Chinese government that allows this, But the CCP has a long history of atrocity and they are only acting within their nature.
The west is actually more directly responsible by supporting the CCP economically propping them up beyond their natural life span and tacitly approving of their behavior by continuing trade.
damn straight. the chinese government is a band of thugs and criminals, paid to stay in power by corporate american thugs and criminals. one day…either people start taking this seriously, and sacrificing in BIG ways to change it (not likely), or the whole world turns into a barren hellscape like this one. you’re absolutely right: as is the case with most terrible situations in the world to day “the west is actually more directly responsible”. I just hope China can summon the balls to bankrupt us all and give us what we’ve had coming for over a hundred years, that would make things interesting
LOL, this is the funniest and most misguided commentary I’ve seen this week! You really show a thorough knowledge of world’s politics! *sarcasm*
oh… well if they’re only acting within their nature, it’s ok then. i wonder if you’d feel the same if a shark bit your leg off; lets not blame the shark! it’d be your fault for tempting the shark to act within it’s nature… what a load of crap.
not to be the wiser or anything but our swedish gournment has
fought for this to end or atleast come to a minimum for as
long as i can remember, still this could be from any eastern europeans country
these days.
look at ukraine or poland, they are not much better than china.
mostly i feel for the people along the rivers
in china, secondly for the countries surrounding china
and last but not least for me, for us, as citizens of the world.
this is not the future.
@TUNGL: have you ever been to Poland or Ukraine? Please don’t put Poland in one line with China or Ukraine. You clearly have no clue.
Yeah, right! Swedish has no pollution in their country because they moved all their heavy industry to other countries. They pollute abroad, and then collect the dividends. It’s very intelligent move, I appreciate it, but in no way Sweden is any model of anti-pollution moral.
And where does the coffee come from? Ivory Coast coffee slaves.
And where the slavery comes from? From corrupt local power and politics. Do not blame consumerism: if Ivory Coast has coffee, they should be allowed to thrive from it. Blame instead the communist bastards that do not protect their people from the situations like the one you just describe!
[...] China Hush: Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China [...]
This is why everything is made in China.. It is cheap because the Chinese government does not care about the lives of its own people, typical communist attitude.
Every single one of us who buy Chinese made goods is guilty of destroying these people. Every single dollar we send to China makes this problem worse.
Gregory, you do realize that the computer you typed that nice little heart felt message on was probably made in China. It’s called comfort and for us to have comfort, it means that someone has to be in distress (something has to give). Quite literally you wouldn’t be where you are today if we didn’t have everything made in other countries for dirt cheap. If you really cared you would be over there helping them implement new environmental regulations. Put down your mac book and Douple Mocha Frappuccino and let the UN handle what you obviously know nothing about.
I should have made it clear that I include myself in that criticism, Though I do try extremely hard to buy non-chinese products it is almost impossible.
You mention the UN as though the bloated useless bureaucracy has any value in our world. Proving that you are talking about something that you have no knowledge of.
I agree with Gregory. However, it’s not our job to fight against China’s tyranny onto its own people. That’s Chinese people’s job. If they are truly unhappy with the situation as a whole population, it would not be hard to change the political situation. Revolutions happen. It wouldn’t be the first.
Do they?
In this day and age of machine warfare, when was the last successful revolution against a monied local power?
You’ll find that hasn’t happened in decades.
Timor Lorosae, 2002. Against Indonesia!
hvtek, would you risk your life and that of anyone close to you to speak out against the gvmnt? to understand the power and sway that the chinese gvmt has over it’s people you will first have to understand the culture of fear that it has created along with the culture of systematic ”re-education”…
greg, you don’t know much about economics do you
Gregory how can we stop this for my Country Australia I can tell you most things are made in China, I blame all those companies who are out for a fast profit, these poor people all so we can have cheap good, let me tell you this they are not cheap in my country maybe in the US.
China in the long run will find they cannot eat their money when the people turn on them and sooner or later this will happen.
You raise a good point, even expensive luxury goods are made there now, Macbooks for example,
meaning no one in any price range can really escape dealing with these people.
I wish I could help you, but I have the same problem, I spent an entire day trying to buy a coffee maker that was made ANYWHERE but china, They do not exist for under $500.
I suppose the only thing a person can do is complain to the companies directly, and pressure your own government to impose trade sanctions.
Gregory: if you want a cheap coffee maker that is not made in China it will be a french press
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fes.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FPrensa_francesa&lp=es_en&.intl=us&fr=ytff-
this link will show you what it is. It’s made in a lot of countries like in brazil or costa rica; it uses no electricity which translate to more green, it’s as fast as a coffee maker, and the quality of coffee is superior. Just heat your water up to it starts to boil, the remove from heat until it doesn’t boil, then in the press add the coffee and pour in the water, wait for 2 min, then place the cap with the filter and push down, that is it.
Gustavo,
More green? French Press? I think most of the electricity used by any coffee maker goes to heating the water so if you heat the water outside the French Press? And the French press is most likely manufactured dirt cheap somewhere in Asia. Other than that I have nothing against French press, it can give good coffee indeed.
They’re just saying that it would be easier to find a less complex item not built in or with components from a heavily polluting nation than a more complex item.
A french press coffee maker does not require heat to create coffee.
[...] China, Hush: Stories of China is a web site that Aviva sent to me and it is a bit off-putting to me because it’s so direct. Maybe the Green Reason is similarly direct, but in a very different direction. The photographer has an agenda and it’s very clear. Thank you for helping me to understand this, Andrew. Andrew pointed out to me that what is interesting about these photographs is the part that is not the subject of these photographs, but the background. The illustrative example which he gave me is to notice, for instance, the labels on the trash in the river, to tell a certain story about what is real and true about this environment. The photographer didn’t choose the labels on the trash containers, so his agenda is not a factor in this element, so it is more true. The picture of sewage on the Yellow River, for example, is blatant but also taken completely out of context. We don’t know anything about the environment in which this picture takes place. To see this photograph without knowing anything about the framework makes it less true–or, rather, we just know a lot less about it–because it is then left up to the viewer to fabricate the context, and the viewer has a bias: why is he looking at a web site titled “Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China” as opposed to one titled “Amazing Pictures, EE in China” or, “Amazing Pictures, Pollution on the Hudson River” (In Maine)? Posted on October 25th, 2009 at 5:43 pm under Preparation. RSS 2.0 | Comment or Trackback [...]
[...] Pollution in china Do u see this photos before ? [...]
Meh…
“Environment? We’ll deal with it when the profit is right.”
The profit earned from the Industrial Revolution you mentioned would eventually lead to cleaner technology and more productive and hence more wealthy and healthy workers. Nothing is better for the environment than genuine capitalistic wealth creation and the upholding of private property rights under law.
Ben, I am wondering how you can say this. If China were to become as capitalistic as other nations then they would simply divert the problem in buying cheap goods from another country that would then be in much the same situation as China is at present. I agree with many of you in saying that this is trully a global problem. Just as England passed this problem on to other countries after the I.Revolution (saying this with perfect objectivity), so China will as it starts to ‘become more Westernized.’ Although I am not sure this would be the correct path either. We, as global citizens have to start to realize that our escalating levels of consumption are actually pushing this problem to new heights. it is really a situation of comfort for a select few at the cost of humanity as a whole.
Lili, why is China only now on the path to catching up to Western countries in terms of their standards of living? It’s no coincidence; for decades the economic development of the most populous country on earth was choked off by a totalitarian regime. The Chinese central authority still wields an intimidating level of power in terms of developmental economic policies. The largest Chinese companies like PetroChina and Chinalco are State-backed oligopolies. What you’re mislabeling as a “capitalistic” problem is the inevitable result of such public/private partnerships, where the regulators and shareholders are not at arms reach, breeding corruption and conflicts of interest.
Regarding the “cheap goods” issue; at the risk of becoming too economically obscure, there are elements of financial manipulation by the Chinese government, specifically related to the yuan-dollar currency peg, which are exacerbating imbalances between internal Chinese living standards at the expense of perpetuating an export-sector bubble and overstating the level of real GDP growth.
Lastly, the old canard of “escalating levels of consumption” being some environmental issue is a red herring. Living in a wealthy Western country, with relatively high levels of disposable income, it’s the easiest thing in the world to fret over our “consumption” and feel better about ourselves. Residents in Third World countries, notwithstanding the trade barriers in place as a result of self-interested US and Euro-zone agricultural subsidies (to cite just once immoral example) will be increasingly reliant upon our “overconsumption” to fuel their own economic growth. I’m sure relegating these people to perpetual poverty is the last thing you’d ever want, but you need to realise that good intentions usually have unintended consequences.
Ben, I would have to say that they are still very far from actually catching up to Western standards. You must look farther than the Beijing Olympics or the ShangHai Expo to see the real circumstances regarding China’s economic and humanitarian condition. But, putting this aside I will acknowledge that you are more accurate that you realize about China’s political state of affairs.
In regards to the matter of exporting most of their goods, I will have to point out that the government here is once again trying promote a rather domestic economy, with the encouragement of domestic consumption. If you take a quick look at the Engels coefficient for China (assuming that it has any value at all in regards to accuracy of data from the Chinese Government), the numbers have been steadily decreasing: from 54.2% in 1990, to 37.9% in 2001, and further dropping in the years that follow. Evidently Chinese disposable income is most definitely a factor to consider.
It seems that rational people also post here! I’m totally with you, Ben!
shut up you god damn attention whore. you don’t have to reply to every comment for it to be made obvious what your (incorrectly held) beliefs are.
Hahaha! Sue me! That’s the advantage of democracy my friend.
If you don’t like it, book a flight to Pyongyang.
…or beijing!
[...] of Pollution in China Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China | ChinaHush Couple of examples: [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG] Holy. ****. __________________ [...]
[...] http://www.chinahush.com/2009/10/21/amazing-pictures-pollution-in-china/ [...]
All for capitalism but hey its better than socialism
It’s George Hitler Bush’s fault!!
Finally! A rational mind here!
…I mean… hummm, is that comment pro or against capitalism? I got confused (likely because of my non-native English).
[...] Pollution in China (via) [...]
[...] Gepost in Andere troep op 26-10-2009 Dat ze het in China niet al te nauw nemen met respect voor het milieu is algemeen geweten. Fotograaf Lu Guang legde de gevolgen daarvan vast in deze bekroonde reeks [...]
[...] October 26, 2009 · Leave a Comment via chinahush.com [...]
[...] einer sterbenden Welt Systems. via Mindsdelight. Die Bilder gibts [...]
It is shocking , great china is it worth it ? thank god i’m from a third world coutry
LOL. China is a 3rd world country! Not Beijing, or Shangai, or Hong Kong… but the 99.9%+ rest of it.
Thanks to all the people buying and trading cheap ‘made in china’ products….
Interesting photography. I would like to see some areal shots or satellite photos of the China mainland. I would also like to see f the pollution is or can be tracked we it leaves the rivers and enters the ocean.
The scale of pollution is not really felt or seen when it is somewhere other than where we live.
I was in Wyoming 12 years ago and The Rocky Mountains there are feeling the effects of acid rains, acidity that is not being produced within the state but coming from great distances.
I just wonder if the ocean pollution that is happening in China is flowing to other countries shores, or is it just killing the ocean life along China’s beaches.
[...] See more amazing pictures here Posted by EHS Director EHS News Subscribe to RSS feed [...]
