Beijing Pollution Watch

CHEN:It's only 28 days before the Olympic Games and the National Stadium is barely visible due to smog. Let's take a look.

STORY:
This is Beijing at 8-am yesterday and we are fortunate that today is rated a "Blue Sky Day."

The Beijing Ministry for Environmental Protection said the Chinese Air Pollution Index for yesterday was API 86, or grade 2 in the Chinese system. Grade 2 meaning "comparatively good" counts as a "blue sky day" in China.

One tourist taking photos of the stadium through the smog says China should introduce a new sport called "find the Bird's Nest."

Environmental experts have in the past cast doubts on Beijing's claims of improvement in air quality, particularly the much-vaunted "blue sky days" tally by which the authorities measure the improvement.

A 12-person panel, including scientists from around the world, will monitor and forecast air quality in Beijing during the Olympics.

The panel has promised to produce forecasts up to a week ahead.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it might reschedule endurance events such as the marathon to prevent health risks to athletes competing for more than an hour.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Beijing
• Pollution
• Beijing2008
• Olympics
• 2008
• china
• cityscape
• nature
• travel
• log
• landmark
• destination
• culture

[rsjuulrs]

smog +1

[d4rk4knight]

guys dont go to beijing lol

[dahkillahmac]

lol " ....new sport called "find the bird's nest" "

[RedHotGoku]

50% of the fog in Beijing comes from the Gobi Desert, the rest comes from pollution.

[rolandvpro]

with that amount of pollution that should solve the population problem. let them manufacture shit for the usa and kill themselves. cheers

[shou9988]

I did not have any problem when I was in China, my skin even looked better in there, o man, the facial was so cheap in there, and so good~~~

[vigo894]

What would Chairman Mao say if he coud see China today? Would he freak?

[12valvepower1]

dont drink the water hahahah

[silverhamza37]

In my first 6 months of living in China I caught a serious respiratory disease. I almost died. Had to spend 12 hours in th ER.

I did not do any running or something that stupid. I just walked around during "blue sky" days. No idea when such a day is. I haven't seen a blue sky, pretty much ever!

I feel sorry for any person living there.

[burster14]

Car emissions are not really the problem. All the pollution from factories in and around Beijing can't go anywhere but stay and creep into the city because mountains to Beijing's west and north block them from being blown anywhere else. The Chinese have already announced that they will close factories starting later this month, ban half the cars from the city each day, cloud seed (basically, make it rain), and halt dirty construction sites to provide a good environment for the Games.