Car, truck, truck, big truck, bicycle, bicycle, bicycle. The perspective of a cyclists in China. There are tons of bicycles in China, in fact more than any other country, which is how it got its nickname “The kingdom of bicycles” or in Chinese “Zi Xing Che Wang Guo” it seems however that this isn’t for any environmental reason as much as it is economic.
From moving massive construction cranes on huge flat-beds to people biking from their village to work the field we have seen it all in China. We have biked through incredibly polluted areas laden with factories spewing smoke. We have biked over rivers with banks covered in garbage, running black with pollution, and making their way out to the sea. We have spent days riding into and out of huge metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai. But we have also seen the families walking to their fields, the fields they use for self subsistence farming.
It becomes easy to point a finger at the common enemy, China, with all it’s problems and harm-causing money-making industries that go into any industrializing country. Too bad it is true, that China as a whole has now surpassed all other countries at leaving a deeper carbon footprint. That the pollution is so thick in some areas that respiratory disease is the leading cause of death, and it has only been twenty years in most places where these factories have existed, what of the Children who will spend their entire lives living under these conditions?
This trip has allowed me to have a more wholistic view of this country, beyond the smoke stacks, highways, and coal run power, beyond the government, oil hungry officials, and rising middle class tourists are hundereds of millions of people who have no choice but to get up everyday and bike to their fields to grow a few vegetables, or walk to work through pollution created by the factories producing goods for us Americans. These people often have one light bulb hanging in the center of their house, one television, and consume relatively few pre-packaged products as compared to Americans. They rise and sleep with the sun. They are the forgotten China. Not that they choose this way of life, but because they have no choice. Which is important to consider as well. If they had the choice to live like this would they choose it, probably not. With this perspective pointing the finger soon becomes much more difficult.
In America I try to consciously consume less than the average American, however it is still incredibly more than so many people I see in the country-side of China. My plane ticket to come here for example created a much larger carbon foot print than that of many of the people I meet make in many months.
Many Chinese tell me of a common dream, that every person have a Car, like in America. I believe this dream would quickly become a nightmare. Perhaps we can make a few people consider something they don’t often consider by talking with them about it, but unfortunately I feel more is necessary.
A man in the city of Huzhou in Zhezhiang province with the English name of Mike was telling me of no car days, where in the city people are not allowed to drive cars on certain days. Beijing has had similar days as well, and has done test runs for the Olympics where factories and cars are not allowed to run. My understanding however that these days are generally ignored. I imagine such a day in the U.S. would have similar results. Maybe the realization of a problem is a good first step anyway.
The world is incredibly diverse, I have seen people drive their SUV down their driveway to get their mail and I have seen families with an old rusty bicycle as their only means of tranportation. Should we feel guilty for using what we have aqccured? Not neccissarily, but we can at least be concious and make a choice to consume less. For years messages of environmental protection have been drilled into our heads. Use reusable bags and imagine the tons of plastic that could be saved each year, bike to the grocery store instead of driving and imagine the fuel we would save. But what will it take to actually go through with these energy saving methods? I am guilty as well. Sometimes you conciously know what you are doing is wastefull yet you do it anyway. What will it take to change? In the U.S. there is a social stygma attatched to littering, probably because it is visible pollution that has an imidiate effect on our surroundings. But driving a Hummer to work for some reason is seen as impressive.
Clear facts pointing out how our world is being devastated is not working, perhaps however if the Jones’s talk behind our backs about how we leave our lights on when we go out people will be more likely to change. Well we need more talkers! Not behind any one’s back though, but in a respectable way, I feel to spread consciousness is really the best way.
thank you for your insight. It is difficult for people from third world countries to understand the outrageous use of power and resources when all they have seen is what is within a close perimeter of their life. How lucky we all are to have seen how others live and have the choices to live a more non-consumable life style. You all are the epitome of non-consumers. Yes you have left a carbon footprint,,,, when you flew …. but what an experience to share with others…. thanks for sharing and encouraging others to make some conscientious choices… take care, Netzy