Photo with a Review

Beijing smog from the China World Hotel,  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last week I discovered and downloaded an app for my iPad called China Air Pollution Index. This app tells users what the air quality is in major Chinese cities. For Beijing and cities with U.S. consulate offices it provides the data that the Chinese government publishes as well as the numbers that the U.S. embassy or consulate have read on site.

These numbers can vary widely. For example, today in Beijing the US Embassy meters rate the Beijing air quality hazardous with a 304 reading, while the Chinese government rates the level as lightly polluted at 183.

Sometimes the US numbers are lower than China’s. Yesterday the Chinese government reported an index of 74 (good) while the US consulate in the capital reported one of 223 (very unhealthy). Both entities recommend wearing a mask.

Related articles

• China tells US to stop reporting Beijing’s bad air (sfgate.com)
• US to China: Won’t Keep Quiet About Your Bad Air (foxnews.com)
• China: US Embassy Should Stop Reporting Beijing’s Air Quality (theepochtimes.com)
• Chính’s news: China says only it has right to monitor air pollution (theaveragejoenewsblogg.com)
• U.S.-China dust-up over air pollution involves monitors made by Met One, of Grants Pass, Ore. (oregonlive.com)
• China Has No Good Answer to the U.S. Embassy Pollution-Monitoring (theatlantic.com)