Friday, December 28, 2007

Beijing smoking

I've spoken many times about my love of Beijing. Sadly, these days she's a sick, sick city and I'm glad I'm not there. The API (pollution measure) which usually hovers around the 100-150 mark (compare with London which is rarely above 40 on the same scale) today hit 500 (which seems to be the top of the scale from what I can tell).

This is really serious for the inhabitants of the city. China has around 400,000 deaths directly related to pollution every year and I can't see that number lowering with the current trends. Beijing has just eight months to get its act together before the curtains open and everyone comes coughing and spluttering to the start line. I hope for everyone's sake that the media frenzy is enough to shame them into getting this sorted!

2 comments:

ruhie duffin said...

Isnt pollution a major issue in most third world countries?
Though the cause being First world. ......Commercial demand ha ha ha
We seem to have become a rightous society Though we were there only yesterday .What makes us so correct ?are we really happy in all this correctness.Have you ever observed the pure innocence ....joy and laughter that reaches the eyes and touches the soul out here????????????
Though i do agree with you on pollution but i also realize it is not an issue for them yet ....food is..... every day life is ...Survival is ...till then no one can really help them. ha ha ha

Anonymous said...

I agree Ruhie, and I HAVE observed the pure innocence, joy and laughter that reaches the eyes adn touches the soul. In Cardiff of all places.

But the world still needs food and less advertising driven over consumption by the few.

-Gary from Virginia