Isn't this whole global warming panic about pollution?

Question

Now they are saying the pollution in China is ok...WHAT? check this out. BEIJING (AP)—The International Olympic Committee’s chief medical official expressed confidence Tuesday that air pollution will not pose a major risk to athletes and visitors at the Beijing Games.

Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC medical commission, said the committee is evaluating the city’s air quality based on standards set by the World Health Organization.

“Those standards are fairly tough to meet, but in many respects the Beijing area does so,” Ljungqvist said on the opening day of the IOC’s three-day session. “I’m sure, I’m confident the air quality will not prove to pose major problems to the athletes and to the visitors in Beijing.”

Still some American track cycling athletes arrived in China’s capital on Tuesday wearing face masks.

“You got to take every chance you have just to protect the airways,” Michael Friedman said. “It’s really just taking every precaution necessary. Who knows how bad it’s going to be in a few days so if you can resist any air pollution, any contaminants, then you know it’s better performance hopefully.”

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But Ljungqvist stressed there was no need for athletes to wear anti-smog masks unless they suffer from asthma or similar respiratory ailments.

“I am certain that it was in no way intended to be disrespectful,” U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said. “It is an athlete’s choice. However, it didn’t seem to be necessary today.”

Beijing’s polluted air has been one of the biggest worries for Olympic organizers and prompted drastic measures earlier this month that included pulling half the city’s 3.3 million vehicles off the road, halting most construction and closing some factories in the capital and surrounding provinces.

The IOC will receive data every hour to monitor the situation throughout the Aug. 8-24 games.

“We will evaluate those and, should problems arise, we may have to take some action,” Ljungqvist said.

The IOC has said outdoor endurance events, such as the marathon and road cycling race, could be postponed and rescheduled should smog levels be too high.

On Tuesday, Beijing was shrouded in a light gray haze.

Ljungqvist said he met with the WHO’s local representative three days ago who expressed concern over the “exaggeration of the problem that has been seen in the media.”

Ljungqvist said the WHO standard was meant only as a guideline for protecting the long-term health of local residents, not for temporary visitors such as Olympic athletes and visitors.

“That is a totally different matter,” he said. “To come to a city even though the air quality (might be) inferior, the long-term effects should no longer be feared by temporary visitors.”

Ljungqvist said the WHO has three standards for measuring air quality, and Beijing comes under the interim target for developing cities and countries.

He said athletes in Beijing will face the same conditions of high heat and humidity that were prevalent in Atlanta in 1996 and Athens in 2004.

“The mist in the air that we see in those places, including here, is not a feature of pollution primarily but a feature of evaporation and humidity,” Ljungqvist said. “We do have a communication problem here. Once the misconception has become sort of established in the minds of people, it’s not that easy to get the right message through.”

At a separate news conference, Ljungqvist said air-quality readings from 27 measurement sites around Beijing since July 27 offered “encouraging” results.

“Although the two first days suggested some measurements a little above the interim target, they have now gone down, and we are steadily below the interim target,” he said.

Answer 1

Well duh, pollution is suppose to be one of the main reasons for global warming. I've also heard that gobal warming is the result of the tilt in the earth's axis and the great flood from Noah's time was the last time the earth was in that position. It's suppose to happen like every 5000 years or so. But the world would still be a better place if we stopped polluting everything, it's gross.  

Answer 2

yes and what country can profit more off oil

Answer 3

You are so right, when we start controlling the environment and cleaning up the air pollution, then we will be able to stop worrying about Global Warming.

Answer 4

global warming is a real problem and about more than pollution.  some of it natural climate cycles, about which we can't do much.  but the part we can do a lot about is burning of organic fuels and creating carbon dioxide which creates the greenhouse effect and heats the earth.  If we humans don't get a handle on everything we do to over-populate, consume unwisely, flaunt our buying power, etc, everyone will suffer.  

Not everyone will make it - 25,000 people a day die of starvation - and it's easy to ignore entire populations in Africa, Asia and Latin America because they aren't on our doorstep.  However those of us who live in so-called developed countries contribute far more than poor people to pollution, global warming, etc.  We're extremely wasteful in all areas of our lives, from use of paper products (tissue, paper towels) to overheating/overcooling our homes to driving huge, overweight gas guzzlers.  Don't those of us who can afford things have a moral obligation to set an example for our neighbors?

Answer 5

No, it is about the ultimate scam, perpetrated by the ultimate scam artists. hey live in mansions and fly inn private jets while they tell us how to live, what to drive and what to do.  Then, they start carbon footprint companies and sell us expensive "Earth Friendly" items to make us feel better about us ruing the planet.  Meanwhle the Dempcrats have the ultimate excuse to continue to raise taxes -- SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT!!  Did anyone tell China and India? The top and 3rd largets polluters of the planet?

Answer 6

Global warming's a panic driven mechanism designed to promote the leftist agendas under the guise of 'helping the planet'.  Thankfully the plan isn't working as well as it was intended, too many countries want nothing to do with providing financial assistance to the socialists who developed the scam.  Those who already are should reconsider their position.

Answer 7

Who said anything about pollution?  It's about CO2 (or simply:  The air we breath)....regulators believe they've devised a system to tax it.

Answer 8

Well the kyoto treaty is a great example of why the AGW is a scam if you read it china the worlds current largest polluter is not required to restict its golrwoth or GDP, only america and its main allies. SO it is about pollution yes but it is more about global wealth redistibutionthe old stalin way rises.,

Answer 9

pretty much, yeah. but because of pollution (global warming) , a hole has been created in the ozone layer, and glaciers are melting and lots of other bad things.

Answer 10

No, it's about power, extreme environmentalists want to take away your power and right, and force you to live in poverty.

Answer 11

No, it's about making you vote without thinking (there's no time!  we only have 10 years!  just vote without thinking!)