Airpocalypse Now

Like being in the US Navy, working in the datacom industry isn't just a job; it's an adventure. This time around, the adventure took me to Beijing, the epicenter of Airpocalypse.

The chariot: China Airlines 747-400. It must be said that China Airlines is ranked as the most dangerous airline in the world. Remember the stern lecture Ice Man delivered to Maverick in Top Gun? It might as well be directed at CAL pilots. In the past 30 years, there had been no less than 8 total hull losses. If I were Comrade Xi, I'd ring up President Ma and demand CAL immediately change its name to Taiwan Airlines. Seriously, my brothers are giving "China" a bad name.

Anyways, it has been a brutal winter in Northern China. As a result, coal-fired power plants have been working overtime to provide heating for the past few months, and in the process, pumping soot into the air by the truckload. When the wind blows in the right direction, the citizens of Beijing get a gargantuan dose of smog. I am being earnest when I say we need more global warming.

A stunning sunrise thanks to the smog

The structure on the left is the Bird's Nest.

At mid-day, by some divine miracle, the air cleared up.

But, next morning, smog came back with a vengeance.

This time around, a sandstorm was thrown into the mix. Visibility was absolutely atrocious.

According to some app, the air pollution index was off the charts.

But again, by afternoon, divine miracle set in and the air cleared.

So, is Airpocalypse as bad as the media made it out to be? For someone who had spent his fair share of time in iPhone's birthplace, the Airpocalypse, in all frankness, is child's play. Residents of Dongguan have to deal with worse conditions all year round. Beijingers are such whiners.

That said, air quality is a serious matter, and this problem extends far beyond Beijing. The disconcerting part is that there are plenty of other places that have much dirtier air. This is what inevitably happens when rapid industrialization meets 1.2 billion people. In a way, I feel bad for Comrade Xi. The guy inherited someone else's problem, and he's the one having to walk the tightrope and try to balance environmental protection and economic growth.

I foresee in the near future, The Onion's headline will blare: "Chinese Guy Gets the Worst Job in the World".