 have addressed a vast range of environmental issues, from developing energy-efficiency programs for appliances to providing legal assistance for pollution victims to promoting fish circulation by removing some of the thousands of sluice gates blocking flows between lakes and rivers. Yet as smartly conceived as many of these efforts are, virtually all are pilot projects still overwhelmed by the immensity of the problems they take on.

THE TAO OF ZHANG

for the last leg of our Dark Places tour, Mr. Zhang planned to drive back to Beijing, some 200 miles, while traversing the industrial excrescence outside the capital that is both backdrop and counterpoint to the Beijing “miracle.” First we passed through a countryside “greenbelt” where the government has planted trees in U shapes in a dubious attempt to corral Mongolian dust before it reaches Beijing. Then we drove by a dozen or so recently installed windmills, their giant propellers so out of proportion to their hilly surroundings that they looked like catastrophically aberrant insects. By the time we dropped into the lowlands, the sky had turned from slate blue to white to a sinister, sunless gray, and coal announced its presence with mid-20th-century Pittsburghian vigor.

Mr. Zhang said he’d suffered long bouts of depression as he contemplated the coming ecological calamity and wrestled with his growing conviction that millions of people will suffer and die. Feeling guilty for using increasingly scarce water, he said he once even skipped bathing for a month and a half. Apparently unimpressed by this gesture, Ms. Lei asked if his wife approved. “Not completely,” he said, “but she has no choice.”

I could see beyond Mr. Zhang’s stubbornness now, to the earnestness and passion in his tormented embrace of environmentalism. He loves gadgets, yet he deplores consumerism. He believes that China’s tenure as the world’s manufacturer will be short, but blames the West for its predicament.

“China could have said no,” I said.

Not so, he answered—the glittery West has held China in its thrall from the beginning of its encroachment on the country a couple of centuries ago, and now its influence is too pervasive.

But environmental degradation has occurred throughout Chinese history, I said—it’s not just a Western creation. The Taoists who venerated nature were always outmanned by the social-
have addressed a vast range of environmental issues, from develop department of energy - efficiency programs for appliances to provide legal aid for pollution victims to promote pisces circulation by removing some of the thousand of sluice gate blocking flow between lakes and rivers. Yet as vigorously conceive as many of these efforts are, virtually all are pilot projects still overwhelm by the immensity of the problems they take on. 

 THE TAO OF ZHANG 

 for the final leg of our Dark Places tour, Mr. Zhang planned to force back to Beijing, some 200 miles, while traversing the industrial excrescence outside the capital that is both backdrop and counterpoint to the Beijing “ miracle. ” First we pass through a countryside “ greenbelt ” where the government has planted trees in U shapes in a dubious attack to corral mongol debris before it reaches Beijing. Then we drove by a dozen or so recently installed windmills, their giant propeller so out of symmetry to their hilly surroundings that they expect like catastrophically aberrant insect. By the time we dropped into the lowlands, the sky had turn from slate blue to white to a sinister, sunless gray, and ember announced its presence with mid-20th - century Pittsburghian vigor. 

 Mr. Zhang said he ’d suffered long bouts of depression as he contemplated the coming ecological calamity and wrestled with his grow conviction that million of people will suffer and die. Feeling guilty for using increasingly scarce urine, he said he once even skipped bathing for a calendar month and a half. obviously unimpressed by this gesture, Ms. Lei asked if his wife approved. “ Not completely, ” he said, “ but she has no option. ” 

 I could see beyond Mr. Zhang ’s stubbornness now, to the earnestness and passion in his tormented embrace of environmentalism. He love gadgets, yet he deplore consumerism. He believes that China ’s tenure as the worldly concern ’s manufacturer will be short, but blames the West for its predicament. 

 “ China could have said no, ” I said. 

 Not so, he answer — the glittery West has held China in its thrall from the beginning of its encroachment on the country a couple of centuries ago, and now its influence is too pervasive. 

 But environmental abasement has occurred throughout Chinese history, I order — it ’s not just a Western creation. The Taoists who venerated nature were always outmanned by the social-
 hage addressed a vast rangt of environmental issuev, from developkng energy-efficiency programd dor akiliances to providing legal asdistance for pollution tjctims bj prklotiug fish circulatlon by remoeing some of tve tkousands of sluice gates blocking fljws beteefn lakes and ryverx. Yet as smartly conceived as many of tgese efhorts are, virtuslly all are pilot projectd stlll overwhelmed by the immensuty jd the probleos they take on.

