Monday, August 06, 2007

Skyline bathed in smog


Camera takes in the murky view
Shanghai, China, May 2007 [Click to enlarge]


Of all the photos taken from my studio in the sky (see here and here), perhaps none illustrates the air quality better than this one. That's smog out there. Lots of it. I heard it's like smoking two packs of cigarettes every day. Which is good, because I really needed to find a new vice.

Your turn: Breathe deeply. Ah, there. Doesn't that feel good?

22 comments:

b13 said...

Long Island has had such an increase of cars in the past 10 years that I have seen a very noticable change in the air quality. It is horrible and keeps getting worse.

I like the duck picture below. Posted one myself today.

David Edward said...

and we mere three hundred million are worrying about driving too much.
when those folks all have scooters, you will have REAL pollution.
great shot! ooh a camera, too.

David Edward said...

heere from Michele

Anonymous said...

I was wondering why the hotel's windows were so dirty on my first morning in Shanghai. Then I looked out of the window and thought the smog was just fog.

The friend I visited there said that the pollution is even worse in Beijing. She said it gave her rashes. :/

kenju said...

WOW, that's much worse than LA. I would have to wear a mask, I think.

HRH Courtney, Queen of Everything said...

Yes, it does, Carmi. Thank you for the reminder.

Anonymous said...

Yuck. Ick. *Cough* I've seen photos from Chinese cities with people wearing masks. This would appear to be the explanation. As a mild asthmatic, I can only thank God I don't live there. And pray the U.S. will be smart enough to keep pollution under control.

Anonymous said...

makes me want to move the country.
yet my inner city girl might go crazy.

Meeta Banerjee said...

I will say I'm glad to live in one of the towns in this nation that has cleaner air...I think. :)

Madseason said...

Great pics, Carmi - what talent you have! I lived for a year in China (not far from Shanghai) and the one thing I recall the most was coming home, coming in for a landing at JFK, looking out the window of the plane and thinking how *sparkly* everything was... Did not miss the grey patina that China's smog gave everything... Thanks for posting - and thanks for your comments at our site!

Moksha Gren said...

I've been complaining this week because our recent heat wave her ein St Louis has lead to what we consider horrible air quality. This picture, however, gives some perspective on how much worse it could be. I'm still looking forward to our normal air coming back...but in the mean time I'll just be thankful I'm not breathing that.

Thanks for swinging by the Impish Gren and saying hi.

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

Reminds me of that line i read long back ..."There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all"

D.O.M. Dan said...

I'm familiar with smog as I live in the Los Angeles area, but it certainly doesn't look that bad.

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Our air has been about that thick, or so it's felt like. Today, I'm thinking about that famous Mark Twain quote about DC in the summertime -- like being inside a dog's mouth. Gross.

Lori said...

I've never seen smog before (the largest city I've ever been in is Chicago..and that was just for a day).

Yes, those deep breaths do feel good, though our air today is hot and humid...

photowannabe said...

Scary to think people are breathing that everyday. I like the way you captured the picture from your studio in the sky.
Thanks for dropping by my blog. Your comments are so appreciated. Please come again anytime.

Rainbow dreams said...

Can't say I have experienced smog... and not sure I really want to - scary thought...

Chad Oneil Myers said...

Cool one, Carmi.

Yes, it does.

Anonymous said...

Civilization is nice isn't it?

Abraham Lincoln
Brookville Daily Photo

Elizabeth McQuern said...

What a shame that the beautiful mist is actually smog.

I continue to be shamefully envious of all the travel you do. I'd love to go somewhere in Asia. My sister-in-law is from China. Maybe I'll go with her to visit her family some day.

bluemountainmama said...

oh man....i'm holding my breath just looking at the photo!

My name is April. said...

Today is a rough breathing day. I'm aching to breathe. Maybe as I rest in bed, or maybe tomorrow will be a new day. Thanks for the compliments on my apartment. I love it. It definiately has a "home" feeling about it. I guess I wish I had more people around here to welcome in and share the space with. Cheers!