the AQI reached 493 in Harbin a few days ago and the city shut down (schools, airports, offices, etc.). again, according to the AQI index, anything above 300 is deemed "hazardous." the description further includes the interesting phrase: "premature death of ill and elderly persons may result."
(i remember in VT when it didn't get above 0 for a whole week straight - and i thought that was hard. can you imagine the scenario above?? we're not talking cars that won't start, we're talking hacking, blackened nostrils, and more hacking - yuck...oh yeah, and if you're old or sick, you may be pushed over the railing into the long sleep - even if you thought you still had some years here)
the AQI legend has it that at levels under 100, "air quality is still acceptable" which is interesting terminology since L.A. is currently at 154. are we, as citizens, supposed to protest? is the government suppose to issue a public apology stating that "they realize air quality levels are unacceptable, are working on a solution, and will be personally troubled until levels reduce to acceptable levels?" is that what "acceptable" means?" because if it means that we, the people, will accept it, who's kidding who???
the chinese people accepted levels recently in Harbin almost 5 times the "acceptable"maximum. and yet coal fired plants continue to operate. this should be a warning signal to the U.S. - to YOU. do we want a better economy? a pez dispenser and new set of superman underoos for every kid? and what if another country offered us bunches of money to make stuff for them with the only downside that it would pollute our air. what then? are the hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of newly created jobs worth damaging one of the very basic, fundamentally fertile conditions of human-friendly planet earth?
humans need clean water, clean air, and food that nourishes them. how can the same modern civilization that brings us iPhones, indoor amusement parks, space age yachts, 2700 foot high skyscrapers, and airplanes that can transplant a weary traveler halfway around the world in less than half a day...(pause / inhale)...ALSO bring down common resources like "the air we breathe."
this is what a "backwards global society" looks like. where the poor helplessly give up seemingly communal natural resources like clean air to serve jobs that allow them to barely survive while the rich move somewhere more "agreeable" - only returning to check on productivity. what must we exploit before the leaders of the world can agree on what the basics are and how to reverse the damage we've done?? ***btw, every time we buy something we don't really need, we make our leaders' tasks more complicated and difficult.
the "tragedy of the commons" is an old phrase that dates back to when Boston Commons was used as a pasture for livestock to graze. everyone who lived nearby was allowed to have so many sheep happily munch the common resource of grass. this was fine until greed separated the people from their neighbors and someone thought "I'll pasture a couple extra head of sheep" to get ahead a little; it's just a wee infraction - nothing that will add up to anything for sure. however, what ended up happening is that people noticed when a neighbor was grazing more than his/her fair share - and then what did they do but add a few extra head also. pretty soon the grass was all munched up and the animals starved. rather than manage the resource they all depended on, they allowed their "human folly" to get in the way and spoil their attempt to separate from the animal ways of their distant (?) monkey cousins. this is the "tragedy of the commons."
you don't have to be environmental, tree hugging democrat to want clean f***ing air to breathe.
as mindful as i am about how many "shoulds" i jettison into this complicated and boggling world, i try to simply be grateful for what is, not the "greener side of the fence." however, i draw the line at pollution. it is simply WRONG to encourage industry at the social expense of shared resources. it's like if the catcher were to de-mask the ump at a Sox game and punch him out - (simply WRONG) game over, fans shuffle out of the stands mumbling, wondering WTF happened...
i miss the clean air, clean water, and local, healthy food of Vermont.
btw, White Plains, NY is in the 30s (AQI) whereas Texas is ranging from the 40s - 70s. Bellevue, WA is 70 at present.
happy breathing all...
