Canned Air on Sale in China
Comes in three flavors
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Just how poor is the air quality in China right now? A Chinese entrepreneur has taken to selling fresh air in cans. Chen Guangbiao, who is worth somewhere around $740 million, is marketing soda cans filled with air for five yuan (80 cents) each. They come in the following “flavors”: pristine Tibet, post-industrial Taiwan, and revolutionary Yan’an (the Communist Party’s original base region).
Chen is kown for his publicity stunts, but maintains that he’s trying to draw attention to environmental pollution in China.
“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,” said Mr. Chen. “I am confident about what I do and I dare to put it under sunlight.”
Mr. Chen said many of China’s entrepreneurs were “sacrificing their descendants” for the sake of short-term profits.
As recently as Tuesday, the level of air pollution in Beijing was so high that it was “Beyond Index,” while small, hazardous air particles reached levels 20 times what is considered safe by the World Health Organization. The Big Picture has some great photos of what that looks like.