[...] here or on the picture above to see some photos of the pollution in China that… I hesitate to use [...]
The whole world has to face the problems of pollution in the future..We have to do something to control pollution……
… any suggestions? your comment is futile unless it actually has content.
It is easy to boil your blood by seeing such photos and making fiery comments to further aggravate anger. None of this will make any difference until we contribute by being FRUGAL. That is the mantra Dont buy anything at all untill you cannot survive without it.
I haven’t really been concern with the well being of others for a long time. You can call it apathy, laziness, or just not giving a damn. Looking at these photos of people living in filth through their entire lives is not a question of morality. Its a question rather or not one person or a group of people will stand up and admit this is wrong. The people to blame are us. Humanity as a whole is to blame. We bitch and moan and complain to our friends or circle of co-workers just to have a conversation that we feel is meaningful. Then we the leave the break room and go about our lives in the work force then go home with a roof over our heads, a bed to sleep in, a security system to make us feel safe and the feeling that we accomplish something today because we thought we cared about others. I’m not trying to be some upstanding man that feels he really contributes to the world. I’m guilty of doing the same. The sad thing is that even if we realize that we can create the world we want as a species instead of looking at it as races, religion, classes or ways of life. We still won’t change anything. All these things really do not matter. Yes we are all different they only thing we have in common is that we are all human and that is enough for us to care how we treat others. When we see horrors like this we should feel ashamed that we let it happen. Our excuses are money, policy, governments, relations, treaties, or any other lie that we can come up with. Humanity survive with out all these things. The ones before us did not have the intelligence that we have now…maybe that is the problem. We are too smart for our good. We put too much in our heads that we forgot we have an heart. Hopefully one day we will feel again. We need to stop this false image of the world we live in. Its good to have leaders and people to maintain order and decide upon plans that are agreed by the people. First we need to feel our hearts and to have trust in humanity again…We have all gone threw hell and back one way or another. We are better than this. We are humans…
You started ok, but when you get to the point of blaming ‘us’ for China’s problems you lost me. The place where you possibly are living is way way better than those locations in China. Possibly, same thing happens in most part of your country. And why? Because if you live in a sufficiently civilized and industrialized country, the chance is that your government protects you and your environment the most, without compromising progress. Most people in your country possibly live like you, comfortable enough not to care. Is that a problem? A reason to feel guilty? I think not! Chinese people are the ones to blame their own rulers, the ones that should uprise against the oppression they experience! Most likely, they cannot even access this very website where you left your commented! Blame Chinese politicians. Do not blame yourself. Consumerism is the weapon of progress. Consumerism increases demand, demand creates jobs and increases wealth. Wealth that can be used to research more efficient and environment-friendly technology, at the same time they produce more and more, closing the cycle. Without wealth and a good government, there is no life quality like the one you wish Chinese would have, especially those in these pictures. Be rational!
Nicely said. Just want to point out that the Chinese can access this website (at least for the moment), as I’m doing so from China.
As for progress through consumerism, it is a good point. Clearly, the expanding middle class and elite Chinese are enjoying the benefits of wealth-creation through these dirty, heavy industrial activities off-shored by more fastidious countries. They themselves can enjoy the unpolluted air in resorts and buy houses in less polluted areas of Chinese cities. It does sound a bit like Industrial Revolution-era Western society, doesn’t it? And even now, NIMBY-ism is poking up its head even in various middle-class and lower-class neighborhoods.
But how long will it take before the momentum grows large enough before the Chinese government is forced to fulfill its environmental protection duties (there are lots of warm speeches on the topic, but less concrete action against powerful state-corporation interests)? Can such social force even make a dent under current conditions of government? China is large enough that there is always somewhere poor enough, obscure enough, with party elites corrupt enough, to allow these sorts of atrocities. Even developed areas where you would expect greater interest and disgust by affluent residents are affected: One of the captions above noted that air pollution is often released at night when it will not be observed; many other captions mention water pollution from myriad chemical industrial zones in Jiangsu (one of the wealthiest provinces in China)… including at least one right along the banks of the Yangtze in the provincial capital, Nanjing. According to a friend, a maligned heavy-industrial chemical project that was NIMBY-ed out of at least two other locations was quietly relocated here.
So long as media remains muzzled, justice and law enforcement compromised, NGOs persecuted, I don’t believe there will be anything galvanizing either the central government or the country in general to protect its environment better.
dr, jones your comments definitely hold to the current reality in China. Not until the judicial, executive and legislative branches of the government (and yes, they say that they actually have them) as well as the CCTV ministry (I know, not the real name) undergo changes, the Chinese start to payer closer attention to their natural surroundings
I’m not blaming America I’m blaming the world…us. Yes they should up rise against the tyrants that keep them on there hands and feet but its not the damn easy. You go ahead and fight a monster like that and see how you do. When I look at these photos I saw people being treated like garbage. Animals treat there kind better then we do. I am rational. Humans can live in any kind of world they want to. If we work as one we would be a force that can not fall. Did you read my sentence about “Its good to have leaders and people to maintain order and decide upon plans that are agreed by the people.” I’m not saying government is bad but damn it we need to look at the people around as part of our life. If someone needs help then help them. Money and the things I said are not needed to help someone. Trying to save the world is a dream. Trying to help the people around you and stand as a community of friendship and respect is well within our reach. Two last “comments” don’t use commented in your sentence it does not work. Verb and Noun rule. Second what progress do you speak of? Out of the advancements we have achieve as a world are to make us less dependable on our strength and more dependable on the dollar and technology. Before all of this crap you call progress humans were doing just find with what they had around them. A strong back, a strong heart, and a sound mind that believes “This is not my land. This is OUR LAND.”
omg!!!! it’s awful… realy-realy awful. I didn’t want to live there, but that people must…. that’s so hard…. somebody must help!!!!!!!!
YOU SHOUD BETTER READ THIS AND APPLY IT IN YOUR LIFE… THEN ALL BE OK ONE DAY
http://www.watchtower.org/ch/bh/article_00.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050308/article_01.htm
THIS IS FOR CHINESE READERS
http://www.watchtower.org/chs/bh/article_00.htm
上帝为什么容许人受苦？
世上的苦难是上帝造成的吗？
伊甸园里发生的事引起了什么争议？
上帝会怎样消除苦难造成的影响？
http://www.watchtower.org/chs/bh/article_11.htm
上帝为什么容许人受苦？
世上的苦难是上帝造成的吗？
伊甸园里发生的事引起了什么争议？
上帝会怎样消除苦难造成的影响？
http://www.watchtower.org/chs/bh/article_11.htm
Dears, I have read ALL the comments and I would like to leave one also. Something is a little bit forgotten for all of you. The Chinese choosen this way. I know, that they hardly had another chance. But they chosed this way of life. They decided to make the 85% of the goods of the world. This means, that the garbage and waste, pollution, etc. also will be taken to their pocket. Producing so many things was the (probably) only way for China and it’s citizens to come out from the real dust. Most of the people are happy to be able to work at all. For us it is unbeliavable how they live their life now. But has anybody shown you the “how-it-would-be” pictures about these people if the productions were not taken to China? They would maybe swim to Japan and to the neighbour countries for food. They are too many paople over there. They just simply cannot handle it. Yes, it is the fault of the government, but it is the fault of the stupid Chinese also. In Europe our grandfathers have always fought against what hurted them! They prevented their children’s life! Even if they were shot down. even if they did a forbidden act! You choose your life. And Chinese people are too stupid to do anything against this! And they do not have the brave to do anything against that resim, which takes their life.
Other way – It is a very important information, that the world’s producing is focused to China right now. So maybe we see them very polluted, but we have to know, that this pollution is not surely more than it would be separated to all the countries. By the way I am sure, that producing in big volume will make much less waste than producing small quantities. By the way, I am sure that they could have more attention on the production’s enviromental efforts and try to decrease them. But they could be very cheap not only cause the bad quality and the cheap workers, but the not so strict manufacturing rules. They did not have to invest such money for the factories.
Do you know what do I think, why this is not gonna end? Because it is good for everybody. Europe & America says that it is a pity, but the pollution is not generated at theirs at least. They do not have to be afraid about the emmigrants from China as it will never be an EU member neither in non-visa group for USA. The goods are cheap, the quality is maybe not so good, but we are used to this quality of goods nowadays. And to be honest, with a growing speed like this, maybe we do not need life-time warranty items at all. There is gonna be a newer, better, smaller, faster one from everything.
Maybe I wouldn’t say that everything is going worse. I would say, that the circumstances are changing. We made it changed, so now we have to get used to it.
Certanly, we should slow down this change as much as we can!
Sorry to disagree. The Chinese did not chose this way. The elite of communist leaders did. There are no elections, there are no alternative ideas to the one that it’s imposed on that people. Therefore, it’s not the Chinese choice, but a tyrant’s.
Where does the anti Western ranting and raving come from? And why the bias against Made in China products? I see chemical plants and sewage discharge. This is about poor management, greedy local officials, and low levels of education. China will over time address their pollution problems. Fantastic and haunting photos.
And at the other end of the spectrum we have the once great state of California, paralyzed with environmentalists, and going bankrupt fast. You can’t build a road with out 100 environmental impact studies, endless permits, then when your ready to build a protest from some treehuggers. Those pictures are an abomination, but it is not the West’s fault. Communism does not work and that is the result.
An incoherent argument, or just non sequitur?
China can’t really be termed ‘communist’ in its economic state anymore. If China remained truly communist, we wouldn’t be looking at pictures of industrial effluent. We’d be looking at pictures of malnourished farmers.
The Chinese state still has great influence over economic processes, but the pollution you see here is as much or more a result of China’s adoption of capitalism unrestrained by the very public consultation practices, transparency of government, and industrial regulation that you decry when considering the case of California. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages.
The pictures here make clear the disadvantage of a capitalist system married with an unaccountable government that split the profits between them. One advantage is that unscrupulous companies (producing goods for market demand generated in the west, not producing for communist quotas) can pollute to their hearts content, and the owners (not the workers, but the private owners and their governmental partners in crime) can easily create wealth for themselves. Another advantage is that infrastructure projects (the somewhat unrelated example you gave with regards to California) can be built without regards to environmental impact or the people who lived there previously. You make fun of the Californian process, but if you were evacuated from your house and property because a new hydro-electric dam was going to flood it, or drowned in a flash flood when the same dam broke open because it was badly engineered by a company with good government relations, you’d be pretty pissed.
Do the disadvantages of the still-great state of California (long, transparent process for developing infrastructure; tax-adverse scrooges who don’t want to foot the bill for said infrastructure–sorry, couldn’t resist!; paperwork resulting from government oversight of industry) out weight the advantages (clean/beautiful environment; safe workplaces; food fit to eat; water fit to swim in; air fit to breathe)?
If you truly think someplace like California doesn’t fit you, why not move to China? My work has taken me here, and I’m adventurous enough to put up with these sorts of problems for a while… but I do suffer short-term health issues due to the air quality in particular, worry about long-term health issues related to the environment here, and have absolutely no intention of raising children in this dangerous filth.
Apparently such pictures as we see above aren’t enough to get through the partisan miasma infecting many Americans, but if you ever did visit China’s more polluted districts, I think you might find yourself a bit more willing to tolerate “treehuggers”.
