China Wind

In stark contrast to the beauty of the spring flowers I posted about earlier, last Sunday brought with it the hwangsa ("yellow dust") wind and was probably the most disgusting bits of weather I've ever experienced, enough to bring Al Gore to tears. I seem to remember hearing about this weather pattern before moving here, but it's something else entirely to actually see it; it was like being in some sort of apocalyptic post-nuclear sci-fi movie. Essentially, it was a dust storm that originated in the Gobi desert and its environs (China/Mongolia), where increased farming has hastened desertification. However, according to the Korean Meteorological Association, the dust also carries with it dioxin particles, a by-product of China's industrial growth that just happens to cause cancer when inhaled. People were urged to stay inside and if they did go out, most wore the cloth masks that are so prevalent in this part of Asia. I took a taxi to Seongnamdong and was mesmerized by the bizarre yellow haze that blanketed Ulsan. Apparently, the problem is worsening. In the the past, Korea used to experience about four "yellow dust" days a year. 2006 had eleven, and 2007 has already seen five. Sunday was the worst that many had seen in their lifetimes. China has begun a reforestation project in the Gobi region in an effort to ameliorate the phenomenon, but one has to wonder if it's too little too late.