Greenpeace China campaign starts with concert in Beijing

Today, I received this email (below) and would like to support the Greenpeace China campaign by publishing this post because we have 10 months to convince world governments, including Beijing, that they need to make a strong plan to stop climate change at a key UN meeting in Copenhagen in December.

The kick-off concert in Beijing is this Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8pm at the Mao Livehouse, 111 Gulou Dongdajie.

Hi Suzie,

I’m dropping you a line because I came across your blog and really liked it, and I wondered if you would help publicise my event in Beijing ?

It is a huge event going on in Beijing this Saturday night in support of Greenpeace China .

I’ve attached a document containing information on all the acts playing, and here are two news stories in Chinese and English with information about what the show is about and how to get 20% entry off:

Greenpeace China Climate Concert
Chinese Version: Greenpeace China Climate Concert

If you could help publicise this, it would be much appreciated
Kind regards,

Natan Doron
Greenpeace China

Beijing: where is the air quality report?

I often check the air quality report. It is a kind of game for me.
Can I guess the today's level? Was it level 2 or worse?
It is difficult to tell. The sky might be perfectly blue, the sun shines and you do not think bad, but then you check the air quality report and you are surprised that it was an unhealthy day.

I appreciated the openness of the government to publish these data. However since some days... "Sorry, no record". (normally you should get the data with that link)

So why that? Is the air that bad?
Why am I assuming the worst? Because we experienced before: bad air quality on certain days result in no data. I wrote a blog post about that here after the car reduction test in August.

Let's have a cup of tea and wait. It does not look that bad these days.

Beijing: Air Quality this August

To you I must seem obsessed with air quality and pollution. Well, I am living here! I am breathing this air. And my son and I have often respiratory problems, but more at night than during the day. The latter is probably because the new paint in our house contains more lead than what they found in the Mattel toys in the U.S.

Coming back to the air quality this month in Beijing. For two long weekends in a row (2 x 4 days) about half of the cars were taken off the road, which reduced traffic jams, but I think the effect on the air was not that big. The SEPA records for Beijing show, the air this August was quiet good, lots of 'level 2 days', however, no matter cars were off the road or not. The air was better than last July, however about the same as in August 2006 when there were no even-uneven-car-reduction-tests. 'Level 2' means under 100 mgr particulate matters per cubic meter. A 'Level 2 day' in Beijing is considered as a 'blue sky day', a good day. I have posted here about pollution levels and different standards in Europe (good is below 50) and Australia (good is below 30).

Anyway, today all the cars are back on the street and the sky is the bluest since I am back in town (one week).


update:
When checking the air quality data published by SEPA on Monday 20st, I first thought that there is a database problem because it showed only the air quality of one single city (instead of 84 major cities in China). I did not pay further attention until I found out today via Danwei that there are still no data for Monday 20st, last day of the car-reduction test! The next available data after Sunday 19th are from Tuesday 21st, a 'level 3' day, that, btw I mentioned above, was a very clear deep blue sky day! So what air quality we had on Monday? I guess level 3, above 100 mgr.PM/m3 ... (picture via Danwei)

Summary: The car-reduction-test was a success for the traffic situation, but not for the air quality, although it is communicated to the public as an overall success.

Beijing: Measurements to improve the air and traffic

'9 million bicycles in Beijing' a beautiful song by Katie Melua gives a false impression. There are more cars than bikes around nowadays, according to what I see in the city center. Beijing faces 1,000 newly registered cars every single day and reached 3 million registered automobiles this May.

Today was the last day of Beijing's second four-day experiment to test whether 'pulling 1.3 million cars off the roads each day would prove effective in reducing air pollution during the Olympic Games in August 2008'.

Drivers with even-numbered license plates, excluding taxis, buses and emergency vehicles, were told to stay off the roads on Friday and Sunday - or face a fine of 100 RMB (10 Euro). Odd-numbered cars were banned on Saturday and Monday. Switching time was 6am.

From what I saw, Beijingers respected the rules. Saturday morning my husband and I rode a bike to Houhai lake with our son. It was the first time in two years that I dared to ride that short distance of about 3 km from our house. The crossing of the second ring road was absolutely no problem. There were definitely less cars on the road. Although the air did not seem cleaner, but 34 degrees Celsius do not make the air feel fresh anyway.

When a car was necessary this weekend and this morning for work, we shared cars with friends. So we contributed to the test.

Other measurements took place at night. Dongzhimenwai Dajie, all six lanes, was totally flooded around midnight on Saturday. It was not only sprayed wet by these cleaning trucks to ground the dust, it was flooded. I don't know why only this road and what kind of test this has been. Not to mention the water shortage situation.

Today I read in China Daily, the Olympic city plans to put 50,000 bicycles for rent across the city ahead of the Games 'to curb pollution and ease congestion'. Brand new bikes will be available at 230 outlets close to subway stations, Olympic venues and hotels according to a "rent a bike" program carried out by Beijing Bicycle Rental Services, a Beijing-based company. The daily rent will be around 20 RMB (2 Euro).