China IS a country malnourished farmers. Forget about the large cities, the vast majority of the population lives in the rural areas and are very poor. Do not forget that they are over 1 billion! They have little opportunities because the demand is capped. Communism doesn’t need to have the image of the former Soviet Union to be a bad evil.
[...] an extension of what i’ve been thinking lately… coupled with a rather disturbing photo documentary of pollution in China, i’m thinking i need to make some changes, but more on that [...]
People are irresponsible by nature. China may be the latest extreme illustration of this, but don’t be fooled into thinking the people of the West are any better or different. The primary difference is in the government and how they regulate industry. In places like the US or Europe, environmental protection and government policy has developed over time and still has a long way to go. Now imagine a less developed country with 4X (or more) the population that must grow at a annual rate of 7% just to continue providing jobs to all those new to the job market. And how do you address all these problems without bringing the economy to it’s knees?
In China this is a huge challenge the government is certainly aware of. Imagine stopping a car, on a dime and moving it in the opposite direction. Right. Now imagine doing that to an aircraft carrier. Seeing these photos are very upsetting and we want to see more done to protect the environment and people. Realistically, it’s going to be many years before the government can start doing anything to help. The really frustrating part is that it will almost certainly be a too-little-too-late scenario.
Abe,
You’re right on target. I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. In 1957 the city, with Federal help and no doubt a bit of coercion, built their 1st sewage treatment plant .
Prior to this when the toilet was flushed it simply was sent to the Mahoning river, then to the Ohio River, the Mississippi and months later the Gulf of Mexico. All along this route other cities were doing the same and some , believe it or not were drawing and refining their drinking water from this toxic brew. In addition to human waste all the steel mills, tanneries, chemical plants and let your mind wander to what ever, were discharging their industrial waste into these water courses. Today ever aspect of the enviroment is much improved, the air no longer has a color or an odor and birds that rely on sight fishing have returned now that the water is clear. Of course this has come at a very steep cost. The industries that made the poloution are no more and the tax base and the wagesthat they provided have gone as well.
As to it being too little to late, time heals all and the natural world has an enormous ability to put things right if the pressures are removed. Lake Erie was once considered a dead lake, now the water is so clean you would not be harmed by drinking it.
When all this becomes a top priority for China it will be done and quickly. The authority that their form of government possesses has the might to turn the situation around in a few years not decades as one would expect. I don’t their would suffer much because of the enormous internal needs. They are just now being introduced to consumerisum. If they are employed they will have the money to buy every household product they desire and this in and of its self will fuel a powerful economic engine. They don’t need the outside world for a market they have their own market, 1 billion strong, with a real pent up need. Take heart all, this will change soon.
[...] chodzi o galerie, to polecam również tą na China Hush, która pokazuje spustoszone i skażone miejsca w Chinach. Wszystkie autorstwa Lu [...]
Hi great pics
I feel sad!
as long as I cannot influence straight on chinese government, I will use the only accessible means: cut all the unnecessary consumption – and direct the necessary consuming to local products as much as possible. no radicalism, just the way things should be.
[...] Links: Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China [...]
[...] [...]
Either in the ancient times of China when people believed Confucian, Tao, or Buddism, or in the Mao times we didn’t see such a tragedy. Chinese people nowadays need religion to guide and supervise their behavior. Cultural revolution has immeasurable negative impact on Chinese soul. Chinese government also needs to punish those pollution makers strictly. But unfortunately, government people often have secret relationship with enterprises, which was suggested to be forbidden 2000 years ago in China’s Han Dynasty. So China, my motherland, really has big troubles.
Pollution in China comes from not only China per se but also western countries. Some Chinese people are doing very guilty things. They illegally “import” trashes including electronic wastes from western countries, especially from the United States, and covertly dump them in China. 1989 saw the birth of Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes of Their Disposal (http://www.bcrc.cn/en/ , and http://www.bcrc.cn/download/Basel%20Convengion-en.pdf ). Unfortunately, the United States government refused to sign on this convention.
Two years ago, a journalist was interviewing one such guilty guy in a Chinese coastal city.
The journalist asked the guy:” Why do you move the hazardous wastes from western countries to China?”
The guy answered:” To earn money!”
The journalist asked:” What’s your plan after you earn enough money?”
The guy answered:” Immigrate to Canada and become a Canadian.”
I don’t think western countries can benefit from these immigrants. They are just trashes among Chinese people, although they are pretty rich. Western countries should embrace those well-educated high-technical Chinese people rather than these rich trashes.
Oh, those wonderful Mao times! Only 70 million sent to an early grave. A small price to pay, and think of all the carbon emission that were saved!
I’m scared
[...] China and its huge Pollution problem { Must see this } Pollution in China Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China | ChinaHush [...]
Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China | ChinaHush…
October 14, 2009, the 30th annual awards ceremony of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund took place at the Asia Society in New York City. Lu Guang (卢广) from People’s Republic of China won the $30,000 W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for hi…
Face it, face the fact, face the HGUE environmental problems in China. Don’t blame others, it’s China’s own problem. Face it, try to solve it year by year.
keep supporting China and the garbage they produce that ends up in our landfills and pollutes our planet.
What amazing work showing images that are hard to look at, but expertly photographed.
It is very sad the terrible things that happen where the end user never sees. That’s why, like Thomas Merton, one needs to be afraid of owning anything, for fear of the illness done upon the maker of the thing.
Amazing and heartbreaking images. We consume everyday things that have caused such degradation and pain to our planet and others like us in their production. I wonder when this will all stop, how many will have to suffer and die before we begin to see.
Right,… I wonder how much you will sacrifice?
Do you drink water from a stream, eat grass and bury your waste in the ground?
If not, you are part of the problem and thus, have no right to speak that way.
But this isn’t even about consumption, and pointing the finger at “us” and “we” does nothing. Regulation and reponsible government is needed.
We can consume all we want if we do it in a responsible way.
Eric, take some responsibility for your life. It’s called democracy for a reason, you’ve got to be the change you want, not pawn off responsibility on some nebulous mummy who doesn’t actually exist. No, you can’t consume all you want to, and no that can never be responsible. This is planet earth, where resources and living space are limited. Let’s move on from this era of being greedy irresponsible babies.
All these new ‘greenies with a cause’ what will be your cause next year..? Get a grip – everyone’s a greeny now its become trendy.. people are like sheep…
Sheeple.
England, the US, Europe, Australia, Japan all have one thing in common.. they have mostly got their act together in respect to pollution control and human rights, unlike china.
Has anyone here asked why???? Because they took responsibility and cleaned up their act! Consumers consumed then, as they do now. and in fact it was consumers, who also happen to VOTE who drove them to change.
China MUST clean up her act and take responsibility, and yes, we should encourage it. However, as long as communism exists there, the process will be slow.
I am sick of all the new age, greed is bad, communism is good set… how many of you actually live in communist states???? If you do, and you enjoy it, please stop pushing your sadistic affront to freedom on others.. your worse than the Mormons. If you live in a democratic society, careful, you may get what you wish for and there’ll be no one to save you. Maybe thats what you need, feeble minds do have trouble with the concept if independence.
Do you all think we are technologically frozen in time?
In the ’70s there was the oil crisis… most thought the world oil supplies would run dry by the turn of the century, who thought that technology would advance such that, not only did we find more oil through better detection, but we consumed less not by lessening our reliance on it, but by improving efficiencies. All those alarmists then didnt have the forethought to consider that we are an evolving species, every improving… My Alfa will get 1000 kms to a tank! and it still goes fast… that wasnt possible 20 years ago. Imagine what will be possible in 20 years time!
In 1920, Hispano Suiza produced a 13 litre, 12 cylinder TWO SEATER!!! it was lucky to achieve 40 litres per 100kms – actually it used more! we have moved on from those days.
Today, my 2 litre 4 cylinder produces more power and bairly uses 5.5 litres on the highway. Human advancements.. Not government intervention… is how we will survive and sustain ourselves in the future.
A noteworthy point here – Government intervention had nothing to do with these advances.. .it was CAPITALISM… the need to survive..
We will continue to make advances. Guys we are only 100 years into industrialization. in 100 years time we will look back on today in the same way we look to 100 years ago… we are, to people from 100 years in the future, primitive.. we can continue to consume, we can sustain ourselves, there will always be advances as there is money to be made in it.
The worst thing that can happen is to have governments get involved.. or worse still, latte sipping, lental and soybean loving new age greenies with a cause getting in the way.
The more you idiots that advocate carbon reduction tariffs, cap and trade taxes, and carbon offsets, the more you play into the hands of countries like India and china who know damn well that Co2 is not driving climate change.. the more you add to the problems that these photos highlight.
By punishing the US, Australia and other rich nations, that not only apply clean technologies to industry, but are developing these technologies further, you are forcing industry to move to countries that DO NOT use these technologies.
Why do you think china is one of the worst polluters in the world? a few reasons:
1. A huge population
2. They do not employ clean technologies (co2 is not pollution, however particulate matter is.)
3. they are cheaper than the states, europe or Australia…
so whats our solution? we charge a tax on carbon, to fight a problem that doesnt exist, which forces industry to move offshore to china where they effectively pullute even more!
Lets make it attractive for industry to come back, they will burn fossil fuel regardless of where they do it, so lets encourage them to do it in countries that can offer technologies that minimize the impact, rather than in countries that do nothing.
Have you noticed the skylines in wealthy cities lately, the air is clean, no smog.. can you say the same thing for china, bangkok??? and others? no.
It’s amazing, all the hype about global warming, blaming mans co2, governments forcing the world to slash carbon emissions, scientists and companies scrambling to chase the subsidies and grants being thrown at them…. all to reduce an invisible, odourless gas essential to life.. all the while, we spew out particulate matter, toxins into the atmosphere, smog, we spill oil in the ocean, pour chemicals into rivers, sewerage into our oceans.. we cut our rain forrest down.. All of this is forgotten.. all of this is what IS killing our planet.
The idiot environmentalist greenies in california have legislated that all fuel must contain 10% ethanol, which is made by fermenting corn…. There isnt enough farmland in California to produce the required amount to meet supply, so crops are popping up in africa, taking up farm land that used to produce food for the poor.. but who cares about those developing nations, our carbon footprint is much more important.. the process of conversion to ethanol requires energy, which comes from fossil fuels.. the fermentation process its self emits co2… just like wine production, which is taxed in california for that very reason…
so, its terrific that ethanol additive fuel emits less carbon, but if yo utake into account the production of it, it robs third world nations of food crops, and it produces 30% more carbon emissions for corn variants, 57% for wood – do I need to go on?
Hybrid cars – yes they make you feel good dont they, bugger all exhaust emissions… Except that we exploit the people of the congo to mine the core metals required for the batteries. the manufacturing process to make the car has a carbon footprint that makes a hummer look green.. in fact, hybrids are dirtier as far as carbon goes than a hummer on speed! And that doesnt take into account the fact that you cannot dispose of the batteries without poisoning the earth…
Fluorescent light globes, yeah they use less power, the greenies lobbied for them to replace incandescent globes, now we pay $10 for a globe that performs worse than a 50c incandescent version and councils are banning their disposal because they are hazardous to the environment but also deadly to humans!
If there was ever an example of monkeys running the coup, this is a prime one.
Environmentalists are to the environment as atom bombs are to japan.
Will sense and reason ever again prevail???
Environmentalist have done more to bugger our planet up than anyone else in history put together. Please… I beg you, go back to your lattes and shut the hell up. The planet cannot wait!
