beijing smog: when growth trumps life in china - top quality air purifiers

Air pollution in Beijing has soared to a dangerous level, but it is not easy to solve the problem, but depends on prioritizing quality of life over economic growth.
When I woke up in the morning, I paused briefly before pulling the curtains open, and what I saw from the window might set the tone for the rest of the day.
I'm not checking the weather.
On the contrary, I want to know how serious the pollution is.
It was really terrible in some mornings.
It seems that the whole city has become a smokey lounge, and the sky is polluted by the yellow nicotine color.
Pollution in Beijing has gone from severe to severe this month. . .
Very dangerous.
Air pollution has soared to levels that the World Health Organization considers harmful (WHO).
Here's a quick disclaimer.
When the smog hit the capital, I was breathing fresh water on the sunny Hainan Island.
But back in Beijing, the hospital was occupied by young people and elderly people with respiratory diseases.
People were warned to stay indoors.
The streets of the capital are very quiet.
Sales of household air purifiers-
And masks-
Some shops ran out soon.
Even for a city accustomed to pollution, it is an emergency.
You can still taste the smell of pollution after I return to the capital, you can see, therefore, the authorities can no longer deny this.
They have been working hard for years.
Despite evidence to the contrary, the government has often played down pollution in the capital, insisting that it is only fog.
This is a position that can never be upheld, and under public pressure, the authorities introduced new pollution readings at the beginning of this year.
The plane every hour is prompting them.
The quality readings released by the US embassy in Beijing, which authorities have previously condemned as "foreign interference ".
So, when the smog hits, the national media
This is the first time on this issue. barrelled in.
China's main evening television news is about pollution.
Even the People's Daily
The mouthpiece of the Communist Party --
Ran a title and asked, "What's wrong with our air?
"Well, the simple answer is: a lot.
These problems are caused by China's unprecedented speed and scale development.
It grows at all costs, leading to widespread environmental degradation. Coal-
Burning Energy Power Plants power the country's factories, which provide heat to hundreds of millions of households, but they also emit toxins into the air.
In Beijing alone, there are 5 million cars blocking the streets.
An example of the country's growing prosperity.
But these cars
Usually bumper to bumper-
This is also a sign that a country does not accept pollution.
It's not just air quality.
China's lakes, rivers and groundwater sources have all been heavily polluted by poorly regulated industries. Almost no-
In Beijing, people trust the water in the faucet.
So maybe, just maybe, the smog in Beijing in recent days will mark a turning point.
When the Chinese say, "You know, that's enough.
We need to put the quality of life first in economic growth.
"In recent months, there have been several large
Against mass demonstrations against the construction of factories in various cities. Slowly, a not-in-my-back-
The crowd in the courtyard is rising in China. But a huge sea-
Seems unlikely to change
Now, anyway.
Economic growth remains the top priority of the government.
Without it, the authorities would be worried about instability if a large number of people were unemployed.
There are still hundreds of millions of Chinese who want the keys to their first car, their first air conditioner --
Air conditioning and even refrigerators.
Who will reject their dreams?
Therefore, clean air may still be rare in Beijing in the next few years.
Some wealthy Chinese vote with their feet and take their children to live in Canada or Australia.
But this is not an option for most people.
For me, after living here for two and a half years, I ordered my first air purifier.
I wear a mask when I ride to work.
Every morning, before I pull the curtains open, I stop and hope the wind blows the pollution away.
How to listen to our own reporter: BBC Radio 4: 11: 30 on Saturday and 11: 00 on Thursday.
Listen to or download podcasts online.
BBC World Service: Monday-Friday -
See the schedule of the World Service programme.