Public stunt

Because he chose to take the subway during off-peak hours — and spared himself the ordeal of being sandwiched by Shanghai's notorious Metro crowds — one is left wondering about the relevance of these PM2.5 readings.

Again, what's the point of these sporadic surveys if not as a publicity stunt?

We don't know if Pan has a hidden agenda in promoting indoor standards of PM2.5 levels — an initiative he champions — but given his property developer status, it isn't far-fetched to presume a link between his stunts and the next selling point of his property.

Even a toddler knows one has to act upon one's own words to be taken seriously, yet an ostentatious businessman like Pan regrettably needs to be preached to about the importance of honoring one's pledges with true commitment, instead of pretension. Contrary to his half-hearted environmental endeavors, there always are people who lead by example.

Riding a bike

People's Daily reported on March 7 that Wu Bixia, a deputy to the National People's Congress, rode a bike to the annual session of the national legislature in Beijing on March 3. Wu is a professor of vocal music and opera at the Central Conservatory of Music.

"Riding a bicycle is the most environmentally friendly, and frugal means of transport. During my term (as NPC deputy) I will always attend meetings by bike," Wu was quoted as saying.

By calling attention to the benefit of cycling in cutting emissions, she hoped to highlight the role of individual efforts in battling smog. Indeed, any swift improvement of the air quality is out of the question unless more citizens like Wu are willing to embrace onerous curbs on their rights, such as the right to drive cars.

Only when privileged politicians and business elites step out of the comfort of their well-sealed, air-filtered cars and breathe the same filthy air as we breathe, can they get a real picture of how polluted the air is, and how urgent the need is for action, not lip service.