I’m not sure where to start picking your thoughtless response apart:
Living in hardship and squalor does not mean you are NOT part of the problem. Living in a first world country does not mean you ARE part of the problem. It’s about choices and responsible consumer behaviour. Drinking water from a stream is not wise anywhere on the planet anymore. Our ancestors never ate grass as a staple. We have been farming and scavenging for tens of thousands of years. Burying your waste in the ground is not responsible when you have regulated sewage treatment plants, and consuming “all we want” by definition cannot be “responsible.”
The only part of your comment that I can agree with is that regulation and responsible government is needed. In order to achieve that though you need a real democracy with rule of law whereby the people can vote out a corrupt government and elect one that will be responsible for the people without fear of persecution. China would require one hell of a revolution to accomplish what many of us in the first world take for granted.
Sadly China is not the only place where this is happening. Hat’s off to Mr. Guang, amazing yet heartbreaking images.
Fantastic pictures that tell an incredible story! I can definitely learn many things from these pictures to better photograph the daily life in Japan around me.
[...] octobre 27, 2009 à 6:41 · Classé sous Liens utiles Des photos choquantes de pollution en Chine ici [...]
These pictures are fabulous. I hope that they travel far and wide to spread the word.
My warmest wishes to the people photographed and the photographers.
Ridhi,
India
It happends with all developing countries , My country is too. Fields turn into industries zone
ngoxuanphu, I’m curious to know what country you are from…
[...] « LOYO Manifesto, Part II Pollution in China in Photographs October 27, 2009 Click here to instantly get depressed. It’s basically a series of pictures highlighting the level of [...]
This is sad – I live in a developing country as well, but luckily the Government has been diligent in starting early with environmental protocols. Our country derives lots of income from tourism and our natural habitat, so I suppose it makes sense. Greed in this case makes people conserve
Beautiful imagery, really impressive documentary style of photography.
Danie
Cape Town South Africa
Привет Китайца
Fortunately, we all know the consequences of consumerism in today’s society where we buy things we don’t need without realizing the harm we are causing to those who manufacture the products we end up trashing. Unfortunately, this is the endless story of our planet which everyday seems to suffer more and more of this illness that men’s greedy developed. I hope this images help us better understand the ugly truth our planet faces and that together we may find a solution to stop this nightmare that has already taken away the lives of those in pursue of happiness. Thank you and may God bless you all!
Hey Bono:
WAKE UP. It is a dictatorship that brought you this “Utopia” . In a place where the average person has no say, no vote, no recourse, he becomes a throw-away. The pollution is not due to consumerism, it is due to GOVERNMENT running everything.
Environmentalism is running amok and soon we will have government in all aspects of our lives to serve the agenda. Get with it!
Man’s greed? Really? Um, ok
sure, COMMUNISM’s greed…in your “environmental’ protective world only elites get to live well. The rest of the society is nothing.
THIS IS WHY THERE IS SO MUCH POLLUTION there…
Our planet does just fine…. OOOPS, I meant to say, if one thinks, and moderates, the planet does just fine. Now, if it were not for that damn Sun, cooling the planet, you could all jump on the control bandwagon some more…
I disagree. I do not think that the pollution is due to government “running everything.” It is due to the various factories and industries who dump their waste into the river not doing enough, or caring enough, to find a better way of disposing of it. I believe in some cases, government helps the situation. It is the government who can have power to limit pollution and enforce pollution standards, so I do not believe power of government is the problem. The problem is how the government runs things. As seen by these pictures above, something needs to be done immediately to fix this pollution problem, whether or not it is the government that does it.
Hey…..Flapjawman…you wake up….did you just crawl out of a rock….that is Bono from the band U2…..if anyone knows about world affairs…..I think it would be BONO from U2 and not some want-to-be intellectual called FLAPJAWMAN….read it again and get what he’s trying to say……”You can not change it until you make the change” i.e….”Stop buying crap from China”….Yes….it is Mans Greed……MORON….Crawl back under your rock……………your the person that does nothing about it but BITCH!!!!!!
PEACE
[...] foto di questa gallery fanno parte di un più ampio progetto, Pollution in China, portato avanti da Lu Guang fotografo free lance cinese, un documentario per immagini su quello che [...]
Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China…
Shocking photographs of the the intense pollution in China….
[...] foto di questa gallery fanno parte di un più ampio progetto, Pollution in China, portato avanti da Lu Guang fotografo free lance cinese, un documentario per immagini su quello che [...]
да и хуй с ними… сдохнут все равно.
This made me sad.
Irreversible.
It’s not irreversible.
heartbreaking. more people need to see these.
abominable:c’est tout
amazing as much as shocking images of a depravity forced upon innocent to fulfill the wishes of a capitalist society.
[...] KATSO KUVAT Elämää saasteiden keskellä [...]
Stupid is as Stupid does… This is not the result of consumerism. It is, as a reader has already stated, the result of a communist government intent on taking advantage of the worlds markets and the cost of their own ‘dispensable’ populace.
Of course, those on the left are blind to their own ideology. Their own policies of humanitarian feel goodness always has a knock on effect.. and the knock on effect is plain to see in these images.
In a dictatorship, which china is, her government answers to no one. They do not need to put in place measures to reduce pollution, or risk or improve safety… there is no need for quality control. They are in power and short of another country invading them, nothing will change that.
The government decides there’s money to be made selling stuff to the evil western world.. given the western world has standards in: wages, pollution control, occupational Health and safety, a minimum standard of living for its citizens – China can, as they are a communist state do away with all of those evil things and offer none and as such sell the same product for a fraction of the cost…
Now the evil nasty western world is obsessed with Co2 footprints, they introduce cap and trades.. there by forcing industry and energy produces to simply buy from … the chinese where there are no such laws….
Stand by to see more and more images like these – but my friends on the left – at least you’ll feel good.
Wow, I am “on the right” and you sound like an idiot with that rant.
This has nothing to do with “the left”.
Eric, you don’t think that communism and its lack of accountability to its people has anything at all do to with this?
I never suggested its the only reason, albeit a large part.
However, each to our own – at least we live a society where we can disagree without being ‘re-educated’
Eric is right. This has nothing to do with left or right or even communism. This has to do with consumerism. The US is the number 1 importer of Chinese goods. If we didn’t purchase so much, China wouldn’t have the resources to be able to do this to its people and environment. Don’t you think world governments have some say in what is imported into their countries? Isn’t that what tariffs are for?
Nikki, Tarrifs are a soft form of socialist control.. whilst in some case they are needed, too many would cause more damage than good.
Having said that, I dont buy the consumerism argument… For starters, why would be give ‘consumerism’ a name? Doing that suggests it has a distinction from something else.. in other words, you are either a consumerist – or your not. Given we do have this name for it, I’ll use it..
My argument is that we are all Consumerists. If you eat, your a consumerist. Wea re talking about 6 billion people all buying things, from third world countries (yes they have to pay their way too) to 1st world countries like Australia, where I live… the only difference is the quantity and type of goods and services we buy.
I’m sure you wear clothes for instance? If you answered yes, you’re a consumerist.
Now we can all have these feel good ideals, but the fact remains is that we have bred.. and bred lots!! 6 odd billion people on this planet and we all have to sustain ourselves. Commerce allows this however unfair it is… developing nations are rising (unless the global warming nuts get their way) and we are heading for a future where the worlds population is growing more wealthy which is good for all. But back to the point..
So we all seem to have a problem with China taking advantage of its people in the name of consumerism. I’d be surprised if I could find one single person that truly does not by any product made in china for humanitarian reasons. I expect that most people that protest so loudly are in fact part of the problem. The reason i say this is that almost everything is made in China now. Why? Because they are so much cheaper than everywhere else, manufacturers have no choice if they are to stay in business so that they can continue to employ their work forces. YOu might say that corporations are evil, you’d be right in many ways but they do this because their customers (you and me) demand lower prices.. and we respond by buying.
It is individuals that drive this market…
Yet, China allows this to happen. Why is that? Surely there would be public uproar? I mean, this doesn’t happen in Australia… and the reason it doesn’t is because we have standards here set by the government which reflect community wishes. If we don’t like what our government does, we vote them out.
China can do what they like… not to the extent of North Korea but still, their Government cannot be voted out, they are a communist state who have embraced capitalism without any of the safety nets that make most other capitalist democracies work so well. So they want the money, but have no interest in the responsibility of that privilege.
So who’s fault is it? the billions of individuals who are just going about their life, the companies having to reduce costs because their competitors have so must compete or go broke, or is it the Chinese Government who openly allow this to happen?
You might want to introduce tariffs, thats fine for wealthy people or upper middle class – they’ll live.. what about the low income workers who can barely make ends meet? if you start controlling the market not only to prices skyrocket but product quality, and service dramatically reduces.. it is fierce competition that drives high quality and low prices. Just look at any communist or socialist country and you will be guaranteed to witness poverty, hunger, disease and misery. Remember Russia? Look at Cuba… North Korea!
Humanity will never change. We are greedy creatures.. If you don’t believe me, next time you feel hungry – dont eat and see how long you last.. or , if a sexy blonde offers you sex.. turn her down.. because – you don’t have needs and your not greedy!
NO system is perfect, communism has failed everywhere because if ignores the fact that we are human.. we all what different things, we all think. We are not lab rats. As such socialism (with is only the precursor to Communism) always corrupts and you end up with a minority elite controlling the masses with enormous divide between classes. Capitalism is not perfect either and without protective measures (the right balance is hard to establish) it can almost as much problems as Communism albeit different problems..
Having said that capitalism (consumerism) is responsible for raising the worlds population as a whole (yes there are always some that are left behind) more than any other system in history.
YOu have to remember, it is in only the last 100 years that the average citizen has grown financially independent… the middle classes have risen, the lower classes are on their way to a better quality of life. I mean look at humanity prior to the 20th century, poverty everywhere unless you were the chosen few.
100 years is not long. We have a long way to go, yet we seem intent on taking ourselves back to the dark ages to political systems that do not work which are based on feel good left (yes left) ideologies that ignore life’s realities. And let me get in first – Fascism is a Left trait, not a right one. Take any fascism regime and you will find that their leaders aligned themselves with communist or socialist or national socialist (Nazi) governments. Mussolini was a marxist…
Humans will always want to grow, learn, achieve and improve. If you cant see that then buy a ticket to the olympics. That is the essence of humanity… Capitalism is simply the same thing the only difference is that cash is to capitalism as training is to the olympics.
So really who do we blame? Do we blame the chinese communists rulers becuase there is no incentive for them to introduce regulations which would stop these problems? Do you blame the corporates that are simply responding to their customers wishes? do you blame the customers (consumers) who are, after all, just managing what little money they have…
Who’s fault is it? I think, if you look at this honestly, its everyones fault, humanity is responsible – but that will never change as we are… human!
All we can do is learn from history (which we never seem to do) do we repress ourselves? that is called communism, or do we release our potential – capitalism… we will decide which way we go, but to force us is to destroy us.
I know what I choose – freedom and individuality – I am in control of my life and i am responsible for its outcome- whether it be good or bad.
your a fool who do you think buys those product ?some of you talk about goverments like youknow what your talking about,their goverment is no more communist than our goverment is democratic but they are both capitalistic and thats what fucs it all up because this and other things such as world hunger,disease and cures,low education and war is all based on a very few men making a lot of money without any regard for you or i or the planet.education is the key to the common mans problems,be water my friend be water
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Fantastic job, sad story.
