Breathtaking Stuff

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If you have an idle moment, visit the Hedley Index. It tracks air pollution in Hong Kong and is run by the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health. The Hong Kong Government has its own widely criticized Air Pollution Index, which is not based on current international understanding as to what constitutes healthy or unhealthy air, but on the government’s arbitrary (and none too stringent) “air quality objectives.”
The Hedley Index gives a rather more helpful summary of the situation, and quantifies pollution not only in terms of particulate matter, ozone levels, nitrogen dioxide emissions and so on, but also as an economic and public health cost. Counters track the estimated number of premature deaths, hospital bed days and doctor visits made as a result of pollution. They also give a dollar cost, which is based on how much money is spent on health care and lost through decreased productivity.
As far as I know, there is nothing comparable in the rest of China. During the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, municipal authorities were constantly shrugging off the most choking of days as “slightly polluted,” which tells you something about your chances of getting an accurate picture there. The pioneering team behind the Hedley Index deserve to be commended.