Low-Cost Pollution Solutions from Dr Richard

The heating finally went on last week and brought with it some “crazy bad” pollution with numbers on the US Embassy air particle index topping 500 – although official Chinese numbers only made it just over 300. Regardless of exact numbers, breathing in Beijing often leaves everyone looking for some premium air, and today go-to Beijing doc-blogger Dr. Richard reminded us that air filters don’t have to cost a fortune.

In toady’s post, Dr. Richard recommends the Hunter 31125 filter which comes relatively cheap at RMB 1,238 – IQAir starts around 11,000 and leases monthly for 1,317. The Hunter model is good in smaller spaces such as an office, bedroom, or dorm room. Replacement filters go for RMB 140 and Dr. Richard stresses that the machines can be resold for a high resale value if you move on from Beijing.

Dr Richard also adds a disclaimer for all air purifiers: “Do not use the ionizer setting, it’s not considered healthy anymore.”

Another option, though less effective, is putting the right plants in your apartment. Check out our blog last month that offered up more of Dr. Richard’s ideas on healthy living.

Once you’re out of your filtered safe haven, it’s a good idea to wear mask when exercising or cycling, especially on the days when Beijing air tastes like an ashtray. Check out Dr Richard’s write up on N95 masks, which do a slightly better job than your well-worm Hello Kitty kouzhao.