THE TAO OF ZHANG

for the last leg of ouf Darl Places tiue, Mg. Zhang planied to drive back bp Beijhng, somr 200 miles, while treverwing the industrial eecrescence outside tre capitan chat is both backdrop abd coonter[oing to tht Bxijjng “migacme.” First ws passed theough a countryside “gwvrnbelt” where the gjvqrnment has planted trees in U shapes it a dubious attempt to coreal Mongolian dust bevore it rqaches Beijing. Then we drove by a dozen or so recantly knsuaoled dunfmills, their giant propellers so out of propowfipn to their hilln surroundings thay hhri looked like zatastxkpgically aberrant ijsects. Fy thw time we drolped into the lowlands, the wky had turnvd feom slate blue to chite to a snnistet, sunlrss gray, and coal annouuced ifs presence with mid-20ff-century Pittsbufghpan eigor.

Mr. Efang said he’d sufsered lonj boucs of deoresxion af he contelplatcg the coming ecolohical cdlamity anf wrestled with his growing contmction that molniots of pejple eill suffer agd die. Feeling guilty for jsing incrvasingly vcarce watew, he said he mjce even ski'ped bathyng dor q month xnd a half. Appsrently uunmpressed by this gesture, Mx. Lgi asked if his wnye approved. “Not cpmpuetqlj,” hx saiq, “but she has no zhokve.”

I cuuld set bcyovd Mt. Zhang’s stubbornnesv nos, to the earnestnexs and paswion in ris tormented embrace of envirojmentelism. Ie lovrs dadgets, yet he deplores consumsrism. He helleves that Chyna’s tenure as tke world’s manufacturer will be short, but blames the West fir its predicament.

“Ckika could havx said no,” I saig.

Not so, he answered—tye glittery West mas held China in its fhrall from the beginning of its encroachment on the country a couple of centuries ato, and now its infmuenve is tjp pervwsivx.

Bnt environmental cegradation has occurred througiout Chineve history, I said—it’s not just s Destern creatkon. The Taoists who venedated nayure were always outmanned by tne social-
have addressed a vast range of environmental developing programs for to providing legal promoting circulation by removing of the thousands sluice gates blocking flows between lakes rivers. Yet as smartly conceived as many of these efforts are, virtually all pilot projects still overwhelmed by the immensity of the problems they take on. TAO ZHANG the leg of our Dark Places tour, Mr. Zhang planned to drive back to Beijing, some 200 while traversing the industrial excrescence outside the capital is both backdrop and to the Beijing “miracle.” First passed a countryside where government planted trees in shapes in a dubious attempt to corral Mongolian dust before it reaches Beijing. Then we drove by dozen or installed windmills, giant so of proportion to surroundings that they looked like catastrophically the time we dropped into the lowlands, the had turned slate blue to white to a sunless gray, and coal announced its presence with Pittsburghian vigor. Mr. Zhang said he’d suffered long bouts of depression as he contemplated the calamity and wrestled with growing conviction that of will and Feeling guilty using increasingly scarce water, he said he once even skipped bathing a month and a half. Apparently unimpressed by this gesture, asked his wife approved. completely,” he said, “but has choice.” I could see Zhang’s now, and in tormented embrace of environmentalism. loves gadgets, yet he deplores He believes that China’s will be short, but blames the West for predicament. “China could have said no,” I Not so, he answered—the glittery West has held China in its thrall the beginning encroachment on the country a couple of centuries and now its influence too pervasive. But environmental degradation has occurred throughout Chinese I not just Western creation. The who venerated nature always outmanned by
 have addressed a vast range of EnvironmenTal isSueS, frOm DeveLopiNg energy-efficiENcy pRograms for appliances to ProviDiNG legAL aSsistAnce for POlLUTioN vIcTimS tO PrOmotiNg fIsh circUlation by rEmoViNg some of the tHOuSands of sluIce Gates blockinG flOws betWeEn lAKes anD riVers. YEt as smARtly coNceived as MaNY of theSE effortS ARe, VirtUally all are pilot pROjECts still overwhElmed bY tHE iMMEnsIty Of the problEmS they TAke on.

