Our favorite doctor blogger Dr Richard likes keeping us on our toes, reminding us to keep tabs on our health while in Beijing. Today he posted a somber blog reminding us just how harmful pollution can be.

Beijing’s announcement that it will begin releasing hourly PM2.5 readings of the city’s pollution on January 23 is certainly good news, but the fervent response from newspapers and blogs seem a bit premature. We’ll get excited when Beijing begins reducing the pollution, not just telling us about it. If all the talk concerning PM 10 and 2.5, particulates and microns has you scratching your head, we’ve laid it out in our January Ecology feature. 

Controversy abounds in Beijing. A section of the city wants to become English-only, an exciting wine win is dampened by certain one-sided parameters, China has a strong showing at a plagiarism exhibit and pollution remains a heated health topic.

Beijing’s pollution the past few weeks has been bad, but that alone isn't newsworthy. What has made this recent slew of hazy days so interesting is the attention that it has garnered on the Internet and in the local and international media, as well as the government’s various responses – including a puzzling reference to fog fairies.

As we ease into September, Beijingers have a few things to look forward to – from a possible break in pollution to an aircraft show. And as the summer draws to a close, kids are back in school and parents are considering what they should be spending their time studying.