Image showing the extent of a Chinese factory.
Works Cited:
http://www.rense.com/general84/a6.jpg
Monday, December 15, 2014
America's Hand in Chinese Industry's Human Right Violations
Many products which fill the shelves of stores in America have that one sticker that we all recognize, that little gold oval which states "Made in China". "Made in China" is synonymous with "made cheaply, efficiently, and without any regard to the employees who toiled long hours to make this product". The factories in China which manufacture goods to be exported have very poor conditions for the workers who receive minimal pay. Many of the companies which own these factories will actually build enormous dorms and malls right next to the factory. This enables them to milk every bit of money out of the operation, leaving as little for the employees as possible. But what is America's hand in this? There is no denying that the United States is fueling this by the enormous amount of goods which are imported each year from China. Does this leave America responsible? No. The Chinese government and the companies which operate the factories are to blame. China has had a very controlling government which restricts the freedom of it's citizens. The government in China has also lacked in showing concern for the wellbeing of it's people, often giving the impression that they would rather have China as a nation succeed than it's people. In many cases the companies outsource to China for the sole purpose of saving money by cutting what the employee deserves. I feel that the United States should, however, call for China to reform the way they allow their people to be treated.
Melamine: The Truth
Melamine is a chemical that has a high nitrogen content which is typically in the form of crystals.
Why? What is it's purpose?
Melamine is used in many different plastics and kitchenware, and was previously used as a fertilizer due to it's high nitrogen content.
Is it dangerous?
Melamine can have some serious ramifications if ingested. No human tests have been preformed but animal tests have shown it to cause kidney stones, kidney failure, and in some instances death.
What is the relation between China and melamine?
It has been revealed that there has been melamine added to several food products in China. The Chinese would use water to dilute their milk at one point, but it was eventually discovered because of the evident drop in protein content during tests. They were able to "fix" this issue, however, by adding melamine to the milk. The high nitrogen content of the melamine would skew the tests to make apparent protein increase. There was also a case in 2007 where many cats and dogs died as a result of dog food that had been contaminated with wheat gluten and rice products that had been "enriched" with melamine.
Works Cited
http://www.rense.com/general84/a6.jpg
http://www.who.int/csr/media/faq/QAmelamine/en/
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Rice Paddies
Rice has been a staple part of the Chinese diet for ages. Southern China has an ideal climate for rice farming, with some areas even able to yield two crops each year. Terrain, however, is not as ideal but has been overcome for thousands of years. The inhabitants of the Yunnan Province in China have terraced the hills and mountains to allow for an exponential increase in arable land.
Works Cited:
http://www.lovethesepics.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Terrace-rice-fields-in-Yunnan-Province-China-2.jpg
Interest in Fujian Province
The Fujian Province is located in southwestern China and is home to a mesmerizing landscape. Mount Wuyi is a beautiful landmark and part of the landscape here in the Fujian Province. It is surround by gorgeous clear rivers and beautiful waterfalls.
Works Cited:
http://www.globeimages.net/data/media/89/mount_wuyi__china_photo.jpg
Relation of Elevation and Population Density in China
The image below from Google Earth shows the general topography of the eastern majority of China. The far right line starts at 500 feet and elevation increases by 500 feet for the three lines to the left up to 2000 feet (increases by 500 feet up to the first teal line). From the 2000 foot elevation line each subsequent line to the left increases by 1000, up to 6000 feet (second teal line). Each line to the left of the 6000 foot line marks an increase of 2000 feet, up to the last line representing 10,000 feet.
The map below examines the population density of China. As one can see, the east coast is far more densely populated than the Tibetan Plateau to the west. Habitation of these lower elevations is a result of the moderate climate available which provides more resources and arable land.
Works Cited
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma87f1qH1r1qle605o1_500.gif
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