Project Plan

With China’s recent growth as both an economic and political power, the problem of pollution presents itself. Over the past few decades, China’s rapid industrial boom has caused considerable damage to their ecosystem, with much of the countries large metropolitan areas without sunlight for the majority of the year. Health concerns have also risen with a terrifying increase in cancer, respiratory, and poisoning problems. Also, with the Olympics approaching, these concerns are magnified with the whole world watching. That being said, China’s growth can be attributed to its increased role as an exporter of goods to large nations such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France, among others. With all of this in mind, it is becoming increasingly important for the world to take notice of China’s pollution problem and seek solutions.

Themes:

1. The Cause of China’s Pollution

- How has China’s recent economic growth played a role in the increase of China’s pollution?

- What steps has the Chinese government taken in the past to reduce pollution?

2. 2008 Beijing Olympics

- What concerns do the participating nations have with the pollution in China?

- How has the Olympic Committee addressed the issue of China’s pollution?

3. Health Concerns Associated with the Pollution

- How has the health of overall population been affected by pollution?

- Beyond the harm done to human health, how has the pollution affected the health of their ecosystem?

Project Plan:

In order to understand the problem of China’s pollution, it is important to first understand what is causing it and how the Chinese have reacted to the problem. Furthermore, this problem has become a global problem with the steady approach of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Olympics, being a global event, attract the attention of the most powerful nations on Earth. With the rampant health problems throughout China, the leaders of these nations are obviously concerned with how their teams will be affected by the exposure to China’s pollution.

We plan on researching scientific journals reporting on evidence about the pollution of China and the affect it has had on the health of citizens. We will be looking at China’s growth as an industrial revolution. We will research government documents and news articles for official press releases and other statements.

Project Schedule:

Our group is meeting every week to discuss and work on our project. Our primary task is to research and analyze our projects focus. We hope to plan a few interviews with athletes going to China, people who have lived abroad in China, and a few other experts. We also plan on laying out a schedule for having the paper completed about a week prior to the due date so we have time for revision and editing. We hope to write portions of the paper intermittently throughout the remainder of the semester until our due date.

Roles: Creative Lead/Editor: Seth

Project Manager: Rachel

Research Expert: Will

Research Expert: Brandon