http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/Scott-Lewis xx http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2007/12/27/Holy-Smoke-Beijing <!--paging_filter--><p class="rtecenter"><img width="500" vspace="1" hspace="10" height="366" border="1" align="middle" alt="pollution" src="/files/magazine/DECpollutionsmall_01.jpg" /></p> <p>Break out the masks, folks!</p> <p>According to the <a href="http://www.sepa.gov.cn/english/air-list.php3">State Environmental Protection Administration</a>, <strong>the brown haze that descended on our fair city hit a whopping 421 on the Air Pollution Index today</strong>. To put that in perspective, on a good day it hovers between <strong>50-150</strong>. On a bad day, we're looking at <strong>200 or so</strong>.</p> <p>In fact, today's smog is so bad that the <a href="http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=static.aqi">American Environmental Protection Agency</a> rates it as <strong>Condition Maroon - or Hazardous</strong>. They even go so far as to advise &quot;AQI values over 300 trigger health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.&quot; Doctors recommend not undertaking physical exercise outside, and limiting exposure to the pollution.</p> <p>Not a day to be leaving the house, if you can avoid it. And if you do, make sure you mask up!</p><p><a href="http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2007/12/27/Holy-Smoke-Beijing">read more</a></p> http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2007/12/27/Holy-Smoke-Beijing#comments Alarming Stats Environment Weather Beijing News Scott Lewis Things You Should Know Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:00:35 +0800 thebeijinger 212 at http://www.thebeijinger.com