Maslow Explains World's Most Polluted Cities

Arrived today in Beijing, home to notoriously polluted air, and noticed this article on CNN.com's international edition about the 20 most polluted cities in the world, none of which are in China. More than anything else, I suspect this is evidence of a version of Maslow's famous need hierarchy. Less developed--and less broadly affluent--places have other concerns besides the environment. Bad as the air can be, China is further along the development curve.