the pollution thread
 

Thanks again guys, it looks like we should be avoiding the firework days (based on the Spring Festival wiki), we'll be their the 17-23.

Anyone know what the pollution is like in Beijing right now? I'll be there April 9th ...

As measured by US Embassy in BJ - http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/aqirecent3.html

And, in Chinese from the PRC Ministry of Environmental Protection on air quality data for cities throughout China at http://www.cnemc.cn BJ is under - http://www.bjmemc.com.cn/

As mentioned upthread, easy enough to look up, but will it in any material way change your plans?

Regardless of how bad the pollution, if this was my only trip to BJ, I would still go to the GW etc. (although the view will be terrible).

You could invest in an N95 respirator mask I suppose, but wouldn't recommend it: the vast majority of people don't know how to fit it properly on their face, so it is just a (bad) cosmetic effort.

tb

If you are only going for a few days, the overall risk of even high pollution is low.

try your luck. usually 3 bad day and 1 good day.

Just don't worry about it :D Much less stress without the worries of things you cannot impact or control, or masks that won't do any good.

Reduce the effects of Pollution
 

This is a great place to take some insurance in the way of Anti-oxidants like higher doses of Natural Vit C ( personal doses are 5000-10,000+ mg or tolerance) and Gamma Vit E (800 units+) per day! There are other supplements to protect the heart, lungs, & brain, as well as, Detox for the whole body. INcrease intake of PURE water(or Green tea :D)while traveling with high pollution. These are my normal daily doses!
It will make a big difference on keeping you feeing in better condition.

What are the first two weeks of October generally like re: pollution?

I understand this same period are National Holidays, and I am curious, if this means there are more or less tourists/locals traveling in PVG & PEK?

WSJ article
 

Why leave Beijing? To breathe.

http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/a/SB100...?mg=reno64-wsj

China Daily article

First Tier Cities "uninhabitable* - pollution and housing prices


http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...83cda-24573061

Well, the article is not wrong. But I'd add that a lot of second- and third-tier cities in China are equally unliveable due to various factors.

On our recent visit to China, our first day there was May 1, which is the labour day holiday. Combined with the previous two days as holiday as well as the weekend, the air quality was excellent. Sunny and beautiful. I thought to myself that the pollution isn't too bad. Of course, that was short lived as work resumed the next day....

FDW

Eaten rice yet - might want to ask about the source/origin of those white rice, especially in Guangzhou / Guangdong providence in southern China. China's own government inspectors found that 44% of the sample tested for high level of toxic chemical, cadmium - associated with kidney & liver damages to human and is said to be cancer causing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-...using-cadmium/

It is believed the result of soil contamination due to industrial pollution & discharges, what a surprise - NOT :rolleyes:

Stick with Uncle Ben's rice or get imported Thailand rice - as those are the ones we get from our local supermarket - now, the border runners will be adding rice to their catalog of items with things like imported baby formula.

It's been known for years the rice is poisonous.

Is that only in the Guangzhou area or all of China?