One Breath at a Time

　　Opening the window and seeing rollinggray smog is a frequent reality in Beijing andother major cities in China. Whether emanatingfrom vehicle exhaust pipes or the thick plumes ofblack smoke rising from industrial smokestacks，air pollution has become one of the key frustrationsof China’s urban residents. With the increasingfrequency of smoggy days， the spotlight onthe issue has never burned brighter. Terms likePM2.5 levels (solid particles and water/oil basedaerosols less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter)are no longer restricted to scientists. Smartphone apps that allow users to check pollutantlevels help anyone with an Internet connectionknow when the air quality is moderate， unhealthyor just plain dangerous.

　　As a visitor to China， walking through thestreets on a smoggy day， when buildingsappear smudged and the blurredmonotony is broken up only by anoccasional brake light or lantern， canbe an almost eerie experience. Thosewho have come from cleaner climateswill undoubtedly need time to adjust tothe new setting， but apart from movingslowly， avoiding exercising outside，breathing shallowly and staying indoorsas much as possible (all of which canbecome impractical)， there are ways to“lessen” the pollution impact. Face masksare an option， especially if you’re goingto be riding a bike - whether the surgicalwhite gauze variety or the more usefulfiltered masks capable of removinglung-irritating particulate matter. Someof the more advanced masks， made fromsturdy plastic， with ventilators on eachside， recall Darth Vader and the Star Warsstormtroopers. There is no foolproofsystem to totally prevent pollutants fromentering your lungs， unless you want towalk around wearing a fireman’s maskconnected to an oxygen tank strapped toyour back.

　　Pollution can also play havoc with the eyes， causinga scratchy feeling - especially for those with contactlenses. Keep a bottle of eye drops handy to fightoff red， watery eyes， and carry a bottle of water withyou to sip on when your throat becomes irritated.Taking subways as much as possible to limit your “onthe street” time might also be a good idea.

　　Indoors， plants can help generate clean air， souse them as nature’s purifiers， or， if you feel likeshelling out more money， buy yourself an air purifieror humidifier to help make your apartment morehabitable.

　　One other thing polluted skies can do is to makeyou really appreciate every “blue sky day” thatcomes around. China is taking steps to improve itsair quality， but cleaning pollution is a slow process. Inthe meantime， just take it one breath at a time.

　　By Francisco Little