I never realized the job would be so tough

The phrase "environmental inspection" is now heard increasingly often in China. I have never doubted that being an inspector is tiring work, but I never realized just how tough it could be.

The first thing I did on June 25, when I met the environmental inspection team that was checking for discolored, malodorous water in Yulin, Shaanxi province, was join a patrol of a river the local government claimed to have cleaned up.

Shortly after the patrol began I was sweating heavily and discovered that my notebook, which I had put in my pocket, was getting damp. None of the pages was wet through, but the notepad felt as though it had been left in a humid room for several days.