Ripple effects of air pollution felt in many sectors
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E-mail China Daily, December 10, 2013
"All dishes made with mu'er, — fried with meat or vegetables — are very popular these days," said Li Hui, the owner of a restaurant near a cluster of international consulates in Shanghai's Xuhui district.
"Demand for food deliveries has surged a lot," she said. "Of the people coming to our restaurant, 80 percent are wearing a mask."
In the tourism sector, air pollution is significantly influencing travelers' choice of vacation destinations.
"Over the weekend, we have seen people cancel their trips to cities with severe pollution, like Nanjing," said Peng Liang, an official in the vacation department at online travel-services provider Ctrip. The air quality index reading for Nanjing stood at 317 as of 11 am on Monday.
On the other hand, destinations with relatively clear air — such as Xiamen, in Fujian province, Sanya, in Hainan, and Lijiang, in Yunnan — have become more popular, he said.
"People didn't pay special attention to air quality when they chose destinations before, but now clean air is a major attraction, especially for the senior age group," Peng said.
On Monday, some lawmakers urged the government to issue warnings and adopt differentiated measures for people in various age groups.
"Young children are more vulnerable to pollutants, so classes in kindergartens and primary schools should be suspended on such polluted days," said Hu Min, a deputy to Shanghai Municipal People's Congress.
Without unveiling details, the city's top environmental protection body promised on Monday to work more closely with nearby regions in the fight against air pollution.
The Yangtze River Delta region will have a cooperative action plan soon to combat air pollution, said Zhang Quan, head of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau.
"The target is to reduce the concentration of PM2.5 by 20 percent in 2017 from 2012 levels in Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu," Zhang said.
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