air pollution?

M

monte

Registered User
Just wondering how the rest of you think about the air pollution here. Normally I try not to let it bother me too much, and we just go about our days, but today it was SO HIGH, and in fact at my husband's school they weren't supposed to let the kids outside at all. So we stayed in and didn't go to the park like normal. WHat do you think? At what point do you limit activities outside, and at what point do you just have to live your life?

...off to research playdough recipes for more indoor fun!
 
i didn't realise it was so high, although i DID comment on how disgusting it was and has been lately.

i will be asking at my son's school tomorrow if they are letting hte kids out to play or keeping them inside. my son has had a TERRIBLE cough for the past couple of weeks, i'm starting to think it might be pollution related...
 
March 22 (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong air pollution reached
“severe” levels above 300 at one roadside station and one
general station today, triggering a government warning to the
public to reduce outdoor activities.
The Air Pollution Index was at 302 at the Mong Kok roadside
station and 318 at the Kwun Tong general station as of 7 a.m.
local time, the Environmental Protection Department said on its
Web site. The government predicted levels could rise as high as
330.
The “severe pollution,” which the department attributed
to respirable suspendable particulates, triggered a warning that
the general public should avoid prolonged exposure to heavy
traffic areas and to reduce physical exertion and outdoor
activities.
Today’s pollution topped 200 at two other roadside stations
and five general stations.
Hong Kong’s Air Pollution Index had topped 100 in recent
days, a “very high” level that led to warnings that people
with heart or respiratory illnesses to reduce physical exertion
and outdoor activities.
 
This from the Australian site News.com.au today.


Hong Kong's air pollution has hit dangerous record highs / AFP

Hong Kong air pollution at record high
City's smog "kills three people a day"
Air three times dirtier than New York City's
HONG Kong's air pollution has soared to record levels, the Environmental Protection Department says, warning that a toxic stew enveloping the city was a danger to the public.

The government agency said it found Air Pollution Index (API) readings today that in one case were double the level that the general public is advised to stay indoors or avoid prolonged exposure to heavy traffic areas.

"Today's API is at record high levels,'' an agency spokeswoman said.

Hong Kong's famed skyline and harbour is often shrouded in a blanket of haze which has been criticised as a public health disaster and blamed for driving some expatriates away from the international financial hub.

In July 2008, the city's environmental agency recorded air pollution levels as high as 202, it said, well below today's record numbers which ranged from a low of 179 to a record 413 reading at one roadside station.

"As the sandstorm from northern China is moving southward with the northeast monsoon and is now affecting Hong Kong, the Air Pollution Index is expected to reach the 'very high' or 'severe' level,'' it said in a statement.

On the API index, people with heart or respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors at a reading of more than 100. The public is advised to stay indoors or avoid prolonged exposure to heavy traffic areas at more than 200.

On March 5, a group of businesses - including Starbucks, Pacific Coffee, Ben & Jerry's and Pure Fitness - launched an unprecedented petition campaign to combat Hong Kong's worsening air pollution.

The organisers also ran ads in newspapers, warning that the city's smog "kills three people a day'' and its air is "three times dirtier than New York City's''.

Data from the Hong Kong Observatory on March 2 showed that the annual number of hours of "reduced visibility'' - defined as visibility of less than eight kilometres in the absence of fog, mist or rain - skyrocketed to 1139 last year from 295 in 1988.

Authorities often blame deteriorating air quality on emissions from the southern Chinese factory belt over Hong Kong's northern border.

But a study by the Civic Exchange think-tank last year said that Hong Kong's own road emissions were the dominant source of air pollution in the densely populated city of seven million.
 
the sad thing is, i have become immune to it. all i thought today was how lovely it was that it was warm and sunny but not humid.
 
now, i'm wondering if i should cancel the playgroup classes tomorrow? last thing i want to do is endanger the kids coming to my school....

any ideas, mums?
 
How disgusting! And I tried to get bub to run around outside today. There should be a stronger warning about this. So sad to have to breath this air. Maybe there should be a warning on this site when the air pollution level breaks the roof.
 
I didn't realise until I watched the evening news about how high the pollutions was! A record high! Unfortunately, I had already taken my 2.5 year old twins for a walk in the park thinking what a lovely day it was!!!
 
I didn't realise either and was happily wandering around Central with my little one yesterday.

Apparently it's nearly as bad today - I'm not really sure how to react to it, aircon and dehumidifier is on in the house however we've got Panda Junction scheduled later this morning... which is indoors... but getting there...?

What are others doing, stopping all outside the house activity or just things that are outside?
 
I'm doing the usual stuff... taking my son to preschool (bus then indoor), then grocery shopping... and we'll play at home this afternoon. It's a pity we can't even enjoy a bicyle ride and playing football outside as the temperatures are just so good !!
 
my bub has been coughing for more than a week now and the cough syrup from the doc doesn't seem to be working.

since the weather's been warm, i've been opening the windows at night so that he can have some fresh air and i've also been putting the fan on for some air circulation. now i'm concerned about the air pollution coz we live by the sea but also a busy road so if i open the windows at night for him then it might not be "fresh" even though i prefer him having fresh air than the air-con air but but but i want him to get better soon - what do i do? do i buy an air purifier? i've a dehumidifier but we're supposed not to be in the room while it is doing its job, right?

my helper said that he is coughing (and vomitting sometimes) due to teething. he had mild fever for the past two days too. do you think this is teething-related? the doc told me that it's just a throat irritation since he has no chest/throat infection. i'm planning to take him to the doc again tonight since his cough syrup is about to finish.

wish i could have all his illnesses instead of him having to suffer. :(
 
Effect of pollution on unborn babies?

Its awful isn't it? I had a bit of a freak out yesterday because I'm 9 weeks pregnant and worried about the effects on our developing baby :( I was very close to flying back to Aus to stay with my mum for a few days...
 
i would not open the windows at night, at least not for the next few days. last night at 12 it was still 500+!!!

this morning a little less (depending on where you live).

i have kept my kids out of school today (they open the windows there as well as a 10 minute wait for the bus and then another wait for the bus coming home.) i may be over-reacting, but i'm not letting my kids outside today either.

i've also cancelled classes at my playgroup. i don't want parents to feel like they have no choice but to bring their little babies out in this disgusting excuse for air!
 
lali: if i could take my kids to canada, i'do it tomorrow. sadly, we just don't have the $ to do so.
 
that's what we've been doing... actually, for the kids, we've been turning on the air con when they go to sleep, but after a few hours, we've switched it off and turned on their fans.

there is no way i'd open the windows when the pollution is this bad!

as for not putting on the dehumidifier when in the room... why not? all it does is take the moisture out of the air... shouldn't be anything dangerous with that. i've always run it when in the same room.
 
carang said:
as for not putting on the dehumidifier when in the room... why not? all it does is take the moisture out of the air... shouldn't be anything dangerous with that. i've always run it when in the same room.
Click to expand...

it's just that i read a review saying that it is better not to be in the same room as the dehumidifier is there to suck the moisture out leading the person to be dehydrated and also causes dry skin. :confused:
 
there won't be much difference to your skin... if you drink water, you won't dehydrate.

it doesn't make any difference if you put the dehumidifier in the room with you or if you go into the room after you've turned it off.

after all, people all over the world live in MUCH drier places than hong kong... think egypt, northern china, mongolia, even large areas of north america...
 
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