Article 2CG09 One day in the life of a suffocating planet: air pollution around the world

One day in the life of a suffocating planet: air pollution around the world

by
Chris Michael, Francesca Perry and Tess Riley
from on (#2CG09)

To kick off a Guardian Cities week investigating air pollution, our reporters followed the sun from Sydney to Lagos to Los Angeles - taking readings, talking to locals and giving a snapshot of our choking cities

6.04pm GMT

We've reached the Pacific Ocean, where air pollution blissfully drops away to zero.

Thanks for joining us for a snapshot of air pollution on this otherwise unremarkable Monday in February 2017. The results have been worrying.

Bank of AQI400+ smog rolling into Beijing just now - within 20 minutes https://t.co/jbk3byT37C #beijing #airpocalypse #smog pic.twitter.com/Sf5Zom6F9M

Air filter, new and after five months in Delhi #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/Jxn6OMUWCA

Holy shit #thatview #smog #almaty #kazakhstan #koktobe #incredible #sun #air #bluesky #cityscape

The rapid pace of industrialisation in this city is both a blessing and a curse; residents choke on their commute daily. #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/OtA0qEhmgr

Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 507 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 42 pic.twitter.com/XfTIeRsDh7

5.46pm GMT

Los Angeles: 9.45am. I'm in a neighborhood called Wilmington, in the far south end of the city, which is home about 60,000 people - and some of the worst air quality in southern California.

It's an unlucky part of town, nestled in between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. There's a major complex of oil wells and refineries, and a heavily used diesel truck and rail shipping corridor. The port complex is America's largest. Some homes are right next door to oil wells and refineries.

Hi from Wilmington, which has some of the worst air quality in Southern California pic.twitter.com/zljDhuvrYn

Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 9 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 550 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 38 pic.twitter.com/rlfrQ6RNLW

Outdoor air quality, Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, L.A.: 13 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 509 ppm of CO2; 65% humidity; moderate AQI of 53 pic.twitter.com/yYFjZTgZox

Outdoor air quality, Downtown L.A.: 16 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 532 ppm of CO2; 65% humidity; moderate AQI of 59 pic.twitter.com/8XSNEn7s7C

Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 507 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 42 pic.twitter.com/XfTIeRsDh7

Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 22 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 564 ppm of CO2; moderate/bad AQI of 72 pic.twitter.com/cZ6ejGDvIW

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