After Gutenberg

According to Examiner.com, PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) will help China develop more energy efficient buildings. The lab, in Richland, WA, is part of the national laboratories program that will be overseen by the new secretary of Energy, Steven Chu.

The new energy efficiency program is a cooperative effort between the U.S. departments of State and Energy. The State Department awarded PNNL a $518,000 grant for the program. The basis of the program is that PNNL researchers will oversee development of stricter building codes that promote energy efficiency. A pilot program will start with officials in two Chinese cities.

Indoor and outdoor air pollution consists of particle matter (PM) and pollutant gases, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), and hundreds of organic gases and acids. Air pollution results from the combustion of biofuels from indoors; biomass burning outdoors; and combustion of fossil fuels for power generation and transportation.

Since “half of the world’s new construction is expected to occur in China in the next decade, …U.S. and Chinese officials hailed the program as a way to combat global warming.” Such increased cooperation between China and the United States may be a good thing since the 2 countries are the world’s largest energy consumers (and greatest polluters), China, because of its population, and the United States, because of per capita consumption of resources.

Cumulative Fossil Fuel Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Different Countries as a Percent of Global Total in 2005

Explanation of title:

Grey-jing is the pejorative nickname given to the capitol of China by those visiting it during the 2008 summer olympics.

The first part of the title is a vague hand wave to Charles Reich’s “The Greening of America” and how one might look at events from different levels, e.g.,

World View

At one level, my commentary is referencing Atmospheric Brown Clouds with their impacts upon:

1. Weather patterns (read climate change),
2. Glaciers (read albedo),
3. Agriculture (read food), and
4. Health (read respiratory disease and cardio-vascular problems).

Organizations

At a second level, it is a report on development throughout various large institutions.

Person

At a third level, it simply is a picture of a person flying a kite… in Tiananmen Square… as a giant smog cloud blocks the sunlight.