According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80 percent of the Earth’s natural forest already have been destroyed” (“Forest holocaust”,n.d.). “Emissions trends are continuing upwards, which contradicts political rhetoric globally,” Bill Hare, a Greenpeace adviser, said during the 166-nation U.N. climate talks in Bonn (“US Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up”, 2007). Since China is facing the same problems, deforestation and gas emissions have become the main catalysts for climate change since the 1990s to now.
While population growth has been cited as the main cause, the most important reasons for deforestation are economic. In fact, most reasons can be divided into two aspects---agriculture and industry. Due to overpopulation, water and the most other natural resources are not enough to meet the demands for Chinese people. However, the most crucial need is to have enough space for farming. Because of the limited arable land, large areas of trees have been felled to give room for agriculture. According to Freedman (n.d.), nomads are also forced to log trees to make space for cattle-raising and use woods for cook and heating. At the same time, mining also provides considerable economic profits which are much greater for people involved than the value of keeping the forests standing on the earth. As a result, the forest ecosystem is destroyed and the soil is exposed to the air. Without flora keeping the water in the soil, the soil becomes poorer and poorer. Gradually, parts of the soil change to sand, which increases the evaporability of the water in the soil and desertification appears eventually. Since the sands are too loose, every time a gale blusters sandstorms happen. Research done by China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has shown that sandstorms happen more frequently in the northeast part of China, from 9 times in 1999 to 18 times in 2006. Moreover, forests also can protect us from typhoons and floods. Thus, deforestation is one of the reasons that make the climate in China change a lot.
Gas emission is another major that leads to the climate change. Most cities of China, especially in western part, are still using coal as the main fuel for heating in winter. However, in order to lower the cost, the quality of coal cannot be guaranteed so that there are too many impurities in the coal. Hence, some harmful gases like sulfur dioxide and sulfur monoxide are released when people burn coal. Furthermore, eastern China is also facing the same severe air pollution but with a different reason. The dense population, smoke-belching factories and the large number of cars have produced dangerous levels of nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, especially in big cities in China such as Beijing and Hong Kong. The research down by University of Hong Kong shows that the air in Hong Kong contains almost three times more soot and other pollutants than New York’s and more than twice that of London (Ying Lou, 2007). As a consequence, when the harmful gasesing the atmosphere combined with rain water it leads to acid rain which can damage flora, animals and buildings fatally. In “Effects of Acid Rain” (n.d.), it is stated that the main components in acid rain are nitric acid and sulphuric acid which can directly destroy the protein of organisms and because of chemical reaction, calcium carbonate the main component of cement will be eroded also (“Effects of Acid Rain”, n.d.).
In a nutshell, deforestation and gas emissions are the two main catalysts for climate change in China. Sandstorms, typhoons, acid rains and many other natural disasters will be caused by these two problems. People cannot pretend to ignore those effects which are vitally related to the future generation. Thus, actions have to be done and sustainable development has to be called on!
Reference:
Freedman, B. (n.d.). Causes of deforestation. Retieved March 16, 2008, form,
http://science.jrank.org/pages/1976/Deforestation-Causes-deforestation.html
Effects of Acid Rain. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2008, from,
http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/thomas.wolosz/acid_rain.htm
Doyle, A. (May 9, 2007). US Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from,
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/09/107
Forest holocaust. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2008, from,
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/deforestation/effect.html
Lou, Y. (2007). Blue skies may cost dolphins dear. Hong Kong: The Standard.
Monday 31 March 2008
Wednesday 19 March 2008
Landfilling & Zero waste
Compared with landfilling, zero waste system is more environmentally friendly and should be carried out by all the countries.
In most developing countries, when people talk about “rubbish”, there will always be a in their mind----“landfilling”. In fact, landfilling is one of the easiest and oldest ways to deal with wastes because, in the past, chemical materials were much simpler than what we are using today. Most of those ancient materials were made of carbon, which could be easily destroyed by microorganisms in the soil. However, as technology develops, chemical materials are more complex. They are difficult to be broken down naturally. Thus, landfilling is no longer a good way to deal with the rubbish.
Compared with landfilling, a new recycle system named “zero waste system” is being used in some countries. Zero waste system is to make the materials that can be repaired, reused or recycled. In other words, it collect back the rubbish that can be recycled and process with industrial method in order to help people fully make use of the resources again and again. Hence, more technology is involved. Of course, completely “zero” cannot be reached but we can still get many other benefits. Because zero waste system requires more technology inside, we need more man force to proceed the generation. As a consequence, jobs will be provided and business will be created.
