Today's papers feature stories indicating that many tourists are outraged by pollution in Hong kong. A study of tour guides in Hong Kong conducted by Friends of The Earth last month revealed that 10% of guides had seen members of their tour group become ill due to pollution and 50% of them described the HongKong pollution situation as "severe."
The un-linkable SCMP's coverage today provides additional statistics on the much higher level or respiratory conditions, particularly for the elderly, that are becoming apparent due to pollution.
In a few weeks time Hong Kong will be hosting another major sporting event, the Rugby 7s, let's see if this time any of the organizers have the decency to establish a pollution warning system to alert athletes about the related risks should the event take place on one of Hong Kong's frequent 'high' pollution days.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Friday, March 10, 2006
Great - another massive pollution day in Hong Kong.
No need to look here to realize that today is another one of Hong Kong's many nasty pollution days. Just look out the window. That so-called 'haze' that limits visibility to a few hundred feet and causes a frustrating glare is a give-away, though perhaps you also felt it this morning when you woke up and took a deep breath.
If you're working or living in Central district, congratulations, you have a 'very high' reading mostly due to "respirable suspended particulates" that will wedge themself deep in your lung tissue and stay in there... for ever! A souvenier from Hong Kong's largest tycoons and corporates that own most of the pollution emitting factories and vehicles in Hong Kong and Guangdong province.
We should thank Hong Kong corporates and trade unions for doing nothing meaningful to aggressively reduce emissions. After all, they're the ones with the vote in Hong Kong's unique electoral system, where companies and trade bodies forming "electoral constituencies" vote on members of Legco and lobby on policy decisions.
We should also thank the Department of Health that is making a choice *not* to highlight pollution as a major health concern to the people of Hong Kong. Perhaps it is because the guideliens of the EPD are inadequate and it does not wish to get embroiled in the politics of changing these. Actually, by relatively stringent European and North American environmental standards, almost every day in Hong Kong should be a 'very high' pollution day. See the links on the right (GreenPeace and Clear The Air) for more.
Finally, in case you aren't convinced those particulates might kill you, read this link from MedPage about the effects of fine particulates on the elderly.
I'm dying to go on a run... but might actually try to postpone the run for a day or two...
No need to look here to realize that today is another one of Hong Kong's many nasty pollution days. Just look out the window. That so-called 'haze' that limits visibility to a few hundred feet and causes a frustrating glare is a give-away, though perhaps you also felt it this morning when you woke up and took a deep breath.
If you're working or living in Central district, congratulations, you have a 'very high' reading mostly due to "respirable suspended particulates" that will wedge themself deep in your lung tissue and stay in there... for ever! A souvenier from Hong Kong's largest tycoons and corporates that own most of the pollution emitting factories and vehicles in Hong Kong and Guangdong province.
We should thank Hong Kong corporates and trade unions for doing nothing meaningful to aggressively reduce emissions. After all, they're the ones with the vote in Hong Kong's unique electoral system, where companies and trade bodies forming "electoral constituencies" vote on members of Legco and lobby on policy decisions.
We should also thank the Department of Health that is making a choice *not* to highlight pollution as a major health concern to the people of Hong Kong. Perhaps it is because the guideliens of the EPD are inadequate and it does not wish to get embroiled in the politics of changing these. Actually, by relatively stringent European and North American environmental standards, almost every day in Hong Kong should be a 'very high' pollution day. See the links on the right (GreenPeace and Clear The Air) for more.
Finally, in case you aren't convinced those particulates might kill you, read this link from MedPage about the effects of fine particulates on the elderly.
I'm dying to go on a run... but might actually try to postpone the run for a day or two...
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