Black Gold
Jan. 14, 2008 - Liaoning, China - Workers produce charcoal near the famous Changbai Mountain in northwestern China, across the border from North Korea. Traditional charcoal production causes deforestation and environmental pollution from the release of tars and poisonous gases, but the fuel remains in high demand for winter heating. Coal is a double-edged sword for China, for the booming economy it's "black gold," yet it's also a dark stain on the world's fragile environment. Unless China finds a way to clean up its coal plants and the thousands of factories that burn coal, pollution will increase both at home and abroad. Over the next 25 years, the increase in greenhouse gases from China's coal use will likely surpass that produced by all industrialized countries combined.
Picture ©Pictures by Tian Li/Gamma/ZUMA
submissions