Olympic Smog-screen
 

Seems my observations a couple of months ago about air quality in Beijing are now being echoed by the Olympic committee. Statements were made today that endurance events may need to be delayed because of the excessive air pollution (report set against a background of a barely visible, smog-screened Beijing 'bird's-nest' olympic stadium). Marathon and triathlon at least are likely to be affected. Plus the Aussie team is already talking about delaying it's arrival because of the health risk the ever-present and increasing smog creates. The news item ended with scenes of Beijing celebrations as the lead-up to the start of the olympics entered it's final year - the sky being filled with smoke from a thousand fireworks. Looks like they've got it under control, then....

I wonder if they will ban all unofficial vehicle traffic and coal burning some months preceding the games? I wonder if that would work?

There is a plan to remove 1,000,000 vehicles from the roads for a day then test the air to see if there's any improvement.

Having also seen a news item yesterday about the extinction of the river dolphin along the Yangtse which showed pictures of the industrial pollution all along its course, it's hard to believe that the Chinese air situation is ever going to improve

A friend visited China earlier this year. The pictures of pollution were truly stunning.

I heard about the dolphin in Douglas Adams' Last Chance to See. How sad. No more chance to see.

Set up the endurance events at the Wudang Mountains. A bike ride around Shaolin Temple would be epic.:) (Yes I know that Shaolin is not in Wudang).