Cheap Air Filter: Day 6
This week’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has been a roller coaster, oscillating from the good-for-Beijing below 50 to well over toxic 300. Unfortunately today it was so bad, the US Embassy released this email (click to enlarge, toggle back to keep reading my blog), warning against “physical activity outdoors.” What an upper. Although when I told my two Italian roommates over breakfast that my embassy had issued an email warning, they were mad jealous.
US Embassy High Pollution Alert
With this high pollution day, I figured it was time to show my cheap air filter in action. Earlier this week, I made my own air filter for 200 rmb, or $32, through this workshop put on by Smart Air, the same guys who brought you Particle Counting. Cheap solution to a seemingly difficult problem (this problem being the expensive filters, not the air pollution itself).
Working at the 2013 China Open
Monday, the day of the DIY cheap filter workshop, I worked at the China Open for the Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics (BJU) booth. It was a fun day, practicing Chinese and playing games we offered at our booth, with mini-basketballs and foam darts. But before we left the hospital for the stadium, I insisted that the crew working at the outside booth all get masks to wear, as the AQI was hovering around 300 that day. Above you can see me and my coworker ZiZhang (nicknamed ZZ), pointing, unamused at the grey smog.
Here you can see me prepped to bike to work, normally one of my favorite parts of the day, but one I need to be careful about, if the AQI is over 200.
Find out more about N95 masks, and why wearing one with that rating is important here.
Biking to work: PM 2.5 Mask and all