Comparison of air quality in major cities

[aprimo]

I'm considering studying in China starting this fall. Right now I'm leaning towards Kunming. One reason for this preference is that I'm under the impression the air quality in Kunming is better than the other major cities.

Can those of you who have been in Kunming AND other cities in China give me your assessment of how the air quality compares between them? Can my impression be confirmed?

I'm currently in Taipei, and it would be nice to have cleaner air at my next destination.

[林彪]

Yeah, I heard the air in Taipei is really bad, because it's in a valley and they make lots of laptops and computer components there.

Mainland China should be better, but I don't know much about Kunming in particular.

I have heard though, that the air in Hong Kong is very good compared to other urban areas, because it faces the sea and has very little heavy manufacturing.

[Yun Feng]

Yeah' date=' I heard the air in Taipei is really bad, because it's in a valley and they make lots of laptops and computer components there.

Mainland China should be better, but I don't know much about Kunming in particular.

I have heard though, that the air in Hong Kong is very good compared to other urban areas, because it faces the sea and has very little heavy manufacturing.[/quote']

The following site may be helpful. I'm not sure if you can find similar information for Taipei in order to make a comparison.

http://www.zhb.gov.cn/english/air-list.php3

[Guest dong]

I came from China and can give you some personal experience for your reference. Beijing's air quality is bad although many measures are being taken to improve it and is expected to be better in the future. Surely, it will take some time. Tianjin, the nearest big city to Beijing, perhaps thanks to the smaller number of automobile, has a less polluted air, but still, not very comfortable, especially when comparised with Kunming.Actually, Kunming is the capital or hub of Yunnan Province rather than a big city, which is characterized by its warm climate and convenient links to many beautiful places in Yunnan. Kunming can provide cleaner air for being less industrialized.

[Ian_Lee]

I have heard though, that the air in Hong Kong is very good compared to other urban areas, because it faces the sea and has very little heavy manufacturing.

Another reason may be that the gasoline sold in HK consists of lower Lead content than those sold in Mainland cities.

Most taxis have also switched to use liqueified gas as fuel from diesel which causes less pollution.

[Quest]

Quote:

I have heard though, that the air in Hong Kong is very good compared to other urban areas, because it faces the sea and has very little heavy manufacturing.

Another reason may be that the gasoline sold in HK consists of lower Lead content than those sold in Mainland cities.

Most taxis have also switched to use liqueified gas as fuel from diesel which causes less pollution.

HK is often quite foggy. The reason it might be cleaner is because it's a developed urban center---fewer construction sites, construction trucks, more frequent street cleaning.

[eric]

I went all over China and I think the air really sucks throughout most of the country for some reason. In the south, they say it's like Fog, not polution, but if you ask people in other places they will tell you otherwise.

How can the whole country never have a clear day?

I think I have some pictures of Kunming, and indeed it looks a little clearer than the pictures from most cities, but I don't remember it being _that_ much better.

I think they have to stop burning that super impure coal in the winters, and impose some kind of polution restrictions on the cars there before you'll see clear days. (oh yea, they also incinerate lots of trash i hear)

If I was going to go back, I would want to live in WuHan, that city has a lot of flavor compared to ChongQing, KunMing or Beijing.

[cathaykid]

http://www.people.com.cn/GB/huanbao/1073/1921724.html woohoo my city was on the top (notice the date though)

the latest one here:

http://www.people.com.cn/GB/huanbao/1075/2404770.html

but according to my friend's experience,she insisted that she felt air in Kunming better than that in here. I guess sometimes we just can't rely on researches too much

[Ian_Lee]

Those clouds overhanging the sky of Hong Kong is not fog but smog.

It used not to be that way. Merely 10 years ago you could see from the Victoria peak the 9-dragon mountain skyline of the Kowloon peninsula albeit there were still many factories.

Now all the factories have been relocated to Mainland but the pollution is getting worse. The smog comes from the fumes generated by those factories in Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta and blown over HK by the seasonal wind.

This is "cross-border" pollution.

But comparatively speaking, HK fares better than most of the Eastern and Central Chinese cities.

Hardly can you see a clear sky in any day in most Chinese cities. It is reminiscent of L.A. in the '80s.

[ala]

The smog also makes the summers unbearable. Shanghai summers were always hot and humid, but never went past 37 C, and the peak only lasted for about two weeks (average high around 33-34 C). Now the summers seem endless (often reaching 37-40C for most of July), and I just see that eye-piercing whiteness when I look up, and when I look down, I see the reflection of the white haze from the concrete, equally blinding. Ever seen the fumes that come out of the public buses and watch it effuse into the haze as you slowly breathe it in? It's not good for the health I tell you. I'm certain the heat increase in Shanghai is due to pollution, we used to have blue skys everyday that didn't rain in Shanghai.

Last summer in Shanghai, I stayed mostly in my AC'd apartment and also bought a treadmill.

[林彪]

Take a look at this picture of Taipei. The air looks so brown.

*yuck*

[ala]

Shanghai smog:

And this is just one side (west) of the river. I think Shanghai has your Taipei smog beat.

[林彪]

There's Western capitalism for ya.

[cathaykid]

Hong Kong seen from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre...taken last year.not that bad is it?

[Quest]

You find what you look for.....

[Ian_Lee]

Wow! I haven't been to Shanghai for 6 years. How come the sky looks like this nowadays?

The second picture is really awful. The orange-color sky looks exactly like the smog-filled sky of L.A. in the '80s.

Sadly nowadays you cannot find clouds in the sky (because it is blocked by the smog) in most Asian cities including Tokyo and Seoul and most Chinese cities.

Does anybody remember what was the last time you saw rainbow in the sky?

In HK, I remember it was almost 30 years ago.

I am afraid most recently born urban kids in Asia may think rainbow only appears in the story book!

[ala]

There are clear days... just it's really rare. The smog seems to be worst during the summer. It goes away by autumn. Maybe the wind pattern has something to do with it. These photos are 3 years back and you could see the clouds:

Huangpu district. Rear right is Hongkou district.

Pudong (east bank of river), Lujiazui district. In the far rear is Yangpu district across the river.

"western suburb" Hongqiao area, Changning district.

The 1st smog picture way above was Huangpu district also, but further inwards away from the river. It has the higest congestion and density.

[cathaykid]

Does anybody remember what was the last time you saw rainbow in the sky?

now and then...

last year in Xiamen,heh

[aprimo]

Hey those pics are really helpful. For those who posted them, can you tell us what time of year they were taken?

[Lu Yi Si]

Dust is a form of pollution of course, but I think that in Northern China many people confuse industrial pollution and atmospheric dust. The dust in this area is terrrible due to open-face mining and road construction. Also Mongolian desert areas cause a great deal of dust in Northern China.

I thought that Kunming was badly polluted, but I could be wrong.

Costal places are nearly always, cleaner. If you want clean air go to the cost and avoid inland valleys.