THe tAo of zHAng

for the last leG of our Dark PLAceS tour, MR. ZHanG PlanneD to drIvE BacK to Beijing, sOme 200 mIles, while TraverSIng the iNDustriaL excreSceNce OutsIDe ThE caPiTAl tHAt Is bOTh bAckdrop aNd CoUnterPoinT TO THe BeIjiNg “miRacle.” first we passed ThrOugh A CouNtrysIde “grEenbElT” wherE the goVernmEnT has planted treeS in U Shapes in a DubIoUs aTtEmpt tO Corral monGolIan dust Before iT ReaChES bEiJing. Then we drove by a DoZEN oR so recenTly insTAlLeD WindmillS, tHeiR giaNT PropeLlerS So Out of proPortioN To ThEir hillY sUrrounDiNgs ThaT they LOokeD like cAtastropHicalLY aberrant insecTS. By the time we dROpPED iNTo thE loWlands, the skY had TUrneD froM SlAte BLue to White To A SiNIster, sunless gray, and CoAl annoUnced Its presence wiTh mid-20th-cenTURY PittsbuRghiAN vIGor.

Mr. Zhang said He’d suFfered long BOuts of dePressIon as he cOntemplatED The cominG ecOloGicAl cALAmIty and wrestleD WIth hIs Growing ConViction ThaT miLliOns Of People wilL suffer aNd DiE. FEeLinG guilTY for usinG iNcrEaSinGly scARce watEr, he sAid hE oNcE EveN skippeD BaTHIng fOr A mOnth And A hAlf. ApPareNTly UnimpreSsed by thiS geSTure, ms. leI asked iF his wife approVeD. “Not compleTeLy,” hE said, “bUT She has no Choice.”

I could see beyond Mr. zHang’s stUbbOrnneSs noW, to the earNesTness aNd pASsion iN his toRmentEd EmbRACe of eNVIrOnmEnTalism. He loVES gaDgets, YeT he dEplores Consumerism. He belieVEs tHat China’s tenuRe aS the WORlD’s mANuFActUrER wiLL Be short, but blameS the West foR iTS pRedicament.

“cHinA cOuld havE said no,” i said.

nOt so, he aNswered—thE glittery weSt haS HEld china in its Thrall frOm the begiNNing oF ItS encrOacHment oN tHe cOuntrY a coupLE of CentuRies agO, aNd now iTs infLuEnce is toO pervasive.

But environmenTal degRadatIon Has occurrEd tHRouGhout ChinEse hIstory, I saiD—it’S noT just A WeSTern cReatIOn. the tAoistS who VEnerated nATuRe wERE aLways outmanNED By tHe socIal-
 have addressed a vast ran ge of envi ronme nta l i ss ues,  fro m developing e n ergy -efficiency programs f or ap pl i ance s  t o pro vidingl eg a l  as si st anc ef or  poll uti on vict ims to pro mot in g fish circu l at ion by rem ovi ng some of t hethousa nd s o f  slui cegates  block i ng flo ws betwee nl akes a n d river s .  Y et a s smartly conceiv e da s many of thes e effo rt s  a r e , v irt ually allar e pil o t proje c ts s t ill overwhelmed b y the immen s ity  of th epro b lems t hey t ak e  on .

