Smog

The other day it was pretty hazy and my husband told me that it was due to the pollution coming from the factories in China. To be honest I thought it was a load of rubbish - China and Japan are a long way away.... also there is so much burning off of the fields going on that I figured that was to blame. And then I started doing some research....scary stuff! This is a photo that Dad took directly into the sun on a cloudless day. The hills that are usually visible for miles are impossible to see. There are children being sent home from school or kept inside in some areas (in Japan) due to worries that their health will be affected. Analysis of the smog shows that it is originating in China. If it is this bad here in the countryside of Japan then I hate to think what it is like in China. I have no idea what I can do to try and improve this situation, but I am starting with not buying any fruit and veges grown in China.....
If anyone is interested in learning more about this problem the following links have some good information:
Smog from China 1
Smog from China 2

On a different note - I'm sure everyone will be relieved to know that Dad made it all the way to Kokura on the train and back again without too many problems today. He'll be a great tour guide yet!