[...] Pollution in China [...]
It is a result of consumerism. I can’t believe there’s still people who don’t get it. We get to buy our products that cheap because the companies manufacture them in countries where there’s no enviromental laws which would cost the companies extra money. And the governments can’t really do anything cause the factories would just move to another country and it would harm the economy.
The government could establish environmental regulation to prevent excessive pollution but they are unwilling to pay for prolonged investment to do this. you can’t simply blame ‘consumerism’ – that’s like saying we should all go back to the stone age so production doesnt cause pollution. China could produce exports for the west (and continue to benefit from increasing living standards) AND implement political reforms to oversee environmental health. It would take many, many years however.
David Hewison says:
“The government decides there’s money to be made selling stuff to the evil western world.. ”
Pandering to the demands of the “evil western world” doesn’t sound like a “leftist” ideology to me.
such is the hypocrisy of communism.
Terrible!!!
What can we do? Something needs to be done!
China’s Pollution Reportage. Immagini shock…
China’s Pollution Reportage è una testimonianza incredibile, scioccante, angosciante che certifica il grado di assoluta devastazione di una parte del pianeta.L’autore è Lu Guang (卢广), fotografo freelancer.Si stenta a credere che siano reali: eppure…
If that’s what we call development i prefer to live in Africa in an oasis…
Never realised that the cost of Chinese goods is soo heavy, my heart breaks by just looking at these pictures, must change the way we live and consume! hats off to the brave man, who managed to pull together these pictures, a million words would have been insufficient..
Consumerism is the culprit. I am not going to sit at my United States location and pretend this is a purely a Chinese problem. I am [expletive] recycling everything I own. Squeeze every freaking dollar out of my possession before replacing them.
I also hate how some companies intentionally build and promote “broken/outdated-just-buy-a-new-one” mentality. They can go to h%ll. I miss the old days when something breaks, there are so many service providers out there who offer repair jobs. Now getting something repaired is as if one is trying to get a root canal.
In addition, what is with this “you-got-to-have-the-latest-gadget” attitude? I remember my uncle bought a Nikon camera and used it for 20 years. Now, we [expletive] change cell phone every 4 years, replace laptop every 6 years, ditch old digital camera every 7 years, throw away toothbrushes every 3 months.
Right on! It is EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY!!!!! This is just a graphic example of the extreme results of what we are all contributing to!
I can’t stand most of those pictures… The one with the deformed kids is just unbearable for me.
I’m always relunctant to buy products from China, I must send pictures to people who don”t understand my choice.
China’s emergence in the modern market does come with its corresponding set of ills. However, these ills are probably not much different than what Britain had during the Industrial Revolution, or than what the US had as it emerged into industrialization itself. The big difference is that China is industrializing as the world is “globalizing”, enabling it to crank up production not only for its domestic needs, but for the rest of the world too. And thus the historical ills of industrialization are magnified.
I think the photos capture the plight of villagers and other people affected by the wanton rush towards industrialization in China. My heart goes out to all those people affected by this. I salute the journalist for recording this as an aspect of humanity that the rest of the world needs to see.
Development at the cost of harming the planet earth to such an extent…just unbearable pics…hope we realize how important and beautiful our planet is…it just does not deserve this treatment…
[...] foto di questa gallery fanno parte di un più ampio progetto, Pollution in China, portato avanti da Lu Guang fotografo free lance cinese, un documentario per immagini su quello che [...]
This is precisely why I will NOT buy anything produced in China — no clothes, no pet food or toys, no electronics, etc. — even if it costs more to not do so. The US should impose a tariff on Chinese goods and those of all other poluting nations until they bring their economy into civilized ecological standards. There is no reason why they should get a “pass on those standards just because they are a “developing nation.” What they really are doing is “developing” at our expense. This is why the ChiComs so heavily support the Western environmental movements, which except this dirty money without blinking an eye.
yet the US is imposing a tariff on itself – incentivizing nations like china to continue this disgusting practice…
that tariff is called the cap and trade tax.
Last line should read “which accept this dirty money without bllinking an eye.”
Sorry.
[...] http://www.chinahush.com/2009/10/21/…tion-in-china/ [...]
[...] pictures of pollution in China will make you [...]
Brilliant
I think there is are some fundamental points that has not been addressed yet…
1. these are private sector companies operating on CAPITALIST principles that are doing most of the polluting
2. chinese villagers used to be looked after from CRADLE to GRAVE by the socialist system, but now they are left to the mercy of the market
im not defending the fat cats at all…these factories are probably whacked up by rich people who are trying to create growth and jobs in poorer areas…factories in certain areas take a lead in bringing the things we take for granted eg. electricity to these areas…china in the struggle to ‘not get left behind’ in terms of industry & commerce, which is fundamental to their existence in our commercial world, rush out and build factories…yet, the mentality of some businessmen is very old school and just because we have knowledge of how bad this is for the environment, I dont think we should for one minute assume that every factory is run by someone as knowledgable…we have great access to resources and media which highlight our global responsibility…the owner per-say could spend his evenings drinking and playing mahjong and be unaware of his ‘greater’ responsibility to the world…and we all know about chinas political history…the government are trying to get behind their environmental responsibilities however, their changes will be alot slower to develop than ours…think of the vast population that china covers…if they cant get electricity circulated to all its residents yet, arent we being a little too critical and expectant of how the governement can actually affect working practises…it is common knowledge that the governement are ill-equipped to deal with its vast population…there inadequacy to deal resulted in genocide previously…they need support & guidance, not criticism. Lets do that and be supportive while they still have open arms and no barriers.
eg. picture no. 6 Guangdong province…I have family here…litter is a massive problem…they have pits and waste areas allotted…these are open dumps at the road side. I will find out how these are dealt with but I have never seen a method of collection during my stays there so assume a burning or burial method…
also, many heavily populated ‘urban’ areas still have open sewers, this is the norm…
…and who are these factories supplying to anyway?????….’the western world’…thats what makes me feel sick!
Saying its not consumerism is just ignorance….yet, you all need to see the bigger picture and step outside your comfort zones to fully understand…perhaps your next holiday should be one of education.
“the government are trying to get behind their environmental responsibilities however, their changes will be alot slower to develop than ours”
Yes. They certainly will be my friend. Why? The Chinese Government at all levels is itself a serious polluter. State-owned and state-run companies/enterprises are a large proportion of the polluters. An example was given in one of the photos –
“Jiangsu province Changshu City Fluorine Chemical industry land sewage treatment plant (江苏省常熟市氟化学工业园污水处理厂) was responsible for collection and processing of the industrial sewage. However they did not, the sewage pipe was extended 1500 meters under the Yangtze River and releasing the sewage there. 2009 June 11″
“if they cant get electricity circulated to all its residents yet, arent we being a little too critical and expectant of how the governement can actually affect working practises…”
How ironic you mention elecricity supply. The Chinese are building Coal-fired powerstations like crazy. Great for the environment.
“…it is common knowledge that the governement are ill-equipped to deal with its vast population…there inadequacy to deal resulted in genocide previously…they need support & guidance, not criticism. Lets do that and be supportive while they still have open arms and no barriers.”
Hahahahaha Awww…pooorr widdle party had a genocide….ooohhh…you’re alright….
[...] Checkout a graphic representation of the pollution in China, by checking out the photo’s of Lu Guang (卢广), a former factory worker on this website [...]
History repeats itself. The reason that the classic Industrial Revolution period was never documented in images, was because photography was in its infancy. How many stories have you heard from the Pennsylvania coal regions about deplorable living and working conditions? Artist’s depictions of European blight from industry were simply dismissed as fables. Yet thousands were dieing from industrial fallout. Yet the western world managed to pull itself out of its morass.
Now the east has its turn. But because we are in a global economy, this can be turned around quickly, if corporations just stop and think if they can get their heads out of their butts. Here in America alone, there are hundreds of factory complexes that sit idle because of China’s productivity. These factories already have all the checks and balances installed that prevent this kind of plague. Why couldn’t China simply purchase these factories, and start production here? That could let them shut down a few of the nasty sites in their own country long enough to install the checks and balances, without losing productivity! America gets a few jobs back, and the Chinese stay employed, just cleaning up the mess!
Pie in the sky, I know, but it sounds like it might just work.
[...] China Hush shows the entire photo collection with translated captions. Here are some samples: [...]
[...] outweighed by long-term harms. To put this into visual perspective, Lu Guang’s documentary “Pollution in China” does a heart-wrenching [...]
[...] 40 more disturbing photographs if you follow the link. [...]
[...] China Hush shows the entire photo collection with translated captions. Here are some samples: [...]
Yet this country is specifically exempt from the Kyoto Protocol…
This is SOCIALISM. I HATE IT!!
Wake up people! If not! Communism will kill you! Sooner ou later!!
Wake up!
Poor and suffering chinese people! My heart goes out to all of you!
That is *NOT* socialism. Socialism is Canada, the UK, France, Sweden, etc. That is Corporate Fascism. No country in the history of the world has ever had an actual Communist government; “Communism” in China is just a deceptive label, hiding the true plutocrats behind all these atrocities.
I don’t know if you can say Sweden is socialist – the social democratic party lost the last election.
just because the social democratic party didn’t win the last election dont mean that sweden is a socialism country, whatever party who has the “power” it still a socialism country.
All the varying forms of “Communism” failed miserably, sadly. And no socially democratic state can be called truly socialist either – Sweden has a healthy capitalist economy, as does Norway and Canada. The difference is that these are well regulated and well incentivized.
Avoid purchasing chinese imports when possible, and be sure to recycle your electronics locally.
Communism was the unifying force bringing China from then to now. Pain and deformation will be the price they will pay for not having environmental controls. See mercury poisoning in Japan in the 60′s. This truly a tragedy for humanity.
McBob – excellent comment. you rock. the “communism” brand is an excellent front for the plutocrats to hide behind. if the people rule in this system, why are they being systematically devalued, poisoned, and destroyed for profit?
the ignorance in these posts is astonishing. Those countries are currently, or mostly, democratic socialists which is a very soft form of socialism – they’re moderates.. its like having your cake and eating it too.. a good description of social democrats is here – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy
That said, Our meglomaniac of a PM here in Australia, wants this system… Although, to ensure he was elected, he assured us blind voters that he was fiscally conservative.. then within six months of office he wrote an essay denouncing capitalism and heralding socialism. Honesty is not a quality socialist dictators have embraced… they say whatever is necessary to win votes with no regard to what their actuall intentions are. I can only speak for our Dear Leader Mr Rudd as I closely follow our politics, but with every single policy he has implemented, you can list the blatant lies and without exception, each of these policies has caused more pain and suffering than anything before them.. but they are all in the name of equality, fairness and humanitarian intents. Of course the actual outcomes are always the opposite.
Social Democrats must be deceitful and dishonest, they must create causes to attached to mass fear campaigns so guilt the voters into obedience .. Look at the Global Warming movement.. What better way to introduce central control, a socialist framework.. dress it up and call it environmentalism.
NO socialist party would get traction in a multi party system..(assuming the system is transparent) the people will always vote for peace, individual freedom.. but the strange thing is… the same people will often say they are socialists, for they are attracted to the ideals of socialism.. those nasty rich people are eliminated, the disadvantaged are empowered… all for one, one for all. This of course never actually happens, as someone still has to run the country and invariably gets rich doing so, and rules with an iron fist and historically often a deadly fist.
