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Environment BLOG |
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May 2008
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Do you remember when Los Angeles was hosting the Olympics back in 1984 and tried to rid the area of all the homeless so the city would look more inviting? Perhaps that was an easier task than what Beijing is facing as the smoggy Chinese capital prepares to host next summer's Olympic Games. Maybe it's because I can't imagine having world-class athletes inhale our Inland Empire smog at the height of summer when they're trying to break the 100-meter dash record that I find it so interesting. Or worse yet, trying to run a 26.2-mile marathon from Rubidoux to Mira Loma, where some of our worst air quality hovers. In fact. Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, said some Beijing Olympic events might be postponed if the pollution would put the athletes at risk. Some athletes and coaches said it could be a disaster changing events at the last minute. Some athletes, including those from the U.S., will be housed away from Beijing until right before the competition so they will not be exposed to poor air. Geez! The Chinese government is trying like crazy to find ways to abate the smog for the duration of the Olympics. Reports suggest they will shut down nearby industry and restrict the number of cars allowed to drive in the weeks leading up to the games. Then, if necessary, they'll try to dispel the smog with cloud-seeding technology to moisten it out of the air. Wow! That really seems extreme. And what happens after the Olympics? We've all heard the stories of how China's air pollution affects California. Now the New York Times is running a series on just how bad it is. Check out the latest story here. There's something about the Olympics that says summer and holding the events outside under the sunshine is part of it. But perhaps one day we'll have to hold the Olympics inside. Marathoners can run around on an inside track, again and again and again. |
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