the pollution thread
#151
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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The following blog written by a doctor who lives in Beijing talks about pollution and health:
http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/categ...ess/pollution/
I think there are some things you can do to minimise the health impacts:
1. Stay indoors where possible and buy an air cleaning machine with a HEPA filter.
2. When outdoors wear a mask that can filter out fine particles (see http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/...hich-are-best/)
The site above has an article suggesting that even on the worst days, breathing in the air is equivalent to smoking less than one cigarette, which just shows how horribly bad for the health smoking is: http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/...disappointing/
http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/categ...ess/pollution/
I think there are some things you can do to minimise the health impacts:
1. Stay indoors where possible and buy an air cleaning machine with a HEPA filter.
2. When outdoors wear a mask that can filter out fine particles (see http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/...hich-are-best/)
The site above has an article suggesting that even on the worst days, breathing in the air is equivalent to smoking less than one cigarette, which just shows how horribly bad for the health smoking is: http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/...disappointing/
#152
Join Date: May 2009
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#153
Ambassador: China
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#155
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#156
Join Date: May 2011
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pollution in beijing equivalent to living inside the smoking lounge at the airport...
ew.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-0...f-the-day.html
ew.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-0...f-the-day.html
#157
Ambassador: China
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Do kids wear these cartoon figure masks to not spread a cold or
because of the pollution?
Seems the caption is questionable.
The LA TIMES caption:A little girl wears a mask with a cartoon theme in Tiananmen Square during severe pollution in Beijing on January 29.1
PHOTOGRAPH BY: Feng Li / Getty Images
Care for a stroll in the park?
because of the pollution?
Seems the caption is questionable.
The LA TIMES caption:A little girl wears a mask with a cartoon theme in Tiananmen Square during severe pollution in Beijing on January 29.1
PHOTOGRAPH BY: Feng Li / Getty Images
Care for a stroll in the park?
Last edited by anacapamalibu; Jan 31, 2013 at 11:29 am
#158
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
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Do kids wear these cartoon figure masks to not spread a cold or
because of the pollution?
Seems the caption is questionable.
because of the pollution?
Seems the caption is questionable.
#159
Ambassador: China
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Location: Malibu Inferno Ground Zero
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In this case for pollution of the stroll in the park photo, caption is correct. For the little girls' photo, probably for illness but could be for pollution, not enough context to tell. However, while I sometimes see Chinese adults with colds wear masks to keep from spreading germs (a la Japanese custom), I uncommonly see them put masks on sick kids.
Appears as though she is in somekind of event.
#160
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(not so) fun fact - said masks are only logically beneficial if you have a cold, because their pores are too large to keep out PM2.5. you can wear one all day and still get yourself some good old fashioned lung cancer.
#162
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,012
CNY has around 3 heavy fireworks days, and a quick google search should reveal the exact dates. If you happen to be in Beijing during these days, I encourage you to stay indoors at a hotel with an awesome HVAC system (Marriott NE is the best I know of). For the rest of CNY, the air really isn't all that bad (because there are less people/cars in town). The mask thing really won't help your wife much (apart from a placebo effect). You might also want to consider a side trip to one of China's cleaner cities (e.g. Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen).
#163
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 150
the pollution thread
Thanks for the advice. We'll be staying at the Grand Hyatt Beijing and unfortunately won't be able to get out of Beijing this trip to see other areas. Do you happen to know the three heavy firework days? I did a quick search but apparently I'm not searching for the right thing. All I'm seeing is one day, Feb. 10th. Thanks again.
#164
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Thanks for the advice. We'll be staying at the Grand Hyatt Beijing and unfortunately won't be able to get out of Beijing this trip to see other areas. Do you happen to know the three heavy firework days? I did a quick search but apparently I'm not searching for the right thing. All I'm seeing is one day, Feb. 10th. Thanks again.
#165
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Thanks for the advice. We'll be staying at the Grand Hyatt Beijing and unfortunately won't be able to get out of Beijing this trip to see other areas. Do you happen to know the three heavy firework days? I did a quick search but apparently I'm not searching for the right thing. All I'm seeing is one day, Feb. 10th. Thanks again.
With regards to the masks for your wife - the P100 / N95 does help a bit, see the site from the US Embassy http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn
/20130201-pm25-steps.html
It is always better than not having one on a bad polluted day!