The global environment is deteriorating. I saw this firsthand on my trip to China several years ago. The plane arrived a few hours behind schedule because of blowing dust. As I disembarked, I noticed the jetliner was covered with black particles of "yellow sand."
Yellow sand, whipped up by sandstorms in China's arid regions, flies eastward over the continent and reaches Japan in the early spring. This year sand-carrying clouds were observed for a record number of days over many parts of the country, from Kyushu to Hokkaido.
Yellow sand is said to be caused by desertification due to development in China's inland areas. However, global warming lies at the root of the problem.