Beijing’s city government has solved one of the fears for the Summer Olympics in August: pollution has been banned in the weeks before and during the Games. Environmental action by temporary edict: Al Gore will be so proud.

Concrete pouring, excavation, and other smog-inducing activities will cease for a month before the athletes formally arrive. The heaviest polluters have been told to tone it down to the order of thirty percent. Come back, marathoners; all is forgiven!

It’s uncertain this action will be enough to even keep up appearances in one of the most smog-laden cities in the world, but it cannot alleviate Beijing’s biggest ‘pollution’ problem: protesters.

Here’s hoping the Party’s cleansing efforts don’t extend to all dissenters. Let’s keep the violence in the judo ring.