Olympics '08: China Weighs Lingering Pollution

OLYPlusSelectPlusSportsOlympics '08: China Weighs Lingering PollutionOlympics '08: China Weighs Lingering PollutionThe Associated PressChinese officials said Thursday that they would shut down more factories and take additional cars off the roads if current pollution curbs do not clear the city's air enough before next week's Olympic Games. (July 31)Ch Beijing pollution olv 20080731 (video of workers picking weeds) PICKING WEEDS ONE BY ONE...THE CHINESE ATTENTION TO DETAIL AT THE OLYMPICS IS SPECTACULAR.(video of creamy white polluted air) WHILE FLOWERS CREATE A COLORFUL DISPLAY ON THE GROUND THE SKY IS PAINTED WITH A CREAMY WHITE LAYER OF POLUTION.(video of cars on the road) THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS INSTITUTED NEW DRIVING RESTRICTIONS AND HAS SHUT DOWN MORE BEIJING FACTORIES FORCING WORKERS TO GO WITH OUT PAYCHECKS.LOCALS SAY THE POLUTED AIR IS NOW IMPROVING BECAUSE OF THE MEASURES. Vivian"It's better than previous years. I think it's better and better." (video of building in the smog) THE GRAND DISPLAYS OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE SLOWLY DISSAPEARS INTO THE SOUPY AIR DURING THE WORST DAYS.(video of people walking in polluted air) CHINA'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BUREAU SAYS THE AIR QUALITY DATA HAS BEEN IMPROVING SINCE JULY 20TH AND BEIJINGERS AGREE. Paul Kuwa/20 years old "It's clear it's very clear. It's not clear in the early days." MARK CARLSON/STANDUP THE TEXTURE OF THE BEIJING AIR IS VERY SIMULAR TO THAT OF A TROPICAL CLIMATE. IT IS VERY HOT, HUMID AND STICKY. BUT AFTER WALKING AROUND FOR JUST MORE THAN AN HOUR YOU START TO FEEL A TINGLING SENSATION IN YOUR THROAT AND LUNGS FROM BRIETHING IN THE AIR AND IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR SOME CONTACT LENS WEARERS TO START FEELING IRRITATION IN THEIR EYES. (video of pollution test) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS CONDUCTED ITS OWN AIR QUALITY TESTS IN BEIJING AND BRIAN HORTON SAYS THE PARTICULATE MATTER FOUND IN THE AIR IS MUCH HIGHER THAN U.S. EPA AND WORLD HEALTH STANDARDS. Brian Horton/The Associated Press"We took particulate measurements and we found them in the 200 range. To give you an idea, the US EPA standard is 50 parts per million." (video of a person wearing a face mask) DESPITE THE POLUTION, PEOPLE WEARING MASKS NEAR THE OLYMPIC VENUES ARE AN UNCOMMON SIGHT.(video of girls with umbrellas and sun in the haze) CHINA IS USING THE OLYMPICS TO OPEN ITSELF TO THE WORLD AND THE COUNTRY WANTS TO BE APPRECIATED FOR ITS HARD WORK NOT ITS POOR AIR QUALITY. MARK CARLSON, THE AP, BEIJING, CHINA.