Woo ah, mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and
east
Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Ah oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, na na...
My sweet Lord... No
My Lord... My sweet Lord
MARVIN GAYE
Mercy, Mercy Me
An environmental disaster is a disaster
that is due to human activity and should
not be confused with natural disasters.
In this case, the impact of humans'
alteration of the ecosystems has led to
widespread and/or long-lasting
consequences. It can include the deaths
of animals (including humans) and plant
systems, or severe disruption of human
life, possibly requiring migration.
river.
Hoover Dam
THREE
GORGES
DAM
Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
Cost: Official cost $25bn - actual cost believed to be
much higher
Work began: 1993
Due for completion: 2009
Power generation: 26 turbines on left and right
sides of dam. Six underground turbines planned for
2010
Power capacity: 18,000 megawatts
Reservoir: 660km long, submerging 632 sq km of
land. When fully flooded, water will be 175m above
sea level
Navigation: Two-way lock system became
operational in 2004. One-step ship elevator due to
open in 2009.
China's controversial Three Gorges Dam project. It will not be fully operational
until 2009.
The project was begun in 1993 at an official cost of 200bn yuan
($25bn), though unofficial estimates are far higher.
In March the temporary cofferdam, which was used to block water
while the main body of the dam was constructed, was destroyed.
The dam is already open to traffic.
When the dam's reservoir reaches its final height of 175m, scheduled for 2009,
the five-chamber shiplock will raise boats by as much as 113m.
The primary aims of the dam are to alleviate flooding on the Yangtze River and
generate power. Fourteen turbine generator units are already in operation.
At least 1 million people are being relocated to make way for the project.
A billboard in the port of Wushan shows the height that the water
will reach, ultimately submerging all of its wharf facilities.
Those made homeless by the dam are being moved to new townships. Some say
they miss their old homes; others are pleased to have modern facilities.
Despite the amount of effort that has gone into the dam, critics are sceptical
that it will adequately control flooding and say silting may eventually clog up
its turbines.