So Socialism must rely on being a dictatorship.. as does communism. When the people wake up and realize they have been downtrodden, they revolt.. theres an uprise and suddenly democracy prevails once again – moderation, centre left or right is normally the outcome.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people are anti capitalism.. It would be no surprise to any thinking person that those who push the ideal fall under one of two categories…
1, Wealthy, Powerful elites who wish to rule supreme, at the cost of the ‘little’ people and,
2, Stupid people that need to be cared for by the state. These are the unsuccessful and lazy.
The social democratic movement advocates – freedom, not only individual liberties, but also freedom from discrimination – yet with very few exception, seems to always achieve the very opposite. I would like any of you armchair socialist to prove me wrong – not with philosophical thought bubbles but with real world examples. Prove me wrong… with hard evidence, I will be the first to back down and admit my woes.
So McBob, those examples you chose are Social democracies, not socialist states. Their Governments can still be voted out, they are still a multi party system. The people still have a say. Socialism is based on a single party system and is a precursor or transition to Communism. Now Fascism is something else… Opinions differ but if you do some analysis you may find that it is just an overused, misunderstood, virtually meaningless word which in the most part is used in conversation to describe your political enemy. So if your a socialist, anyone on the right is a fascist. And visa versa.
I think most of us agree that the spectrum of politics goes like this:
The political left in all of its forms essentially (to varying extents) want big government, Government control of the economy and a welfare state – in the name of equality for all. (simplistic description yes)
The political right, mostly known as conservatives, stand for freedom and individuality – the right to have a go, win or lose.. individual rights. Those that create, build, manufacture are rewarded for their hard work and risk.. risk/reward, cost benifit blah blah..
So in short, the state is in control in left systems, and the individual is in control in the right systems.
So if you want to look at extremes, extreme left is where you have no freedom. Extreme right is where you might starve because your weak or feeble minded to win.. its the survival of the fittest factor.
Lets break down the fascism movement… I will use Italy in the 1040′s as an example..
Government has total control, it opposes democracy, is a single party system, facilitates the bureaucratisation of the economic activities of the nation, and is anti capitalist. In every respect, fascists ACT as if they are communists, but claim to be anti communist.. do what I say,. not what I do. They do show all the classic left traits… without a shadow of doubt. Hitler was a fascist, a national socialist and a marxist.. its all the same, except in the detail. Supreme rule is a political left legacy.,..
Thats not to say that those on the right are angles, the extreme right are all about survival of the fittest… so people are also hurt, just not directly shot by firing squads.. more like they cannot support themselves so fall into poverty and eventual disease and starvation.
So a mix of both is ideal.. but for economic growth, prosperity and technological advancement, you must allow the right to prevail with flavors of the left. This is beyond opinion, the world operates as a free market with most countries being on the right side of politics, or at least centre right… those that are on the left side, play the rights game.. look at China.
Capitalism is, by the way an economic system, not a political ideal. which is how China can exist without having to change their system of government. And if you really want to get nit picky…
Capitalism does not exist. Mercantilism is closer to the system that the western world has embraced.. the US would be a mixture of Capitalism and Mercantilism… most everywhere else in the western world practices Mercantilism. Essentially where there is free trade, personal ownership but with safety nets built in to protect the weak.
So now lets look at some evidence.. We agree Europe is leaning towards socialsm, the US is headfing that way too, Australia on the otherhand, we have lived under the well regulated capital system for a long time now, our growth has been astonishing.. mostly thanks to our mining industry. steel, coal, uranium.
Look at all the social democracies in the world and you will see with out any exeption, failing economies, huge unemployement, massive cost of living, lowered living standards.
Australia, has enjoyed the opposite over the same time period. Our new PM will change that of course, he is determined to destroy our economy.
So why have we survived the global melt down? Its not the welfare stimulus that the governments love to brag about…. which by the way has been a monumental failure everywhere except here. But was it the stimulas that saved this country? could it have been givernment intervention?????
Well, as a socialist you’d say yes, but if you look at the numbers, they say:
National Imports are down – cash burn has been reduced. we saved more.
National exports are up – not a sign of our economy performing, more a sign of the buyer of those exports economy. in our case, china.
We are having a mining and resources boom – specifically to China…
We still have a great way of life, our cost of living is still low, unemployment is low, all the indicators of a strong economy are evident in ours. despite this governments meddling.
our stimulus according to the official figures, only accounted for 2.5% of our growth last fiscal year. It was the market that prevailed – not the government.
Or in your words McBob – Corporate Fascism.
I’ll take fascism any day
But seriously, China is responsible for this mess, not the so called consumers.. if you sold a guy a gun, that guy went on to shoot someone dead, are you the one responsible, or is the guy holding the gun? You cannot blame the consumer, for the woes that china suffers, it is their country and will do with it what they choose.
Sorry for my rant.. but i was enjoying it way to much to stop!
yeah! youy heart goes out… you seem to be short minded! and live in wonderland.
(read the folowing text, and try to read stuf about the world too)
Try to buy something that is made exclusively in your country, the price is probably high.
You probably have a PC or a Laptop in your hands that was relatively cheap, just because it was made there, in china.
Almost all the things you can Buy have something made there, and then you buy, so THIS IS YOUR FAULT TOO, dont wash your hands.
Why are most of the american brands producing cloths and stuff there? why is it cheaper? BECAUSE SOME ONE IS PAYING THE DIFERENCE
Despite Gunthy’s grammar and spelling fail, he or she is right. 1st world nations facilitate this. Those in power in China might be being doing this consciously (which is abhorrent) but North America and Europe are benefiting from it just as consciously. Our economy is built on other countries’ willingness to exploit their citizens for cheap labour in the worst possible conditions.
What’s worse is the savings made off of these exploitations barely even reach the average consumer (not that that would make it okay) but are used to line the already formidable pockets of our corporate rulers. This isn’t socialism OR democracy, this is all Capitalism. Dress it how you will, when the government does less to protect the people than it’s personal interests, that’s what it is. Where are the regulations? The environmental protection laws, or the protection of freedoms? In both true socialism and true democracy it is the governments role to protect the people. That’s not what is happening here.
If you want to make a difference speak out about it, get involved. Learn the issue and make a statement. At least in North America and Europe we can still do that. In China you can lose your life just for trying.
As a closing note, Nadir, you’re an idiot. Convictions that strong should be reserved for those who care enough to learn the issue. You’re just babbling nonsense. Please read a book or something.
Like you said, “If you want to make a difference speak out about it, get involved. Learn the issue and make a statement.”
my question is how are you/they/people going to make the difference? Not all people out there really care much about.
Maybe SOME people tries to help but that wouldn’t do much different to save the earth…Since we need a lot of people to cooperate in order to make the earth a better place.
So once again my question is how will people be able to pull other people to help and what would they have to do when it is time for action?
erm james, true socialism or communism only exists in theory, it cannot exist in practice because both ideals do not take into account human nature.
marxism, according to his philosophy is, i think very attractive. in reality though, impossible.
Seriously Nadir? You think this is socialism or communism? This is capitalism.
This is industrialism, regardless of the ideological banner it carries. Having worked in India for a short while, I can assure you that egregious environmental destruction goes on in economies that organise in a capitalistic manner as well.
It is really sad that you waste this opportunity to connect as humans. I see a real problem in China and in the rest of the world with making a great big mess of things. How do we get together and express loudly and to the people who make the deals and decisions that we value clean water and breathable air? What organizations are already doing this? Which ones do you love and support? Do you even know which US environmental organizations are active in China? Do you know about the All China Environment Federation? Have you heard of the China Blue Papers? We really have to start supporting the environmental heroes here and there who are struggling tirelessly with scant resources to do something to turn this thing around. I challenge you to take a guess at how many 1)grassroots, 2)foreign, 3)student, 4)government organized nongovernmental organizations that focus on the environment there are in China presently. Contact even one and give just ten dollars to them. Give through the Pacific Environment And Resource Center, or Give2Asia, or Greenpeace. Go see Grantmakers Without Boarders. Make the connection! Please.
This is not socialism. This is capitalism.
holy shite, this is terrible, can’t comprehend the negative quality of life these people are living everyday
this is not socialism this is CAPITALISM fool!
a true socialist society works for the good of the people. this is not the good of the people. the creation of these destructive forces, factories, cheap labor, low regulations are all a direct manifestation of a capitalist market.
Actually, this is the direct result unregulated, robber-baron capitalism.
Be it noted that state enterprises in the former soviet union and eastern bloc countries also polluted on this sort of scale with zero accountability. While there are certainly VAST problems in the west, these stem in large part from the poor choices of consumers.
The force driving the companies to pollute the planet to hell and disregard the well being of human beings is CAPITALISM. In order to secure the most profit possible, corners have to be cut and the well being of the planet and humanity ignored. It’s much easier and cost efficient to simply dump waste into the ocean than to process it, recycle it, and then finally neutralize the rest of it.
And plus you need to ask, what are those factories making? Products. Products sold in obscene amounts to the United States of America. Capitalism funds these kinds of operations. In fact it’s very likely that American Corporations OWN quite a few of these factories, I mean, everything nowadays is shipped overseas to be done right? Shipped overseas by Americans who know that it’s cheaper to get work done in China when you can increase profit by cutting every ethical corner. Treat employees like crap, dump waste outside, and pay workers next to nothing. They wouldn’t dare do business like that here because we “oh so righteous Americans” would be outraged. But hey. We’re all stuck in our own little world called the USA, and as long as it doesn’t affect us, it’s A-OKAY. Oh wait, the environment is a global thing? Oh dang. Too bad I’m too busy trying to make ends meet to care what happens to the world.
And please. Don’t confuse socialism, which is an absolutely beautiful ideological concept that has not been accomplished yet due to human moral flaws. To communism, which, from examples throughout history, we know tends to lean towards oppression and totalitarianism.
I believe it is communism that is the ideological concept which still remains out of reach … socialism is just a working implementation that has achieved much success, while ‘Communist’ countries such as China are not truly communist.
I think the term was mentioned above … plutocracy?
Western companies are not allowed to have majority ownership in Chinese enterprises. At best they can have 49.99%.
Chinese are doing this to themselves. But life has always been cheap in China — whether under Maoism or now.
[...] recent blog post by Mark over at Mark’s China Blog brought to my attention a photo essay on Pollution in China (WARNING: contains some graphic images). The pictures were so heartbreaking and arresting to me [...]
This is unbelievable. I knew China had no regard for “green” ideals but didn’t think anything could be that bad. I will read every label when shopping and not buy Chinese products.
I will pass this link on to many friends and hope to get more doing the same…share this link people….we can make a difference.
Just because It does’t say “Made in china” it does’t mean some part of it wasn’t made there.
Its Impossible to buy some thing that is not related to some factory there.
