Beijing's Fireworks Display Torches Clean Air and One Skyscraper
We all remember Beijing's monumental -- and sometimes overzealous -- attempt to make last year's Olympic Games a little easier on the planet. Since then, they've cracked down on vehicle emissions and made some small improvements to their air quality, but they might want to reevaluate the way they party. Despite their efforts, it appears that one massive fireworks display celebrating the lunar new year was so incredibly dirty that it caused Beijing's pollution levels to triple overnight.Not to mention, it got so out of control that an errant rocket crashed into the 34 floor Mandarin Oriental Hotel setting the unfinished, yet already iconic, skyscraper ablaze. Not super great for the environment. According to the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, particulate levels reached 810 micrograms per cubic meter in some places. To put that in context, the WHO's standard for long term exposure is a concentration of 20micrograms per cubic meter. So, to answer a question I asked last 4th of July -- yes, your fireworks can blow up the environment.
[via Treehugger]
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