How should we act in the face of the haze?

15:55, January 31, 2013

(Photo/Xinhua)

Last weekend, north China suffered the fourth round of haze in this year. The air quality is graded as serious pollution. The impact of PM2.5 on human health has been obvious. The government, enterprises, and individual will have to pay the bill for health if they do not do something to reduce emission.

Experts suggest that the criteria for assessing government should include improvement in environmental governance. Without blue sky, high GDP cannot bring about happy life to China.

The joint effort of all circles is needed to reduce PM2.5. The attitude of the government not to evade the issue and the intensive emission reduction program gained public recognition. At the same time, the masses are also willing to participate in environmental improvement and lend a helping hand.

It is of no trouble at all to reduce our own PM2.5 emission as long as we change the little habits in life.

Zhang Yan, a girl from Tianjin has made an emission reduction plan for her family to ensure that her parents drive the car one day less each week, save water, and use energy-saving lamps, in which way her family reduces carbon emission by 50 tons per month.

Wang Yuan from Beijing conducted energy renovation in their house. Windows and doors with good heat insulation properties were adopted to reduce the use of air conditioning; open-style kitchen was adopted to make full use of natural light; energy-saving lamps replaced incandescent lamps so that the electricity charge is significantly down.

The little changes in every household can play a huge role in improving the environment.

A recent proposal for reduction of PM2.5 is at hand – the dense fog in many areas of China has prompted calls to ban fireworks and firecrackers in the upcoming Spring Festival. Are you willing to join in?

Read the Chinese version: 面对灰霾，民间应怎样发力. Source: Chinadaily.com.cn