The current hype around the pollution challenges Beijing is facing in the lead up to the Olympics offers an interesting opportunity for a microcosm view of pollution management issues world-wide.

This Wall Street Journal article highlights the economic impacts of excessive pollution.   “Two years ago, with the air quality across the country getting worse, China's leaders began realizing that pollution was threatening to destroy the economic progress that had created it.”

A variety of measures are being put in place at great speed to attempt to counter some of the effects, from forcing cars off the streets, halting construction, to encouraging work from home or online work solutions to discourage traffic.

“Though countries including the U.S. and Japan have used similar tactics to curb pollution, scientists say the speed and sheer extent of China's changes make it an ideal laboratory to measure what works.”

Given that most of the more immediate tactics involve ways to get cars off the streets, it suggests a compelling case for dense, walk-able, transit connected environments and changing habits and attitudes.

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