"This request stimulated me to reflect on why our workers exposed to a toxic working environment could be saved only when pressure travels across the Pacific Ocean from a multinational headquartered in the United States," he said.

The experience exposed a clearer line of action that he committed himself to exploring. First, economic incentives could be a useful tool to motivate companies to comply with environmental regulations. In the future, Ma plans to install a search engine on his website to screen companies as his old client suggested. Second, Chinese people should take the initiative to save their own environment.

However, Ma's surprising finding in his surveys for compiling his online map, is that 33 multinational companies--up to mid-October--have been on Ma's list of companies of bad records. Five of the 33 companies are global Fortune 500 companies. "They have repeatedly stressed their commitment to environmental protection and good corporate citizenship to Chinese consumers. It is regrettable that they even failed to meet the environmental standards of the local government even if they have the capacity, capital and techniques to do so," said Ma. Several of these companies have tried to persuade Ma to pull their names off the list under the pressure from their parent company, but he has rejected all such requests. "I want them to respond in a positive way by doing practical work to solve their problems, rather than compete by lowering their environmental standards," he said.

Despite the many challenges, Ma is generally optimistic about environmental protection work in China. He said that the Chinese Government has paid increasingly more attention to environmental protection in the last two decades. This can be seen by the step-up of its national strategies from sustainable development, to scientific development concept and to harmony between nature and mankind. However, Ma pointed out that China's environment is still on a deterioration curve due to its massive industrialization and urbanization. "Our efforts could rarely pay off 'old debts' while 'new debts' are added every day," said Ma, referring to irreversible damage already done in the past. For this gatekeeper there is no going back. "Under such circumstances, we need extra efforts in order to bounce back from the pit we have dug for ourselves."