Air pollution in Beijing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Air pollution in Beijing - Essay Example As this has occurred, countless thousands of factories have been erected to support this growth and to keep up with the increased demand. In the end, this has resulted in an unstable equation when considering pollution and the environment. It is well documented that pollution is a problem, particularly for the very old and very young among us. Pollution can upset the state of the ecosystem, cause children to miss out of valuable outside playtime, prohibit adults from free exercising, and contribute to a host of long-term illnesses such as cancer and breathing problems. There are many factors contributing to the pollution in Beijing, many being attributed back to the massive growth in the urban sector and the burgeoning number of factories and automobiles operating within the city. Couple that with the growing deforestation to make way for more buildings and urban development, and it does not take long realize the seriousness of the pollution issue in Beijing, China. This paper will d iscuss the problem of pollution in Beijing, its effect on the general population, and the problem that it poses for the environment if recent trends are not reversed. The Problem of Pollution Pollution is causing numerous problems in Beijing City. The situation affects the ecosystem and the health and safety of every person residing with the city limits. Ma, Lu, and Sun (2008) sum up the severity of the problem by pointing out, â€Å"The landscape pattern change in Beijing led by rapid urbanization has negatively influenced urban ecosystem health and has caused several environmental problems† (326). It is important that these issues be discussed openly, solutions proposed and implement, and that everyone does their part to begin to reverse the recent trends of over polluted air. Beginning with the changing landscape best approaches the problem. The past half-century has seen Beijing gradually lose must of its land to over development. Not only has this building boom created a n overabundance of polluting agents in the air, but it has deteriorated the very ecosystem that is designed to give new life to the city and to help rid the air of those very particles that cause damage (Ma, Lu, & Sun 327). While it is true that 50% of the world now live in Cities (United Nations, 2005), China far surpasses even this fact. It is important to examine the factors that lead up to the current pollution problem in Beijing by examining the reasons why the cities within the country has expanded so. China has the largest population in the world. This population explosion in the past century has greatly contributed to the rapid urbanization of its cities, and urban areas have seen record percentages of population growth. Beijing is not only the capital of China, but it is the third largest city in the country and it continues to grow and develop at a frightening and frantic pace. It is estimated that the urban density within Beijing itself is now up to a staggering 84.3%, wh ich is the second highest in China and one of the highest in the world (Ma, Lu, & Sun 328). In just the last 20 years, this urbanization and population growth has drastically changed the entire landscape pattern of the city, causing pollution to become an even greater problem as the pollutants simply have no where to go. The Chinese are notoriously quiet about problems existent in their communities, but recently there has been a public uproar against the air