Conservation 101: the Compete to Conserve Blog

photo credit: Nicholas_T

After looking into China’s Weather Modification program, and its Olympic Weather plans, I began to wonder what kind of effect such practices could have long term.

Putting aside the image of regional farmers equipped to work rocket launchers and anti-aircraft artillery—which leads to a whole different set of concerns—I wondered about the dangers of shooting silver iodide into the sky. Wasn’t anyone concerned about what kind of rain was coming back down?

Turns out, they are.

While researchers from organizations like North American Weather Consultants Inc (NAWC) claim that the silver iodide crystals are so dispersed only trace amounts can be found in test samples that fall to Earth, others are crying foul.

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photo credit: linh.ngân

In the years approaching the 2008 Games, the Chinese government formed a Weather Modification office to address weather and pollution concerns. The goal: Create optimum conditions by making it rain when they want and keeping it away when they don’t.

When the country first started fooling with Mother Nature, back in 1958, the primary focus was farm regions, where drought lingered and crops suffered. But over the decades the techniques they developed have been used to fight fires, prevent hailstorms, replenish riverheads and reservoirs, sweep away pollution and ease a heat wave.

Does that mean the grey haze over George Hincapie and other Olympic cyclists or the rain that fell on beach volleyball competitors were signs of China’s weather control success? When you consider the clear skies over the Opening ceremony…maybe.

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