I also read last week that several national daily flights will be cancelled soon. But the explanation was for safety reasons. I think this might contribute as well for better air.

Further more the government plans to have finished all ongoing constructions (there are no new construction activities allowed in the city until September 2008), to stop earth moving activities and shut down polluting industries for the time of the Olympics.

The weather in Beijing will be controlled by the 'Weather Modification Department'. They will launch rockets into the clouds containing silver iodide ('cloud seeding') to make them rain before the opening ceremony. This kills two birds with one stone: no wet opening ceremony and better air quality. The rain clears out air pollution and washes away the dust from the streets and trees.

Sources:
Photo Reuters, China Daily

Blue Sky Polluted ?

A blue sky in Beijing does not mean it is a lovely day and kids can play outside with no harm. I frequently check the air pollution index and realize it is difficult to see the pollution. When their is yellow fog outside, you know to be careful and avoid outdoor activities. But a lovely day like today (May 10) surprisingly shows me pollution level 3 (116 mg PM10 per cubic meter). Nevertheless a day below index 150 count as a 'blue sky day' by the Government - a success in environment protection. Different countries different standards.

My previous posts about air pollution in Beijing with more details:
Beijing: Air Quality Improves
New Blue Skies Target
Air Pollution Summary 2006
Air Pollution in Beijing

Beijing: Air Quality improves

The air quality is reported to improve constantly since eight years in a row. Beijing counts more blue skies in the first three months of 2007 than in 2006. And the Air Quality Daily Report by the government is available again (the link somehow was broken for about 10 days).

The air was not bad lately. Besides a little sandstorm over night last week and some windy days we do not necessarily need to wear masks when cycling at the moment.

The picture was taken by Natalie Behring in Linfen (southern Shanxi province), one of most polluted cities in the world.

More Links:
Linfen, the most polluted city in the world - an audio essay
State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA)
The Air Quality Daily Report for 84 Cities in China by SEPA
On Beijing Notebook:
Blue Sky Target for Beijing
Beijing Air Pollution 2006 (Statistic Summary)
Air Pollution in Beijing

New Blue Skies Target for Beijing

It is winter in Beijing and the sky is blue blue blue every day and the sun is shining – beautiful!

The government has planned even more blue skies for this year!

245 is the number of days that Beijing has set as its "blue sky" target for 2007.

After surpassing last year's goal of 238 days to achieve a total of 241.

Beijing has already got off to a good start with the first blue sky day of 2007 being registered on Jan 6 and then had 8 blue sky days in a row. Much better than January 2006!

A blue sky day means the air pollution index is below or equal 100 micrograms particulate matter per cubic meter.

Picture by Xiaming.

Beijing Air Pollution Summary 2006

As announced last year I publish today my summary of the 2006 air pollution index of Beijing. I deem it special that the Chinese government publishes these figures. I wanted to compare European cities with Beijing and was unable to find such a precise statistic from any other country… maybe someone can help me?
But what I found out is that e.g. Munich had already passed the 35-day-goal of the European Commission at the end of March 2006 – while Beijing had passed it on February 4th with 35 bad days in a row. To remember: a ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ day is considered a day with less than 50 mgr of PM10 per cubic meter. (PM10 = particulate matter / Germ. Feinstaub)

Beijing Air Pollution Summary 2006:
2006 had only 26 'healthy' days.
The other 329 days were polluted.
Among these, seven days reached level five (400 to over 500 mgr/m3 of PM10)

Best month:
JULY with five healthy days! (July 13, 18, 22, 25 and 26)

Worst month:
APRIL with two days over 500 mgr/m3 of PM10 and no healthy day! (April 9 and 10)

Best day:
September 4, with only 28 mgr/m3 of PM10!

Worst days:
April 9, April 10, May 17 and December 12 with over 500 mgr/m3 of PM10

For further information e.g. impact on your health:
Australian Government, Department of the Environment

Air Pollution in Beijing

The yesterday's air pollution level 5 or 500 microgram of particulate matter (PM10) per cubic meter was not an all time high. Level 5 was reached for the 7th time this year. Thereof 3 times at least 500 mgr/m3. They stop counting above 500. You can check the history of Beijing's air by entering Beijing and 2006-01-01 to 2006-12-13 at this link: Air Quality Daily Report for 84 Major Cities In China

The Insider’s guide to Beijing once published a statement of a doctor from the Beijing United Family Hospital saying that you should avoid going outside when 150 mgr/m3 are reached.
Others see it even more critical. E.g., the Australian Department of Environment and the German Ministry of Environment aim for a daily maximum concentration of 50 micrograms of PM10 per cubic metre. In Germany every city is allowed to exceed this goal only 35 days per year while in Australia apparently only five days. So in Beijing do not only look at the terrible ‘500’-days but count all the days in 2006 when the ‘50’-goal was exceeded: Year to date, there were 322 polluted days in Beijing vs. only 25 ‘healthy’ days. :-(
See also Every breath you take in Beijing by DANWEI.