Comments on: Is it smog or ’static breeze’?

By: Beijinger

Beijinger — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:55:32 +0000

can’t display Chinese? sorry.

By: ???

??? — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:53:57 +0000

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http://www.bjepb.gov.cn/air2008/olympic. aspx

Don’t mistake FOG as SMOG.

I am a Beijinger for about 10 years. it’s a sauna weather, with a strong humidity and high temperature. it’s the FOG that make the sky overcast and gray, not SMOG. SMOG is smoke and fog. almost of the factories in beijing were moved out. only the cars can make smoke, which is much better than ever.

first, pls make clear about the definition of pollution. they are SO2, NO2, PM10. so, you should see the updated data here in te official website.
http://www.bjepb.gov.cn/air2008/olympic. aspx

Have a good ball in beijing, not with prejudice and ignorance.

By: Gerri Robbins

Gerri Robbins — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:41:40 +0000

These people have spent their entire lives training for one event. If their lung capacity is affected by the quality of air in Beijing - and I mean no insult to China when I say that the air in Beijing, as in many major cities, is filthy - then they are only exercising common sense. I understand that much of what occurs in the Olympics is an issue of international political importance (go here for 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics ebooks, which include books about the role the Olympics have played in world politics). However, the Chinese government - and all governments - should work on cleaning up polluted cities rather than taking umbrage at athletes protecting themselves from the pollution.

By: Gerhardt Kremer

Gerhardt Kremer — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:06:27 +0000

I spent last summer in Shanghai and Beijing and can attest to the seriousness of the problem.

There is no doubt the smog is awful. On average, I saw blue sky less than one day a week. Its not very hard to feel the effects as well. When it is humid, the smog sticks to you skin. If you wipe your forehead or blow your nose, the tissue is black.

Fortunately for the athletes, it is unlikely that anyone will develop health problems because of the pollution in the short time they will spend there. Yet I would not count on any new records being set in outdoor endurance events.

The Chinese have been preparing for the olympics for about eight years now. This issue has already been the talk of the olympics and I believe that once the games are televised this problem will become big embarrassment for the Chinese government.

By: Rob Keating

Rob Keating — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:15:08 +0000

I have seen first hand how the weather has been in Beijing over the past week. I arrived Wednesday last week and the next morning was what I have seen many times here on past visits. Gloomy skies and low visibility.

On August 3 the morning was sensational as I went out for a morning run with my wife. Unlike the cyclist pictured above I did not have a mask. I wonder if it really is that bad that you need a mask when only here for a short time.

One thing I have noticed with photography here is that you can shoot different angles and turn a blue sky into a grey sky or vice versa to a certain degree.

Apart from when taking photos I actually enjoy the grey skies. It takes the edge off the otherwise fierce sun.

So glad the games are about to begin. Hopefully now the focus will be on sport.