After Beijing Bans 2.5 Million Cars, Residents See Blue Skies For First Time In Ages
On August 20th, Beijing put restrictions on factory production and car use. Five million cars were forced to drive on alternating days leading up to the 70th anniversary of Japan’s WWII defeat on September 3rd so that the city’s usually smoggy skies would be a picture-perfect blue.
The day after the parade, with the restrictions lifted, Beijing’s air quality index hit 160, a level at which “everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. An international standard for measuring the severity of air pollution dipped to a pristine 17 out of 500, signifying very healthy air.
During the ban, Beijing’s average levels of PM (particulate matter) dropped by 73.2% compared to the last year.
“Military Parade Blue is gone; in its place is our ‘Normal Status Gray’” wrote one user online. While the LA Times cites several examples of such commentary on Chinese social media, CNN speculates that Chinese censors have actively removed similar posts from sites like Weibo.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Shocking photos showing what severe pollution people have to deal with in China
Stunning night sky with no light pollution
How clean is the air you’re breathing
