Beijing Pollution

[rezaf]

very unfortunately: no more pollution= no more economy

That includes all the Taiwanese companies that are investing in the mainland and are indirectly causing part of the pollution.

iving in Taiwan, haze not only looks gray but has the sense of rotting associated with the odor of dead bodies. The feeling derived from sniffing on carrion, say your dead uncle's, might be a good symbol for people to object to the excesses of pollution due to over production.

.....Or should everyone go on 'The Long March' to western china to give the government a message: No More Pollution!

I agree that the overproduction is wrong as it pollutes the environment and wastes energy on lots of unnecessary things but China is not the only one responsible. Lots of advanced countries have moved their production lines to China and are causing the pollution and it's the need in rich countries that runs the factories in China.

[Benzi]

Wow, I had a feeling it was worse than before but this..

I guess it is time I find a way to get the us embassy updates on a daily basis to know when to go outside..

I'd love to get those flowers that were suggest in the blog article, but I never seen a real flower shop in beijing. Only shops that sell roses and the likes (at best, at worst they sell plastic flowers). Anybody know a big store for real plants?

[Lu]

There's an indoor plants/flowermarket at Liangmaqiao, at Maizidian Xijie (outside the 3rd ring road, south side of the Liangma river). The supermarket nearby where I live (what's it called, 20th century I think) sells plants too.

Does it really help not to go outside? Surely the air in my house comes from outside. Same for the surgical masks: especially when the sides move like gills, doesn't that just mean you breath past the sides of the mask?

[Benzi]

Well not going outside should help a tiny bit, but not much. With flowers or an air purifier it should get better. Masks obviously need to be (air-) tight.

[amandagmu]

I have a Swedish-designed Blueair 200 series purifier, which can be purchased for (believe it or not) a reasonable price. It has helped immensely. I got it after my first horrific sinus infection in China last November-December (yes, it lasted that long) and since then have not had any more infections. I leave it on 24 hours a day because it has a "quiet" (low energy) mode, and when it was as bad as Saturday (what with the dust and sand added to the 250-300 count pollution most the day) I set it for a few hours on the slightly higher setting. On days like today (blue sky, pollution under 100) I open my windows for some fresh air, but I still leave the machine running. I have noticed significantly less sneezing, nasal congestion, and headaches since I bought it, so I highly recommend!

Also, if you're going to buy surgical masks to deal with pollution, don't bother with the generic ones. You need N95 rated ones, which can be bought at various places in Beijing. If your only purpose is to avoid the direct hit from wind gusts of dust and sand blowing (like on Saturday) then those ones without the suction cup sides will do just fine.

[adrianlondon]

How is Beijing looking at the moment? Are you having crisp, November breezes against a clear blue sky, or are you keeping warm and cosy under a blanket of soot and cancer-inducing particles? I arrive at the weekend and am hoping for the former. I remember November being a good month when I was in Beijing way back in 2006, but that was because they did a pre-olympic car ban test for some African summit.

[gato]

Looks like it might be the latter. Maybe there will another summit when you are there.

https://twitter.com/#!/beijingair

BeijingAir BeijingAir

11-11-2011; 20:00; PM2.5; 197.0; 247; Very Unhealthy // Ozone; no data

42 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

BeijingAir BeijingAir

11-11-2011; 19:00; PM2.5; 255.0; 305; Hazardous // Ozone; no data

[yialanliu]

How is Beijing looking at the moment? Are you having crisp, November breezes against a clear blue sky, or are you keeping warm and cosy under a blanket of soot and cancer-inducing particles? I arrive at the weekend and am hoping for the former. I remember November being a good month when I was in Beijing way back in 2006, but that was because they did a pre-olympic car ban test for some African summit.

As a shanghainese studying at Beida for a semester...I still think Beijing air sucks.

In all honesty, you do get used to it, but wow, I finally understand why people say China has bad air quality because from a shanghainese standpoint I always thought it was western propoganda haha.

[imron]

I finally understand why people say China has bad air quality

I don't think you do if you think Shanghai air is good.

[adrianlondon]

My first day in Beijing. The pollution may still be there and slowly rotting the back of my throat, but ... blue skies, sunshine, can see from one side of Beijing to another. Wonderful! Long may it continue.