BAOCAirBe Aware of Chinese Air

Jiachen Yang, Monica Tarantino, Madison Wheeler, Nikoleta Koleva

Opening StoryYang is a high school student who loves to jog at night. One day, he wanted to jog as usual and had geared up and was ready to go. However, he realized that he could not make it because of the poor air quality outside.

OpeningAir pollution is the number one environmental problem in China right now. It has been substantially affecting people’s life quality negatively and causing people to suffer from illnesses like rhinitis, asthma, and many others.

Health risks caused by air pollution

Effects on people’s life qualityBecause of the unbreathable air, people are not able to do activities involving breathing air in the same way they did. For example, joggers can not jog because one cannot run and wear a respirator at the same time. It is negatively affecting people’s health.

Aims● Create an easily-

comprehensible website, accessible to anyone, providing health information and how to protect oneself from the air pollution.

Aims● Show people living in

Shanghai what they are breathing and how they can protect themselves from the harmful air.

Aims● Educate people living in

Shanghai why they are being exposed to harmful air and getting diseases from dangerous particles they are inhaling.

Aims● Get more and more people involved, spread

the word, acquire as much knowledge as possible and make a difference.

Rationale● Air quality in Shanghai is one of the worst on

the world

Rationale● People don't know how to properly protect

themselves from the health dangers of air pollution

Rationale● People don't know

what they can do as individuals to fight air pollution

Need for Environmentalism in China● There are no large

environmental organizations exclusively dedicated to air pollution in china right now

● Many people in China don't care much for the environment and are only concerned with their personal success

Benefits of Environmental Awareness● Research shows that education in

environmentalism develops critical thinking skills.

Why a website?● Websites have been found to

be effective at providing information on both health and environmental issues.

● Websites foster communication online and the sharing of ideas which contribute to problem solving.

Logistics

How will you carry out the project?● We will carry out the project through

a website (BAOCAir.com).● This website will contain information

about the health impacts of air pollution in China

Expertise● One Web developer

● Three researchers

● Three politics & social science writers

● One social Media expert

Funding● The Chinese

government● The UN Climate

Summit● International

environmental organizations against air pollution (like the Clean Air Task Force)

Tasks● Gain funding for the project

● Research and data need to be collected by researchers

● Research information on how citizens can take initiative to help stop air pollution

● Material for the website needs to be written

● Create a website

● Put our research and material on to the website

● Website needs to be shared on social media

● Advertise website (like buying ads on other websites)

● Introduce our website to universities (starting in Shanghai and eventually across China) so that they can educate their students

Location: Shanghai, China

Major Stakeholders● Shanghai residents● Chinese citizens● Chinese health providers● Chinese government● All Social Media Users● International Environmental Organizations

(possible social alliances)

Trends● Social:

o Air pollution in China is affecting the lives of Chinese citizens, especially their health

● Cultural: o The Chinese mentality is to avoid environmental

problems

Trends● Economic:

o Most Chinese people do not have money to spend on helping reduce air pollution

o The Chinese government has not been spending money on reducing air pollution

● Political:

o The Chinese government has not made efforts to reduce overall air pollution in China and it doesn't seem like they will anytime soon.

o Past records have shown that the government is not funding projects encouraging the reduction of air pollution.

o Pressure from the United Nations

o President Obama has been pushing for China to reduce air pollution (transport air pollution)

Most Significant Barrier● The Chinese

Government

Effective Response● Apply the same concept to air pollution in a different

country (ex: a website for air pollution in India)

ClosingWhat if the awareness is raised and actions taken by people become effective ameliorating the air pollution?

Environmentalbenefits

The sky will become cleaner (hopefully not APEC Blue) and air quality to return to a healthy level.

Social benefitsPeople will be willing to face the problems and take actions rather than avoiding them. The change of awareness is not only solving the problem of air pollution, but also changing Chinese people’s mentality to be responsible and active which is beneficial to the whole environment of society.

Benefits on people’s life qualityPeople in Shanghai will enjoy anything involving breathing the air better.