Worried about pollution?

A

aldricher

New member
Hi, My name is Jane Spencer and I'm reporter for an American newspaper in Hong Kong. I'm working on a story about air pollution, and I'm hoping to speak with new moms/soon-to-be moms about the issue. Are you worried about how it might affect your children? Have any of you thought about moving elsewhere because of it? Do you know anyone that has left Hong Kong because of pollution concerns? If you're interested in chatting about the issue, please drop me a note at [email protected] and I'll write you back with more information about my paper and the story. Thanks for your help! Best,
Jane
 
Pollution exists in every city and every country. As long as there are population / humans, buildings, constructions, and transportation... there will be pollution.

Therefore, wherever you go... it is all the same. Unless you seriously move to rural parts of the world, such as Denmark or northern scandinavia region, where u could be driving for hours, and not see another car / person.

I don't see the pollution in HKG any worst than that of London, Paris, LA and so forth...
 
It doesn"t seem to be any worse than Atlanta, GA either. Although Atlanta holds the #9 spot on the covetted list of most (air) polluted US cities.
 
Hong Kong's heat, humidity, crowds and air pollution are constant reminders of what I left behind in CA. And what's up with the blasting A/C units?! Work is here, however, and I will endure this for as long as necessary, but do plan to return to California to allow my kids healthy lungs.
 
Sleuth and BBTang,

Yes there is pollution everywhere in the world now. But BBTAng, it IS worse here. it is not all the same. And that is because of the tighter contols that exist in other countries, and the lax controls that exist here and in China. (and other countries such as India, Mexico, etc.)

And Sleuth it may look similar to Atlanta's pollution. It even seems like it could be close to LA's smog which I endured for a decade. But it is not.

The difference is in the suspended particulate matter which we cannot see. And in HOng Kong that's what we get! Especially from Diesel. And particulate matter from burning coal. And Hong Kong's particulate matter is smaller thus more dangerous than in many other countires.

Did you know that it penetrates directly into your lung? And then into your aveoli? It leads to plaque deposits in your arteries? Even short term exposure. Well this leads to a plethora of breathing and heart problems. ANd cancer of course too.

HOwever the Nastiest particulate we have here is one of the tiniest. It passes through the cell walls in your brain.

So in Hong Kong it is affecting all of us in a big way, particularly the old and the youngest - our little babies.
 
Yes I very worried aout the Pollution here in HK. My 3 month old baby has just spent a week in hospital with a chest infection. Im not saying the pollution caused it but I know for a fact my family and I have had more lingering coughs since we have been in HK
 
Cristletips,
That's why we are moving to Ma On Shan--not as many cars so not as much pollution. Central and TST are just canyons of car exhaust, you see that in the daily pollution levels. Air pollution might not be that bad, but roadside always is.
Makes me wonder how many people complain about the air-quality and then hop in their cars, drive home and turn their AC down to 20.

SyL--We don't understand the shops with the open doors that are evidentially trying to cool all of HK and perhaps, given the frigid temps, all of SE Asia. Step one to reducing pollution from AC units would be forcing all of those shops to install 2 entry doors so that their AC stays inside.
 
Hi Sleuth,

i think you will like it in ma on shan. much clearer! i'm in sai kung and find the air quality better.

the buses that go to the country park and idle thier engines have stopped me from doing a walk to the resevoir there. There are usually about 3 in a row with one lone man sitting in the air con in his humongous bus.

Oh well.
 
I completely agree with cristletips. My greatest fear are the microscopic particles that get into the system--making the effort to cover the nose is useless for everyone. Walking on the street or waiting for transportation and smelling car exhaust should terrify everyone. How many cigarettes is HK's daily intake of smog equivalent to? I pray that my unborn baby is unharmed, but reality is cruel. Maybe N95 face masks will become a daily essential if smog is not improved.

I may be lucky enough to get through this without harm, but what about my baby??
 
Sleuth,

I guess some shops feel it's their duty to serve the community by cooling HK! :biggrin:

It seems there are many people that are selfish enough to think of their own daily comfort rather than a cleaner environment for the future and their own children! Sad, huh?
 
SyL said:
Sleuth,

I guess some shops feel it's their duty to serve the community by cooling HK! :biggrin:
It seems there are many people that are selfish enough to think of their own daily comfort rather than a cleaner environment for the future and their own children! Sad, huh?
Click to expand...
Did you see the SCMP today? All sorts of pollution articles--people buying gas guzzling cars, theaters with frigid temps, etc.... Time will tell if all the talk is political rhetoric or if something is really going to happen. I guess the larger problem will be the mainland.
 
