Could We Escape Climate Change?

Blogs are like a diary and journal. It records a person's development in terms of mindset, spirit and emotion changes; Reading them is somehow like reading other's stories but reminds myself who I was and am and what I have been exploring and how to improve ...

1.11.06


San Francisco used to impress me with its beautiful, moderate climate, especially its comfy summer – while being braced with the chill breeze drifting from the icily cold Pacific Ocean, one could relax and sunbathe in the pampering, warm sun. To recapture this pleasure, this summer, I escaped the filthy, humid air and unbearably burning heat of Hong Kong, heading for SFC for a short stay in the Bay Area with my siblings.

Completely unexpected, my summer dream turned out to be a sweltering experience that I haven’t had for a long time – This stay coincided with the highest temperatures on record after 1895 in California – most people were living in 32oC to 34oC for 3 consecutive weeks without air-conditioners! And so was I! Unfortunately, more than one hundred old and poor people died of heat stroke. I was awaked by this experience that global warming is not only impending threat but it kills!

Nevertheless, SFC and the Bay Area’ sparklingly clear sky and admirably fresh air had made up for my ‘unperfected’ dream, still giving me a sense of blessed relief.

After 5 weeks, I went home to face the reality.

Approaching over HK islands, I was saddened. Looking out of the window of the plane, I couldn’t see through to its tropical landscapes and unique panorama. Everything was shrouded in tainted, dark, unhealthy smog from the two power plants, traffic to heavily pollutants from the smokestacks in the Mainland. Stepping out of the airport, I started to have a splitting headache and to sneeze all the time. I was a bit blue... It really took me some time to get through the migraines caused by the nasty green-house gases.

According to Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, the air pollution index has perched at high levels for most of this year. Its average air pollution indexes have doubled or even tripled the World Health Organization limit. Hong Kong’s worsening air pollution has been directly threatening our quality of life. It is estimated that the air mixed with an excess of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and respirable suspended particulates contributes to an extra 2,000 deaths a year. No wander 95% of executives interviewed by the local Chamber of Commerce recently are very worried about air quality and its effects on their health. A businessman explained to The Wall Street Journal about his family’s recent retreat to Australia: “You can drink bottled water. But with the air — you have to breathe it.”

Clearly, air pollution not only endangers our health, but threatens Hong Kong’s preeminent position as an international financial hub and the financial services capital of Asia. It is high time HK government committed to genuine reductions in air pollutants.


However, I was disheartened to find that Hong Kong’s chief executive, Donald Tsang has not shown his determination in cleaning the air in his last political address by giving a practical plan…


What can we do? Could we still evade the problems of air pollution and global warming? For how long will we have to tolerate the filthy smog?