Stop breathing in Beijing

Published on January 31 2013 by claire.bayrasy.over-blog.com

A couple of mornings ago I left home to go to work and realized that I had forgot my anti-pollution mask, so I walked back, got it and put it on.

I make sure it is placed safely and tightly on my nose and mouth. I'm all set and ready to be bathed in that noxious soup again.

Putting on a mask has become part of our daily routine and we are slowly getting accustomed to it. At first you find it hard to breathe, but soon you realize that it is almost safer to stop breathing than to inhale some of that toxic air in your lungs.

I always give that metaphor of a fish which doesn't know that it's wet. I am picturing a whole young generation of Chinese having to put on this mask on a daily basis, not seeing any clear skies and who think that a pollution index level of 150 is considered as moderate.

Being born in such polluted environment and barely seeing any clear skies make them believe that there are no better environment conditions.

That's all they've seen!

The only blue skies I've seen so far were the ones from large prints that advertise new business districts in Beijing.

It's been over 5 years that I moved here in Beijing and I see the pollution getting worse and worse. Chinese people are more and more aware of it and despite the efforts of the Chinese government to adjust the pollution index level, so far it hasn't find a way to hide the giant cloud of smokes hanging over our head yet.

Here are some shots taken with my Iphone