Even some vegetables that a local farmer sells. (The tools or chemicals used may have been made there, even the bag, or simply the metal used in coins)
There is no here and there no more, you too have blood in your hands, and will have to live with that!!!
while the pollution may be terrible and drastic measures needs to be taken to enhance their quality of life, boycotting chinese products is not the answer. These people work in places like this for many reasons, one of the main ones being that this is the only way for them to make money. Were everyone in the world to boycott the products of these factories then they would shut down (or be replaced) and while that may reduce the pollution, it also reduces what little income is coming to that area to nothing. Then they will die of starvation (among other things resulting from a lack of money).
there are other, better avenues to pursue if you would like to help this situation including writing to your senator (although lets be honest, that really does nothing) or dedicating your life, kinda like a mother teresa or ghandi, to bringing about change in China (fat chance anyone will do that but its a nice thought).
unfortunately, and im obviously pessimistic about it, taking advantage of other people is well, human nature, and it will always be happening somewhere (notice how slavery has always been around somewhere in the world). be thankful it isn’t happening to you in this extreme
I lived in Zhuhai, Guangdong near Hong Kong for 7 months. It was a residential city mostly, but the extreme pollution in the water and air that comes from all over China made me so ill I had to leave. By my 3rd month, I couldn’t remember anything, some days I was dizzy from some odd thing in the air, etc. Zhuhai is known all over China as the nicest city in China, and even there I was sick as a dog.
Anyway, I got the heck out of there and came back to the US. A year later, a friend of mine from the US who stayed there wound up with brain cancer from the toxic environment.
We’re in a closed system. China is screwing up the world. They’ll never change though. The Chinese are some short-sighted money hungry idiots. The only ray of hope in all of this, is that they’ll poison themselves to death and it’ll stop. The industrialists and the politicians all have to drink water and breathe air. It’ll eventually get them too. Hopefully sooner than later.
Asshole!
their factories suply the ocidental factories who are there, no environmental or worker care means cheaper products that you buy… you are the money-hungry.
Try to buy USA things, All made there, made is not assembled! I mean all american stuff (If that still exists!) and then tell me if your money does’t get short… as your mind.
If its cheaper… some one is payig the diference!
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Socialism cares about it’s people.
Capitalism cares about it’s customers – it’s people.
Fascism cares only about privileged and the rich.
People make profits off of people’s health only where they are allowed to by corrupt governments. If china wasn’t fascist but it was capitalist, capitalists would find that it is more profitable to serve the needs of the billions in china and make money by providing them with wellbeing.
we are the western consumers and the capitalist who buys cheap china products and we are the driving force for this kind of consuming insanity!Dont buy this kind of crap and try to live without chinese products and the world has a hope.The only way to save nature is activity witch reduces consuming and productivity
It saddens me to see this , What will china do to help stop there CO2 emissions after seeing this i hold little hope and of course theres india which im sure is no better ,, India,s population by the year 2040 is expected 1.52 billion and will surpase china,s 1.45 billion thats 2,970,000,000 people in two countrys? 31year!
This has nothing to do with the political system. India is the world’s biggest democratic , yet the polution situation could be as bad as in China. Blaming is not productive, we should help the chinese people and government to deal with these problems.
Democratic? India? not he same country…
Our demand for cheap things… is making some one to pay the diference… even if they are away in china or other country.
On the other hand~ what will happen to the people who does not have enough money to buy certain items. Not to mention it’s not only cheap things that make them suffer it’s how china decide where they put their wastes. Sure, we are part of the cause, but even if we stop~ do you think china will stop? it wont, it will find other ways to do business and once again it’s going to start polluting again.
[...] Pictures, pollution in [...]
This is hell on earth! I’m sure the Chinese people would have gladly skipped their industrial revolution. Don’t their leaders care about human rights? Do they have any guidelines at all?
It´s not only the chinese leaders who don´t care about human rights. We western people may judge what they do but still we buy their products. I think we western people don´t have care about human rights since we don´t actually do anything to solve this mess. WE allow chinese to act as they act. We´re ass guilty as they are.
You have made an intereting point.
…not many… and as they say in China: rules and road signs are very similar… both are simply suggestions.
Dont jump to conlusions and hasty decisions and think that you are a better man just because of your opinions.
Please, dont think that a dozen of photos can give you any sort of reliable or objective piece of information.
..and of course question authority.
(i.e. why photoshop is so desperately used in producing these photos,
is someone interested in your attitude.
A part of you are developing hatred feelings, which borders fear, which borders ..war?)
All these polluting factories are producing goods consumed in the USA. We are the other half of the problem.
This isn’t the cost of the Chinese communism (which ain’t communism). This is the cost of our cheap products here in the West. Chinese people and nature suffers because of our (and their too) society.
Just like the wars in Kongo, which keeps the price of cobalt low for our rechargers and stuff. And the West have been funding both sides in the past, and I don’t have any reason to believe they will change their acts in the future.
Yes you are speak like a west person
[...] 28.10.2009 by Anu It is a horrible thing that You only realize how lucky you are in Your life when You see others that aren’t as fortunate. Lu Guang’s documentary photography of polluted China did just that. See the story here. [...]
I suppose the Soviet Union was a “capitalist” country as well. http://www.faqs.org/cia/docs/45/0000498553/AGRICULTURE-RELATED-POLLUTION-IN-THE-USSR-(SI-77-10101).html
I wonder why we don’t see pollution levels like this in the capitalist U.S.A if capitalism in the bringer of these environmental woes? The answer is that it isn’t. The problem isn’t socialism or capitalism but rather the closed and restrictive nature of the Chinese political system. A nation that is based in governance by its people can make policy that restricts this kind of environmental destruction. A nation that is run by state oligarchs that capitalize on industrial efforts doesn’t need to be responsive to the desires and needs of its people.
That is why you don’t see this kind of environmental destruction in either the capitalist U.S.A or the socialist E.U. Both respond to the will of their populations.
yeah! you dont see that in US because you don’t look enough… there are some “litle issues” there too.
Try to buy something that is made exclusively in the U.S.A the price is high.
You probably have a PC or a Laptop in your hands that was relatively cheap, just because it was made there, in china.
Almost all the things you can Buy have something made there, and then you buy, so THIS IS YOUR FAULT TOO, dont wash your hands.
Why are most of the american brands producing cloths and stuff there? why is it cheaper? BECAUSE SOME ONE IS PAYING THE DIFERENCE
@Gunthy
“BECAUSE SOME ONE IS PAYING THE DIFFERENCE”
No – Something. CHINA’S ENVIRONMENT. These photos cleary tell you truth of the matter – it’s the natural environment i.e. lakes, rivers, the ocean, etc… which is paying the difference and then by default the humans who work and exist in that environment.
“and then you buy, so THIS IS YOUR FAULT TOO”
Ridiculous claptrap. By your “logic” an unknowing consumer somewhere else in the world is responsible for pollution in China. Similar to saying the Chinese Mothers who used so much milk powder were responsible for Sanlu adulterating the product with Melamine to meet their irresponsible demand for cheap milk powder. Draw that bow a bit longer and your at the stance of every german in WW2 was responsible for the holocaust.
err….typo – you’re
When you say, “THIS IS YOUR FAULT TOO, don’t wash your hands” doesn’t that mean you are also in fault as well?
It isn’t about who’s fault is it on, it is about how are we/people going to solve this problem? how are we/people going to save the people who are suffer and also to prevent anymore misery in the future.
Go back 100 years to 1909, and you will see pollution like that in the US. We emptied sewage into our lakes and rivers, factories and power plants filled the air with smoke, disease was rampant in cities. It was so bad the rivers caught on fire. Want to see it in the EU? Go back 150 years or more to Industrial Revolution-era London, where the smoke was so think it blotted out the sun at noon. What happened? The same unrestrained capitalism that created the problem created the solution (with a healthy assist from progressive movements and government reforms) – the standard of living was raised high enough so that people in cities moved beyond the subsistance-living level. With enough money, people began to demand change; this lead to reforms such as the minimum wage, pollution controls and restrictions on child labor.
China faces the same challenges, with two additional problems: they have 1.3 billion people at the same stage of their development that the US had 100 million at, and they are ruled by an oligarchical-single party system that is less responsive to change then our democratic system was/is. However, China also has advantages that we lacked at that point in our development. While the US came of age in a world isolated by distance and protectionist economies, China is a major player in a global economy that tends, however gradually, towards free trade and the exchange of ideas and technology. This, along with new technologies in areas such as polution control, public health and power generation, along with a world looking to make money by helping China modernize/clean up, give China a very good chance to one day look more like the US or EU. It will take decades of heartache, political upheaval and social change, it will happen.
This is the most comprehensive opinion I’ve read as of now. @Gunthy, you had a point at first, which is that the difference is paid by someone/something else. It’s the people who are working at such places, and yes, as @Taojas mentioned it’s nature that’s paying the price.
@John: terribly optimistic, but we should hold on to this and bring hope to the rest of the world..
Well said John, a rare voice of reason…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Valdez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_coal_sludge_spill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_County_sludge_spill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Canal
“That is why you don’t see this … in … USA”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Beach,_Missouri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Drums
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summitville_mine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_accident
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moruroa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fangataufa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Bravo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basin_F
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kesterson_National_Wildlife_Refuge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Pit
Re: joey1058
…nice idea in principle, however I really think you need to understand the currency involved here. Eg. A factory worker earns around 200-400HK$ which is about £20-40GBP a month. Can you imagine caring for your family on that amount a month??…but it’s all relative. These workers live by very simple unmaterialistic means. Rather than be humbled by their existence perhaps we should take a leaf from their book?
Thus, the suggestion of Chinese businessmen buying factories in the US is a ridiculous notion. They simply would not be able to afford it. The factories you see are probably run by one man or one family, who are considered rich in relation to the other folks in town, but on a global scale, they too are relatively poor.
Re: joey1058
…nice idea in principle, however I really think you need to understand the currency involved here. Eg. A factory worker earns around 200-400HK$ which is about £20-40GBP a month. Can you imagine caring for your family on that amount a month??…but it’s all relative. These workers live by very simple unmaterialistic means. Rather than be humbled by their existence perhaps we should take a leaf from their book?
Thus, the suggestion of Chinese businessmen buying factories in the US is a ridiculous notion. They simply would not be able to afford it. The factories you see here are probably run by one man or one family, who are considered rich in relation to the other folks in town, but on a global scale, they too are relatively poor.
You need to look outside HK central to grasp the concept I’m hinting at here, these pictures are great but nothing really new is being reflected here in the outer territories of china and HK and I’m really glad they are effective in opening peoples minds to the ‘bigger picture’.
In all seriousness though, step outside yr USA fed ‘comfort zone’ yr vision is unrealistic and sugar coated.
I like your twist: Everyone wants to pity the Chinese for the conditions they live in but besides the point you look at their simplistic life style and lack of need for things and see something admonishable in that… I respect that.. thank you for that perspective!
there is more guilty in all of us here saying that its a political issue!
We all buy things from china or that some part of it has came from there.
THIS IS OUR FAULT! we demand cheap things, some one has to pay the price.
If they payed and treated well the workers and the environment we could’t have, PC’s, parts for cars, shoes and cloths, and all a bunch of things so cheap.
Dont wash your hands, and say that this does’t happens in “civilized countries”! if it does’t its because the factories are’t there, and the prices must be low.
Try To Think! before saying brutal and disonest things whith some xenofobic background!
re: joey1058
…nice idea in principle however I really feel you need to grasp the level of currency here. eg. a factory worker earns around 200-400HK$ per month, which is about £20-40GBP. Can you imagine caring for your family on that amount per month???…but that said, its all relative. These workers live simple, ‘UN-MATERIALISTIC’ lives. Rather than feel humbled by their existence, perhaps we should all take a leaf from their book???…
Thus, your notion of Chinese businessmen buying factories in the US is ridiculous. They simply would not be able to afford it. The factories depicted here are more than likely owned by one man or one family, which in relation to their towns and villages, are considered quite rich, however on a global scale, are still relatively poor.
