Cans of Fresh Air for Sale in China
Air pollution in China has gotten so bad that one entrepreneur has decided to sell cans of fresh air.
The decision by Chen Guangbiao
to sell the cans of air isn’t actually an attempt at a
profit-generating venture. Rather, Chen, already worth a reported $740
million, is using the cans as social commentary on the declining
environmental conditions in China.
"If we don't start caring for the
environment, then after 20 or 30 years our children and grandchildren
might be wearing gas masks and carry oxygen tanks," Chen told Fairfax
Media.
Still, it's hard to not think of Mel Brooks in "Spaceballs" shotgunning a can of "Perri-Air," as his planet deals with a crisis stemming from a lack of oxygen.
Chen is selling the cans for about five yuan each (80 cents), according to the Brisbane Times,
and the cans come in a variety of “flavors,” including “Taiwan,”
“Tibet,” and “Yan'an,” early home of the country’s Communist Party.
The American Embassy in Beijing
issued its second recent alert this week about the level of airborne PM
2.5 particulates, which it says can lead to a number of health issues,
particularly for children and the elderly.
As recently as Friday morning Beijing time, the embassy measured a “very unhealthy” warning on its site.
The World Health Organization's
standard is levels of around 25. The levels in Beijing’s atmosphere
according to the U.S. Embassy peaked at 205 on Friday morning, nearly 10
times that standard limit.
Chen is known in China for other
high-profile acts to promote environmental causes. He recently gave away
5,000 bicycles to encourage people to pursue alternatives to driving
cars.
"People say I am high profile or
love to stage a show, but I don't think those who seek 'stability' and a
low profile can do much for social progress," he said.
