Jacewicz, N. (2016, July 19). The Smoggy Seas: Cargo Ships Bring Pollution, Health Risks. Retrieved November 19, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/07/19/486151324/the-smoggy-seas-cargo-ships-bring-pollution-health-risks/
The ports of China are extremely busy, thousands of containers moving throughout daily. This has lead to an increase in pollution in the surrounding areas. From satellite data scientists have found the levels of pollution beinging imitated and where the levels are the highest. They found that those ships now account for 16 percent of carbon emissions compared to the 4 to 7 percent of 2002-2005. In addition the most carbon dioxide and sulfur being emitted 20 nautical miles from shore.
This surprises me, as I thought much like Dr. Brian Christman that shipping was a much cleaner transportation than trucks and planes. I think it has to do with the lack of giant smoke stacks like the older ships. China has become a huge exporter and importer and this has had a huge impact on China’s environment and not for the better. There is quite clearly a lack of legislation in China to combat this problem. The air in China is getting worse and worse this is not helped by the sulfur and Carbon dioxide being spewed into the air.
This makes me think about placing smoke purifiers/filters on the tops of the pipes that emit the smoke. Unfortunately, there is no real incentive for the people on the ships to do this. Do you think the government could implement some sort of incentive where not only ships, but factories, businesses, and maybe one day even cars, to have a filtration device installed on the pipes that ultimately emit the smoke and emissions that contribute to the pollution?