The Shoe Tree

Converse, the American shoe company, sponsored a giant mural featuring the words “Create Together For Tomorrow” which decorates a building in front of the Politechnika metro station in Warsaw, Poland. The mural, designed by landscape architect Dawid Ryski in collaboration with muralist Maciek Polak, was painted with special photocatalytic, smog-eating varnishes which claim to have the same environmental effect as planting 780 trees. Photo: Good Looking Studio.

In the Blue Painted Blue

李克强 (Lǐ Kèqiáng) promises to intensify battle against air pollution as he unveils series of measures at annual people’s congress. [Read more].

• Tom Phillips, China’s premier unveils smog-busting plan to “make skies blue again”, The Guardian, March 5, 2017

A woman wearing a mask walks to a subway station in 北京 (Běijīng) in heavy smog. Photo: 王身敦 (Andy Wong)/AP.

Floating Air

A woman wears a mask as she sits on a public bus amid heavy smog in downtown 上海 (Shànghǎi). Millions in China rang in the New Year shrouded in a thick blanket of toxic smog, causing road closures and flight cancellations as 24 cities issued alerts that are expected to last for much of the week. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

The Unbreathables

开封 (Kāifēng), China: Anti-pollution protesters wearing traditional costumes and contemporary gas masks ride bicycles in the 清明上河园 (Qīngmíng Grand River Park). Photo: Sipa Asia/Rex/Shutterstock.

霾 (Smog)

• Benjamin Haas, China smog: millions start new year shrouded by health alerts and travel chaos, The Guardian, January 2, 2016

Two men play 象棋 (Chinese chess) beside a lake on a heavily polluted day in 北京 (Běijīng) on January 1. Photo: Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images.