China's Smog Research Paper

China’s Smog and its Connections to the World

China leads the world in energy consumption, carbon emissions, and the release of major air and water pollutants, and the environmental impact is felt both regionally and globally.

-Ma Jun

“Ahh…” Breathe in that fresh air. That “fresh air” can also contain radon, smog, and smoke; and China has all of it.

China’s smog has very bad effects on the people of China. From what I’ve learned, I think I know the 3 culprits of this horrid smog.

1. Energy Usage: Like any country, China needs energy. Fossil fuels, which are used for energy, release carbon into the atmosphere. The carbon can turn into smog. In my health book, it explains how smog can affect a person’s lungs and heart, damaging them in the long run.

2. Property: The Gobi Desert is constantly growing; how? China has many big, bustling cities that need room to grow. Many people cut down trees to make room. This loss of trees near the Gobi has caused smog too. To get rid of trees, they are sometimes burnt. The smoke from the burning trees causes smog to fill the air.

3. Population: China has a population of over 1.3 billion people. With that many people, the economy has to give those people jobs. A common job is getting rid of trees. Along with polluting the air, deforestation, the destruction of forests, can also destroy habitats. Destroying an animals habitat, can cause the species to go extinct.

China’s smog isn’t the only time something like this has happened. The Dust Bowl destroyed acres of land with dust. Easter Island no longer has trees. Learning from our mistakes can hopefully save China.