Really, is that so?

I just read an article from Reuters website on China and their claims of reduced pollution. In the article, China says key pollution levels nudge down, the China Daily reported a 1.81% drop in sulphur dioxide emissions and a 0.28% drop in chemical oxygen demand (a measure of water pollution). All this is good to hear, but considering that China is a communist nation, how much can we here in the west believe?

The pollution levels of many Chinese cities has been under scrutiny by the United Nations Environment Programme mostly over concerns about athletes health for the 2008 Olympic Games. Most cities are reported to be blanketed with smog, this can't be good for anyone, never mind the world's elite athletes. All this pollution can't stay in China, just like all the pollution we have here in the Americas can't stay here, winds will blow air borne pollutants around the globe.

As China emerges and its economy grows, so do the levels of pollution. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm sure we all can agree on this one, I like breathing. Our planet is definitely warming up because of air borne pollutants, and our generation has to take responsibility to start the process of cleaning up our environment. I just hope that we all still can breathe clean air 10 to 20 years from now!