Is Your Air Safe?

When I walk outside I never think about how the air is effecting me because in the U.S we have made a great effort to control pollution. In China people assume they are breathing in fresh air but in reality they are in taking harmful smoke. In the past 10 years, pollution has become a enormous problem in China and citizens have to take it in their own hands to find a solution.

According to The Anti-Pollution Documentary That's Taken China By Storm, air pollution has become a continuous problem

“Fashionistas all around China have already begun to wear them and it’s only the beginning of the trend considering China’s air pollution issue is not improving.” This is cool because if famous Chinese people start wearing these fashionable masks than it will hopefully influence a population to wear masks too

“Two hundred million and counting: That's how many times a documentary about China's massive air pollution problem has been viewed online since the weekend.”  Its crazy that a small project someone posted online in China has many views. Technology is perfect for spreading news fast.

"There were 175 polluted days last year. That means that for half of the year, I had no choice but to keep her at home, shut in like a prisoner." Every morning a family in China must have to evaluate the air and then decide if its safe to go to work and school. If the air is bad everyone in China still functions because their economy can thrive without their workers.

marketingtochina.com

“She confesses that, like many Chinese citizens, it was only recently that she learned the difference between fog and smog.” It would be so scary to be told after many years that the air you have to breathe to survive is mostly smoke and is harmful for you.

"Ten years ago, I asked what that smell in the air was, and I got no answer," she says. "Now I know. It's the smell of money." Because China industry is all factories there is no fresh air left to breathe. Instead the only thing owners of these factories can smell is money. They are blinded by the fact that their mass production of products is killing the people around them.

SOURCE: Marketchina.com

Would you wear a mask like this if you were living in China?

According to  China’s Glamorous Pollution Mask, there is a way to made a new safety, fashionable.

“In fact in 2010 there were more than 1 million deaths caused by the air pollution in China.” If a million people died because of a problem China causes, the government should be doing something to improve conditions.

“According to the U.S. State Department standards, there has been only 25 days of “good” air quality in Beijing between April 2008 and March 2014.” No wonder so many people in China are dying because there was only a few number of supposedly good days of air

“Paris Fashion Week discovered the Chinese designer Masha Ma’s breathing masks made of luxury materials such as satin and Swarovski crystals.” If a Chinese person has to wear a mask to prevent them from future diseases and death why not make it an in fashion product. Many mask company will make a lot of money from this new invention.

“Pollution masks brands are turning their products masks into trendy accessories because they want their products to be considered a necessity by the fashion-conscious Chinese consumers.” A new way to make billions in making fashion masks cost the same as expensive dresses.

“Earlier this year, Max Factor, a company willing to advertise their new eye makeup line launched an online contest to win some of their new products. The players of the contest had to post selfies with breathing masks on, the brand’s “Smog Busters” campaign received 33,000 hashtags on selfies posted on Weibo.” Wearing masks is so important that eye makeup companies want to promote good habits.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

1. What should China do about their pollution problem?
2. Are promoting masks with fashion a good idea?