Breathe pure air - 5 easy steps

HANGZHOU FAMILY

Breath Pure Air

5 Easy Steps

by Dani Hulsemann

Upon moving to China with my small family earlier this year, I was instantly struck by the many doomsday warnings that ex-pats are bombarded with regarding the hazards of polluted air. In an attempt to strike a healthy medium between the all-out "airpocalypse" measurements one is urged to take and a wish to enjoy my life, I happily struck upon an extremely helpful website by longterm Beijing resident, Dr. Richard Saint Cyr.

Having obtained the good doctor's permission to circulate his advice amongst REDSTAR readers, I present you with five easy steps towards breathing pure air:

Get an air purifier (or two, or

1 three!) for your home

The important thing to remember when choosing an air purifier is not to be swayed by brand, appearance, or extra (and perhaps unnecessary) functions. Many air purifiers come at exuberant prices but this does not guarantee that they get the job done any better than cheaper models.

You may be surprised to learn that one of the most effective air purifiers can be bought for as cheap as 200 RMB. The SmartAir air purifier was created by a group of clean air enthusiasts and their models have been proven to clean air just as effectively as the more expensive Blueair or Phillips brands.

When choosing a purifier, it is imperative to remember that the fan must be strong enough to effectively clean the space it is placed in. To ensure that this happens, it is necessary to measure the square metre space of your home and buy a purifier that will cover that space. In fact, Dr. Saint Cyr recommends calculating the cubic metre space for more accuracy.

40 redstarhangzhou.com

HANGZHOU FAMILY

Don't forget to change the HEPA

2 air filters when needed!

This is mistake even pros tend to make. Read the manual of your air purifier carefully and mark your calendar when it's time to change the filters.

Find and fix air leaks around

3 windows and doors

If you don't live in a spacious villa and your home is more on the snug and cosy side, there is no need to hire a company to find and fix air leaks for you. A little elbow grease and DIY tampering should do the trick just fine. Check around your windows and doors for signs of air leakage. If you discover any unwanted cracks or spaces, seal these shut with self-adhesive foam weather stripping, which can (of course!) be found on taobao.

Download the real-time Air

4 Quality Index App

Aqicn.org is your go-to site for keeping updated on the current air-quality. You can easily download the app - the icon depicts a cloud in a happy rainbow sky - from the website and have it on your phone. The app updates the airquality reading of the monitors closest to your location every hour. This way, you'll always know when it is safe to go outside unprotected and when it might be necessary to crank up the fan speed on your purifier.

Wear a pollution mask

5

Although there are some pretty cute masks out there, the idea behind wearing a pollution mask is not to make a fashion statement but rather breath clean air. Unfortunately, the second rarely allows for the first. The mask most experts seem to agree on, are those made by 3M, which can be found in almost any youke, kehao, or 7/11. Once again, one may consider consulting taobao and bulk-buying a supply of masks for the winter. That way, you'll never have to worry about a mask being short in demand or that the contents of your wallet, virtual or otherwise, seem to be rapidly depleting.

Choose a mask that aims to block at least 90% of PM 2.5. Remember to check that the mask fits snugly

over your nose and cheeks, the sides of the mask should become slightly concave when inhaling. Masks come in different colours, and more importantly, sizes. Child- friendly sizes should be used for the little ones and there are masks that can be fastened behind the head for those who experience discomfort with behind-the-ear fastening models.

If you're unsure still have an easy time making new friends without being able to show that beautiful smile of yours, try drawing a nose and whiskers onto your mask. All the friendly smiles will be yours!

For a more detailed review of air purifier and pollutions masks, as well as the science behind keeping your air clean, please visit Dr. Saint Cyr's website at www.myhealthbeijing.com.

redstarhangzhou.com 41