Sleuth,
I've lived in HK since late July and was told that HK had tight pollution regulations, so I can't imagine how worse it couldn've been. Pollution can't be tight if the aircon's permitted to blast that much. There's something terribly wrong.
 
There is, unfortunately, a difference between regulations and enforced regulations. But most of the HK pollution comes courtesy of the PRC. Even if HK banned cars and AC, the air wouldn't clear.
 
Dear All

Can't agree more with you about the concerns in HK, therefore the young and old should live in places in HK which are more greener. I would not want to have my BBs living in the middle of TST or Causeway Bay... I'd rather move /have to travel further to work if I need to.

Though cristletips, I would not dispute whether HK is better or worst than any cities in the world. Since 1 city may have more XYZ particles /gems than another, and a different city may have more ABC particles, and so forth...

Though, me as an adult... have had a few usual flu etc... whilst in HK for a continuous period of 6 yrs.

During that time, I visited London for 2 weeks... the first day stepped into London, was having breathing troubles.... as soon as went into the tube station, I was literally choking to death. I'm sure if it caused such chaos to an adult, can't be good for a BB.

Now I've been in London for 2 years... and have had more than the usual flu, serious chest illnesses... I can feel my lungs have been congested with London Pollution... and my lungs have never felt this weak in HK.

Other scenarios with other cities... but wont go on... :D

Having said that.... do also bear in mind that all the aircons that London uses are NEVER cleaned!! At least in HK, I see the cleaners clean out the filters weekly / monthly, and I will clean the airfilters at home every week during the summer. I have never seen the aircons cleaned in my building, and most people are in an enclosed environment, no opening windows.... imagine what that would do to the people here, let alone our BBs.

Therefore, this is basically from my own experience, and my body reactions... whatever reports / scientific proven are just there for guidance, and possibly bias. So I won't rely my judgement on that. Since every person's body is different and reacts to chemicals / allergies differently.

You can only provide the best for the BBs in the given environment.
 
The London tubes are terrible. Blow your nose after a day or so using the tube and it comes out black. Don't have that problem here.
Anyone know if HK regulates the diesel fuel and/or engines? The newer fuels and engines are supposed to be better for the air and our lungs.
 
It is true that a lot of our pollution comes from China- and a lot of it from factories owned by Hong Kong business men! China needs to do more to address the problem- but that doesn't mean we can get complacent.

There are things we can do to improve our air quality- simple things such as, turning our air cons up a little higher, taking a reusable bag when we go shopping, recycling as much of our rubbish as possible, turning off car engines when waiting, trying to use our cars a little less (or buying hubrids), using energy efficient appliances.

Unfortunetly in HK, as in many places of the world, convenience and laziness comes before working to ease pollution. That's not to say it's easy to do our part in easing HK's pollution- but I for one am terrified by how bad the pollution has got here. What is it going to take to scare people into action?

The HK government typically only reacts to that which threatens HK's economy or reputationas an economic powerhouse and investment hub; hopefully new research and surveys that show how concerned businesses and investors are over the pollution in HK will spur the government into action. But government action alone won't solve the problem, we all have to do our part to!

I don't think it matters how HK's pollution compares to other countires/citites- it is enough that those of us living here find it unbereable and are worried about the risk it poses to our, and our children's health, and that should be enough for us to realise something has to be done.
 
Here's a graph from cleartheair.org.hk showing how this city compares to other major ones we might live in. It's simply not true that HK-style pollution is essential if you want to live in a city. http://www.cleartheair.org.hk/images/RSPmajorcities2003.gif

Here are some studies linking air pollution to birth defects:
http://www.entlink.net/education/resources/birthdefects.cfm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/pregnant021605.cfm
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/502466

So if you're going to base the views you voice on the "feelings" you get about different cities, and your concept that pollution is only better in "rural areas" then please bear in mind that you may be contributing to the government and corporate inaction that ultimately harms my baby, as well as your own.
 
pollution

it's not just the air that bothers me. My 5 year olds want to go swimming in the ocean, but I am very hestitant. I can see the trash floating in the water and we met a neighbor who got an infection from swimming.

I moved here from California and am appalled at the lack of recycling. I don't know where Hong Kong can store all of the trash produced. In California we recycled more than we threw out in the trash. It's hard for me to stick everything in the trash, knowing it's just going to a landfill.

I feel the culture here is more focues on profit and that may be why recycling is so limited.
 
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