Runaway growth and development have left about 70% of China’s lakes and rivers severely polluted, many unfit for human use of any kind. Indeed, nearly a half-billion Chinese lack access to clean drinking water, and the number of terminally polluted rivers and lakes grows daily.
最明显的迹象是流动在这个国家的河道和弥漫在空气中的代价。快速的经济增长使中国大约70%的河流遭到了严重的污染，许多已经不适合人类进行任何形式的使用了。事实上，几乎有近五亿中国人无法获得干净的饮用水，而遭到严重污染的江河湖泊的数量每天都在增加。