In conclusion, even through, because of the technology involved, the cost of zero waste system is higher, we can benefit from both environment and ourselves!
In most developing countries, when people talk about “rubbish”, there will always be a in their mind----“landfilling”. In fact, landfilling is one of the easiest and oldest ways to deal with wastes because, in the past, chemical materials were much simpler than what we are using today. Most of those ancient materials were made of carbon, which could be easily destroyed by microorganisms in the soil. However, as technology develops, chemical materials are more complex. They are difficult to be broken down naturally. Thus, landfilling is no longer a good way to deal with the rubbish.
Compared with landfilling, a new recycle system named “zero waste system” is being used in some countries. Zero waste system is to make the materials that can be repaired, reused or recycled. In other words, it collect back the rubbish that can be recycled and process with industrial method in order to help people fully make use of the resources again and again. Hence, more technology is involved. Of course, completely “zero” cannot be reached but we can still get many other benefits. Because zero waste system requires more technology inside, we need more man force to proceed the generation. As a consequence, jobs will be provided and business will be created.
In conclusion, even through, because of the technology involved, the cost of zero waste system is higher, we can benefit from both environment and ourselves!
Tuesday 11 March 2008
untitled
Several problems have become the main catalysts for climate change in China from the 1990s to now. One major element is deforestation or desertification. Due to overpopulation, water and the most other natural resources are not enough to meet the demands for Chinese people. However, the most crucial need is to have enough space for farming. Because of the limited arable land, large scales of trees have been felled to give room for agriculture. As a result, the forest ecosystem is destroyed and the soil is exposed to the air. Without flora keeping the water in the soil, the soil is poorer and desertification appears. What’s worse, together with the deforestation, more climate disasters take place, like drought, sandstorm, floods and typhoon. Research has shown that sandstorms happen more frequently in the northeast part of China, from 9 times in 1999 to 18 times in 2006. Moreover, gas emission is another reason that leads to the climate changes. The dense population, smoke-belching factories and the large numbers of diesel vehicles have made for dangerous levels of nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, especially in big cities in China such as Beijing and Hong Kong. According to research at the University of Hong Kong, the air in Hong Kong contains almost three times more soot and other pollutants than New York's and more than twice that of London. (Ying Lou, 2007). Gas emission will also cause acid rain which can damage flora, animals and constructions fatally.
In conclusion, deforestation and gas emission are the two main catalysts for climate change in China. Sandstorms, typhoons, acid rain and many other natural disasters will be caused by these two problems.
Sunday 2 March 2008
Comparison and contrast
Since I came to Singapore, I have found several differences on dealing with water problems between Singapore and my country. China has much more serious water pollution comparing to Singapore due to the lack of awareness for recycling water and large human population.
The Chinese government has spent more than 30 years trying to find a high efficient method to clean the water which has been polluted already. However, we are still aiming at how to clean the polluted water and how to improve the working efficiency. During these 30 years, the local governments had tried thousands of times to clean moats and lakes which were polluted by the local and travelers. Even though they tried pumping the water dry, and cleaned all the mud and the garbage up, people still kept throwing litter and pouring used water into the moat or the lake. However, in Singapore you cannot see people littering or pouring waste into the river, because a series of strict laws have been set up to prohibit people doing this. Hence, Singaporean put more effort on water recycle to relieve the vexation of water shortage.
Why cannot the Chinese government follow Singapore’s steps? Maybe population is one of the main reasons that we need to take into consideration. Because of the huge population in china, it is not easy to put a set of laws, which is reasonable for every province, into practice and it is also very complicated due to the Chinese basic condition.
(thanks fo sumon's kindly editing)
The Chinese government has spent more than 30 years trying to find a high efficient method to clean the water which has been polluted already. However, we are still aiming at how to clean the polluted water and how to improve the working efficiency. During these 30 years, the local governments had tried thousands of times to clean moats and lakes which were polluted by the local and travelers. Even though they tried pumping the water dry, and cleaned all the mud and the garbage up, people still kept throwing litter and pouring used water into the moat or the lake. However, in Singapore you cannot see people littering or pouring waste into the river, because a series of strict laws have been set up to prohibit people doing this. Hence, Singaporean put more effort on water recycle to relieve the vexation of water shortage.
Why cannot the Chinese government follow Singapore’s steps? Maybe population is one of the main reasons that we need to take into consideration. Because of the huge population in china, it is not easy to put a set of laws, which is reasonable for every province, into practice and it is also very complicated due to the Chinese basic condition.
(thanks fo sumon's kindly editing)
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