How is the weather today? Is the sky blue or grey? These days, it is very rare to see clear sky. A lot of people come out with their masks on to protect them from high concentration systematic level of fine dust particles.
Fine dust also known as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is defined as an air pollutant that is a concern for people’s health when levels in air are high. The definition of term may differ depending on the website, but the idea that it is detrimental to our health is the same.
As time goes by, the concentration level of fine dust got higher and some bizarre situations, such as sky turning yellow and 100m wall of sand took place. Some people contend that we need to control automobiles to reduce the concentration level of fine dust. Only doing so would not help much. However, the research implies that cooperation as in global perspective is essentially needed. According to an analysis of the state-run Korea Environment Institute, up to 70 percent of Korea’s fine dust particles and other airborne pollutants originated in China and other Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Mongolia.In this regard, a lot of people appealed to the government that there is a desperate need for the solution of the fine dust. On December 2nd, people held an outdoor rally asking for a proper preparation of the fine dust coming from China, reinforcement of the domestic environmental standard to recommended level of World Health Organs (WHO), also improvement of both measuring and forecasting.
Personally, I was not the one who would take a picture of nature. Recently, however, I started to take pictures whenever there is a clear blue sky, since it is rare to see it with my own eyes. It is true that the fine dust is from domestic factories.
However, it is undeniable that other countries are also responsible for the fine dust. It can be a good start to set up a Korea-China Environmental Cooperation Center. This kind of movement should not be limited to Korea and China. This is the matter to be solved as the “world.” With this move, I hope a better result for ourselves and the future generation.