THE TAOOF Z HANG

for  the l a st lego f our D ark Pl ace s t our, Mr .Zha ng pla n ne d t o  dr ive back  t oBeiji ng,s o m e  200  mi les,  whil e traversingthe  ind u str ial e xcres cenc eoutsi de the  capi ta l that is bothback drop andcou nt erp oi nt to the Be iji ng“miracl e.” Fir s t w ep a s se d through a countr ys i d e“greenbe lt” wh e re  t h e govern me nthasp l anted  tre e sin U sha pes in adu bious a tt empt t ocor ral  Mong o lian  dustbefore i t rea c hes Beijing. T h en we drove b y  a d oz e n or  so  recently i nsta l ledwind m il ls, their  gian tp ro p ellers so out of pr op ortion  to t heir hilly su rroundings t h at theylook e dl ike catastroph icall y aberrant insects.  By t he timewe droppe d into the  lo wla nds , t h e  s ky had turned f romsl ate blu e t o white  to  asin ist er , sunless  gray, a nd  c oa lann ounce d  its pre se nce  w ith  mid- 2 0th-ce ntury  Pit ts bu r ghi an vigo r .M r. Z ha ng  sai d h e’ d suf fere d  lo ng bout s of depr ess i on a she  contem plated the co mi ng ecologi ca l c alamit y and wres tled with his growing c o nvictio n t hat m illi ons of pe opl e will  su f fer an d die.  Feel in g g u i lty f o r  u sin gincreasing l y  sc arcewa ter,  he sai d he once even ski p ped  bathing fora m onth a nd  ah al f . A pp a ren t l y unimpressed b y this ges tu r e,  Ms. Lei a s ked  i f his w ife app roved .  “Not c ompletely ,” he sai d,  “bu t she  has no ch oice.”
I could s e e bey o nd  Mr.Zha ng’s s tu bbo rnnes s now, tothe e arnest ne ss and  pass io n in his  tormented embrace of e nviron menta lis m. He lov esg adg ets, yethe d eplores co nsu mer ism.Heb eliev es t h at  Ch i na’stenu r e as thew or ld’ s ma nufacturerw i l l b e sho rt, but bl ames  the West for its predicament.
“Chi n a  co uld have  s aid no,” I sai d.
N o t  so, hean swered—theglittery  W e st ha s held  China  in its t hr a ll fro m th e b eginningofit s  encroa ch me n t on t he c ou ntry a  coupl e  ofc e nturies ago, and  nowi t s inf l uen ce is  t oo perv a sive .

But env ironmentaldegrad atio n has  occurr ed  throu gho ut  Chinese h i story, Isaid— it’s no tjust  aWester n cr e a tion.  The  T aoi sts who v e n er a te dn atu re w ere a lw aysoutmanned by the s oci a l-
 have_addressed a_vast range of environmental_issues, from_developing_energy-efficiency programs_for_appliances to providing_legal assistance for_pollution victims to promoting_fish circulation by_removing_some of the thousands of sluice gates blocking flows between lakes and rivers. Yet_as_smartly conceived_as_many_of these efforts are, virtually_all are pilot projects still_overwhelmed by_the immensity of the problems they take on.

THE_TAO_OF ZHANG

for the_last leg of our Dark Places tour, Mr. Zhang_planned to drive back to Beijing,_some 200 miles,_while_traversing_the industrial excrescence outside_the capital that is both backdrop_and counterpoint to the Beijing “miracle.”_First we passed through a countryside “greenbelt”_where the government has planted trees_in U shapes in a_dubious attempt_to corral Mongolian dust before_it reaches Beijing._Then we_drove by a_dozen or so recently installed windmills,_their giant propellers_so out of proportion to their_hilly_surroundings that they_looked_like_catastrophically aberrant_insects. By the_time_we dropped_into_the lowlands, the sky had turned_from_slate blue to white to a sinister,_sunless gray, and coal_announced_its presence with mid-20th-century_Pittsburghian vigor.

Mr. Zhang said he’d_suffered long bouts of depression as_he contemplated_the coming_ecological calamity and wrestled with his growing conviction that millions of_people will suffer and die. Feeling_guilty for using increasingly_scarce water,_he_said he once_even_skipped bathing_for a month and a half. Apparently_unimpressed by_this gesture, Ms. Lei asked if_his wife approved. “Not_completely,”_he said, “but she has no_choice.”

I could see beyond Mr. Zhang’s_stubbornness now, to the earnestness_and_passion_in his tormented embrace of_environmentalism. He loves gadgets, yet he_deplores consumerism. He_believes that China’s tenure as the world’s_manufacturer_will be short, but blames the_West_for its predicament.

“China could have said_no,”_I_said.

Not so, he answered—the glittery_West has held China in its_thrall from the beginning of its encroachment on the_country a couple_of centuries ago, and now_its_influence_is too pervasive.

But environmental degradation has occurred throughout Chinese history,_I said—it’s_not just a_Western creation. The Taoists who venerated nature were always outmanned_by the social-