Welcome to my world at 9am this morning.
We've had a few days of autumn then this morning dawned sunny. I noticed a massive condensation cloud over the nuclear power, quickly followed by the realisation that the pollution layer was slowly rising up into the sky. We need strong winds or heavy rains to disperse it.
All of Europe passes through Antwerp on a ring road round the city ... you see the results. Other countries are opposed to road taxes being placed on these roads while I think they're a good idea if they achieve something in terms of producing safe air for ourselves and our children.
After two years of living in this bowl of pollution, I'm hoping something is done soon.
I left New Zealand mid-2003, bound for Istanbul and a new lif. After two years, a Belgian guy lured me into his world, deep in the heart of Europe. For a long time I was an in-process immigrant. One day we married. These days it's about photography, a little red wine and wandering ... and so the journey goes.
OMG, never realised it was so bad. You can clearly see the dividing line between the Antwerp City air and the air above. Stunning shot, really.
ReplyDeleteManic, that's not so bad in some ways, remember that we had rain yesterday ... we were really lucky not to have a hot summer. The settled weather means that nothing clears the air. Then you see it when you walk in the city in front of you ...
ReplyDeleteLooks 'Healthy' :O
ReplyDeleteThat cant be helping how Jessie is feeling
Air quality in and around Antwerpen is monitored 24/24.
ReplyDeletePlease check
http://193.190.137.211/technopolis/index.php
- click "Antwerpen" and select a location.
There are two different readings: the air-quality at street-level, and the fog that may develop during summer.
Around 12 noon the air-quality around Antwerp Cathedral at street-level was just fine on the privately owned monitoring system at the ground floor of the KBC-Tower.
Antwerp does have some issues with "fine dust" particles that are emitted by the heavy traffic on the ring road.
Dank u wel Peter. I couldn't believe it when I looked out my window this morning. We were out biking this afternoon ... 3 kiwi chicks on a shopping expedition but I believe that might be a blog post :)
ReplyDeleteHope you had a good day.
My pleasure Di ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhile the monitoring system covers the city and the harbour, there is too often an invisible "fine dust" problem. In the long run, 'fine dust' can be a killer.
It shows up as "10-PM" on the monitor sites, in plain English: anything (even toxic..) smaller then 10 µm in particle size
Right now (11pm) the invisible fine dust registers as "very good" close to where you live, but as "mediocre" in the nearby Antwerp harbour. 10 µm particles will penetrate your lungs, while not showing up on a picture.
Great to read that you were biking today. The weather was just perfect, let's just hope we get a few more summer days.
I was having cervical tractions today - the 2007 version of medieval torture, but they do offer some relief.
3 kiwi chicks on a shopping expedition: that must be worth a blog post :-)
Definately a blog post because how we got the box of groceries home was surely novel and perhaps never before seen on the streets of Antwerpen but I'm on day 2 of headache that won't go away. I'll try blogging tomorrow.
ReplyDeletePainkillers and still I have it ... I'm not happy. There was this motorbike accident a million years ago and a whiplash and now when I move my neck it crunches some inside there.
This never happens in Wellington...
ReplyDeleteOh wow!...
ReplyDeleteYes, we pass our lives hoping for something to be done soon! Boy I also hope it's soon enough!
Lol, thanks Harvey. I could tease you about Wellington's wind but NZ just doesn't suffer from this degree of traffic and industrial pollution. I do love our pretty little ideally populated island-continent.
ReplyDeleteI can't see anything happening fast Farfallina, even if the roads are tolled I can't see what will change. It would only be extra income to supposedly try and counteract it all ... better roads with less congestion from traffic jams.
The most heavily used piece of road around Antwerpen has over 130,000 vehicles on it a day ... a lot are trucks traveling all over Europe. I'm not sure how that could be combated at all.
Do you remember the smell of burnt toast, cinnamon, and chocolate in the air around the Varsity Di.
ReplyDeleteI was reminded when a co-worker burnt his breakfast the other morning.
Hope your headache is better :)xrcfr
Ooooo that's scary.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it was a volcano(!!) cos I used to see this sort of view when I lived in Quito, Ecuador, a few years ago....
I think you need a mask, and to paint yourself white to deflect the rays.
:@}
Hmmmm, I remember different smells ... there was the coffee and red jelly from the Greggs factory, depending on which was being worked on that day, and the hops occasionally wafting over from Speights and then there was the Cadburys factory ... oh the diviness of living in a city that sometimes smelt of chocolate.
ReplyDeleteThe burnt toast must have happened at your house Mark?
The headache stayed for 2 days, more than enough and it's all gone now, thank you very much :)
Hi Bear. I used to call them the Twin Towers of Evil but then a new apartment building went up and mostly, the nuclear power plants disappeared from view.
Ecuador ... really?
I'm an immigrant here, I can just imagine the alienation that wearing a white, ray reflecting mask might cause but thanks for the suggestion :)