Harbin China Chokes on Poisonous Smog
B. McPherson Air pollution affects us all. Harbin China is choking on thick, poisonous smog. The financial success of the PRC is exacting a heavy toll on its citizens. The northern Chinese city has been hit with early cold weather and city authorities have responded by ramping up electrical production. The source of energy to produce electricity is coal fired plants which spew pollution. A perfect brew of conditions has served to create this health crisis. The cold weather necessitating a ramp up in coal burning, farmers burning off stubble in their fields, factories that ignore pollution guidelines, high humidity and a lack of wind have all contributed to the situation. Visibility is down to only a few metres in the soupy air. According to the official Chinese news source, Xinhua , sight is limited to 100 metres or less, but in the pictures they show, visibility fades out within about 10 metres. People who venture onto the streets are attempting to filter some of the po...