Look outside the parameters of the larger media publications who focus on HK Central as the main focus of China & Hong Kong and you will soon realise that these pictures are not really ‘anything new’. Life in the outer territories of China has been like this for sometime and infact, growth in these areas is actually improving qualities of life all the time.
Im glad these pictures are making people see the ‘bigger picture’…but seriously, take your self out of your USA spoon fed comfort zone. Your visions are unrealistic.
Please take this in the manner it was meant (un-offensive), I sat where you are today several years ago.
The pictures are harrowing to say the least. But one can shoot such pictures in any country and certainly so in countries like India and China. To grow and feed and give employment to big populations there has to be industrial growth and one looks silly longing and wanting the pristine pure and the pastoral in the face of this reality. It can not be anybody’s case that a country is ignoring the perils of pollution for its own people because of a political ideology or a system of govt unless it practices a policy segregating populations in terms of exposure to health hazards. It was not too long ago that China was praised for delivery of heath care to its people.
Today all one sees is Chinese products in the N.American continent And people buy them as they are cheap. I wonder if any environment norms are applicable while importing from China… I recall the event of a Western ban on carpet imports from India because it involved child labour.[ And this overllooked the fact that this family -based skill was passed on to childern as a tradition.] At the end of it all excess and manipulated consumption has to come down and this can only be by a movement of the people.
vijaya
Yes, we need more people with different perspectives (such as @Vijayalakshmi) on this to complete the puzzle … but as to whether or not anything will be done, photo exhibitions like this one will be a great help in reminding others of the atrocities we (the world) are committing against ourselves now.
Maybe at some point there will be a reaction other than commenting on blog posts … I believe the best way to do this is to start small, encourage recycling and reduce our impact on the environment. Hopefully as a result there will be a shift towards cleaner technologies and everyone will benefit. (Gross oversimplification, I know, but I’m late for class
)
[...] imágenes sobre los altos niveles de polución en la china industrializada [...]
[...] imágenes sobre los altos niveles de polución en la china industrializada [...]
keep buying china made products and you only make it worse.
Political labels are irrelevant, even distracting to this discussion. These pictures are the result of the system that doesn’t respect basic individual rights, regardless of the political flavor of the ruling class.
[...] Award-winning photos of pollution in China [...]
Hi guys!
It seems you are talking about issues of global matter and let me say that I am not from the USA! I just wanted to tell you that the root of all the problems of our society weather you think they are poverty, hunger, environment issues or all of them, is money. The current monetary system in which we all live in, is an outdated system and it is this system that is resbonsible of almost all the problems of our society today.
There is a solution and it is called Resource-Based Economy. Google “The Venus Project” to learn more.
Thanks!
Thanks!
“that the root of all the problems of our society weather you think they are poverty, hunger, environment issues or all of them, is money”
Yep.
:’( This is so sad to watch. I feel so sorry for those thousands of people who needs to live there… And I can’t get it that why China, as a one of the worlds biggest country won’t do anything about it… Go ppl! Show these pictures to Barack Obama, I bet he would feel same way we do…
And I thought I was an idealist! I agree with Venus that money is a major component of the problem, whether it’s the symptom or the disease (or a little of both) I’m not sure. But my interpretation is that, at least for us in the US (and most other developed economies), fiat money is the problem, not the existence of money to begin with. Economies since the beginning of time have moved to a commodity based currency of some kind or the other… the problems arise when governments are allowed to debase currencies and eventually print them out of thin air. Your Venus Project to me seems to be yet another attempt to put a pretty face on Communism… and like all previous attempts at it, ideal though they may initially be, human nature always wins.
I know that The Venus Project may seem like all out communism at first, when you study it further it will turn out to be something VERY different. When mister Fresco (the director of The Venus Project) was asked: How does The Venus Project Compare with Communism? He said:
“Communism being similar to a resource-based economy or The Venus Project is an erroneous concept. Communism has money, banks, armies, police, prisons, charismatic personalities, social stratification, and is managed by appointed leaders. The Venus Project’s aim is to surpass the need for the use of money. Police, prisons and the military would no longer be necessary when goods, services, healthcare, and education are available to all people. The Venus Project would replace politicians with a cybernated society in which all of the physical entities are managed and operated by computerized systems. The only region that the computers do not operate or manage is the surveillance of human beings. This would be completely unnecessary and considered socially offensive. A society that uses technology without human concern has no basis of survival. Communism has no blueprint or methodology to carry out their ideals and along with capitalism, fascism, and socialism, will ultimately go down in history as failed social experiments.”
And what comes to your calim about “human nature always winning” I want to challenge you to think that there is no human nature, there is human behaviour. Please study the website of The Venus Project to learn more about this issue as well.
[...] apartment in any major Chinese city because you’d be staring at smog the whole time. This series of photos exemplify the pollution that’s happening in China due to the rapid industrialization and lack [...]
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I found most comments here advocated to not buy Chinese products. I understand these western people are thinking of ways to stop the pollution. However, it is too naive. I don’t think most people can resist cheap Chinese products. Pursuing interest is human’s nature (see the Expected Utility model on decision-making first proposed by Daniel Bernoulli in 1738).
@John gave us a comprehensive interpretation on what happened in western countries and is happening in China. History is a mirror. High-speed development and pollution always precedes the reforms for controlling pollution. But we should behave more wisely. The developed countries can do something to control the pollution in the developing countries before the latter become rich enough. For example, as a neighbor of China, Japan should take the lead. Japanese government should consider to create some enterprises in China specific for pollution control. The Europe and US should also reach a hand. Some people defined Capitalism in the older comment. You Capitalism countries should care the major customers nowadays and future–not only people in your own system but also Chinese people.
China has 1.3 billion customers. Trust me! It is more profitable to serve the needs of the billions in china and make money by providing them with wellbeing. So why not investing pollution control in China right away?! China is still very lacking high-technology. Don’t be cheated by what you see in Beijing, Shanghai. The vast poor regions in China represent China mainly.
Welfare is not the answer. It doesn’t work domestically and it hasn’t worked in Africa, why would it work in China? Without a respect for individual property rights I’m not sure where the incentive for pollution control is. Without a sound monetary system and with the Chinese still buying US debt and pegging their currency to ours, the US can continue with the massive trade imbalance buying cheap imported goods and exporting our inflation to China. Eventually it will end, it’s too bad the average Chinese has to suffer for it.
Common Chinese and western people cannot affect Chinese government at all. This is not a era when people like violent revolution. Chinese politics is like a cancer patient. It realizes the danger of corruption, but it just cannot heal itself. In the late 1940s, the previous KMT President Chiang Kai-shek talked to his son about corruption, “If we reform to control the corruption, then KMT will be over; if we don’t reform, then the country will be over.” Sixty years pasted, the new China encounters the same problem. It’s not a good idea to count on any effective reform in the near future including the respect for individual property rights and human rights. But I believe China is improving its politics slowly, and I already see its gradual changes in recent years.
What I mean in my last post is to encourage the developed countries have their own pollution-controlling enterprises in China. So China will keep developing both economically and politically, meanwhile the pollution is under control.
I think your first sentence is probably very accurate. “Buy Local” and “Buy American” are all fine and dandy if you can afford to do either. If you are a low income family, you will continue to buy low cost products and no one can say that’s a bad idea. For those of you who want to force choices on consumers, the only way to do it reliably is through price. And the best way to let prices reach a natural equilibrium is through a sound monetary system with hard currency.
It almost seemed like China’s desire to be on the top of the world stage and the shame that the Olympics caused regarding pollution were doing more than any market incentives could… but people have short memories, so shame is a poor tool for reform.
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This is a massive travesty. Absolutely horrifying. I hope the Chinese government and the world wakes up to this awful reality or more lives will be destroyed or lost. My God, what a nightmare.
Who cares if it is capitalism, socialism, or communism? You should care that people have to suffer like this, regardless of where it comes from. If people stopped being self righteous maybe, just maybe, it would change. This, along with so many other horrifying things, will happen no matter what government is in place. What the problem really is are selfish, spoiled, stubborn people that are willing to put others through this, PERIOD.
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No, this is not capitalism, this is the reality of socialism (not the idealistic theory) that tries to employ the concept of capitalism for the gain of the corrupt communist regime. China realizes that in order to compete with the west–and subsequently line their pockets with the cash–that they must produce items cheaply. Thus they cut corners, pollute, mandate, ignore consequences, etc. etc. all for the “greater good” of the people. The problem lies with the fact that those most affected by this have little if any say in the process. Capitalism is not a political concept, it is an economic one, and can be and invariably is adopted by any political ideal (see China/Socialism/Communism(now capitalistic) and USA/Democracy/Capitalism for the extreme examples). The difference is that in a system where the democracy is supposed to be pure (communism), power resides almost completely at the top and thus is near complete corruption. What this has done is that it has exposed our mature democracy here in the US as we already have the regulations in place to protect the people, which were voted on by the people the way a democracy is supposed to work. In turn this adds cost to our products and makes them uncompetitive with the Chinese products. Does that mean that their method of government is more desirable? Absolutely not, and although it may progress slowly I think you will soon begin to see the people of China start to demand the democratic reforms that their new found wealth will empower. And it is interesting to note that as our own government moves closer to the reality of socialism (not the ideal), how the corruption has become much more pervasive in the institutions of both the government and business we own. Freedom is something we should not take for granted, it can often be fleeting and when neglected and disregarded just might go away. It is interesting to note that if I were to express something like this in China, it is likely that I would go to prison…for a very long time if not forever.
[...] 5) Amazing Pictures, Pollution in China [...]
China is just like every other developing nation. If they can get away with polluting unpunished they will. It’s got nothing to do with Communism, its just the price of doing business with business people more interested in profits, bribes and power. Don’t fool yourself, you probably buy products from these companies, re-branded and marketed to wealthy nations. Buy local, thats the only sustainable way to keep this planet alive.
[...] in China http://www.chinahush.com/2009/10/21/amazing-pictures-pollution-in-china/ (thanks [...]
Well done Mr. Photographer, This is only a very small part of our Lovely Blue planet pollution
It does not stop,here,,,,,least you are honest what is happening in China (corner)
Wake up,,all the hidden so,,call Develop Countries,,,,,,Same lovely shit all sweep under the carpets… Now you know why we have big,,Shit with our climate problem,ha!!!!!!God made !
Ehh,?…..All so call Rich superman,,,,,wait for your your grand children turn to face this music. Oh,YES,,,,,,I wanna keep all this money for my future generation,,,,Good Luck
The True fact about our world leader meeting,,,,,,,,,,,for green house effect,,,,,is just a tea, and beers parties,,,,,Are they very serious about they backyard.,ha!!!!!!after the wine and beers,,,,,oh,,,,,,,,,We have forgotten of that,,,,,,,Sorry cure all….
Our lovely humans,,,,,in every countries,,,,,,should be educated,,,,to STOP .more productions
All this Pollution ,came from our Lovely Humans DEMAND,,,,Yes,we need more,and more…..
This isn’t about any kind of ‘ism’. It’s about making money. There were parts of the US that looked like this when we were a developing nation. Go read “The Jungle”. Or look up some photos of Pittsburgh or other steel-making cities back in the 40′s and 50′s.
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