Air is easily overlooked by people, but it is indispensable in our lives. It cannot be occupied by anyone and will not be angry, but if it is polluted, we need to improve our habits of life and add corresponding measures to maintain it.
Urban air quality determines the quality of life of urban residents. Urban air quality is often closely related to industry, automobile exhaust, domestic exhaust, and urban greening. Several cities in mainland China that improve air quality are: Zhoushan (Zhejiang Province) Prefecture-level cities), Haikou (the capital city of Hainan Province), Lhasa (the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region). The most common thing these cities have in common is that they are relatively green.
Plants can absorb carbon dioxide in the air and emit oxygen through photosynthesis and respiration. The green area can improve the heat island effect of the city, the oxygen content of the air (purified air), the adjustment of urban humidity, the improvement of groundwater quality, etc.
All have important functions, such as Wuhan has always been one of China’s “three stoves”. The main reason is that the urban population is concentrated, high-rise buildings are concentrated, and the green area is slightly less, causing the summer sunlight to reflect the ground and increase. The temperature of the ground, the air contains a lot of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, etc., plants can not improve the air quality and increase the air humidity for the first time, so Wuhan will be hot and unbearable in summer.
Hong Kong has always been one of the Special Administrative Regions of China. The Urban Planning Bureau has always borrowed from the urban planning of Singapore. However, Hong Kong is located in the subtropical climate zone and the geographical position of the subtropical monsoon climate zone. The weather in June-September is relatively variable every summer.
Typhoons and storms occur more frequently in these three months. Therefore, Hong Kong’s sewage system, water purification, etc. will cause load, and those who cannot discharge these sewages in the first time will also cause serious water in the road area, and the air contains a lot of bacteria, resulting in reduced air quality.
The main transportation means is public transportation
Hong Kong is located in the South China Sea, and the terrain is hilly. Its unique geographical environment causes difficulties in urban planning, such as subway and light rail. The SAR Government has broken through the disadvantages of difficult terrain and changeable terrain. Hong Kong already has hundreds of bus routes, from Kowloon to the entire New Territories, and is directly accessible to Hong Kong Island through the undersea tunnel.
By the end of 2019, the subway has a total length of more than 200 kilometers. From the Kwun Tong Line to the Hong Kong Island Line, there are more than 100 subway stations. The good public transportation environment reduces the number of people using private cars. Reduced vehicle exhaust emissions and adjusted the local air quality in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong ’s public transport planning has reduced the difficulty of traveling by HK residents and staff in Hong Kong, and has also reduced traffic congestion, laying the foundation for artificially reducing exhaust emissions for urban air quality improvement.
Resident travel options
As an administrative region of Hong Kong, residents basically rely on public transportation, which greatly reduces the number of private cars used by residents, indirectly reduces vehicle exhaust emissions, and reduces the amount of carbon monoxide and dust particles in the air. These dust and toxic gases Reduced, increased air quality.
There have been many bus companies in Hong Kong around the 1920s. At that time, people traveled far away by bus (bus). By 2020, the number of bus rides in Hong Kong will reach many people every year. The majority of local residents and staff working in Hong Kong rely on public transportation. So many people travel on public transportation, which greatly reduces the use rate of cars and reduces the amount of exhaust emissions from cars.
Urban Greening
The unique photosynthesis and respiration of plants can help the city absorb waste gas and exhaust oxygen to a great extent, and play an important role in urban water quality, air purification, and prevention of landslides. As of 2020, Hong Kong’s green area has reached more than 100 square kilometers. Compared with Singapore, Singapore has a green area of more than 300 square kilometers. Hong Kong ’s urban planning is based on Singapore ’s urban planning, but Hong Kong ’s green coverage is too low, and a large proportion of the population is dense, making it difficult for urban spaces to “metabolize” waste gas and waste.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been stepping up the increase of green area. Although the green area is not large, it can meet the walking and leisure areas of more citizens and staff in Hong Kong, which increases the quality of life of residents.
Improve the air circulation rate
Hong Kong is close to the South China Sea and has a subtropical monsoon climate. It has more southeaster winds in summer and northwesterly winds in winter. This geographical location creates sea breezes throughout Hong Kong throughout the year, effectively increasing the air flow rate.
Hong Kong office buildings and tall buildings are all built together, so it causes the “heat island effect” of Hong Kong, resulting in a significant temperature difference between the urban area and the suburbs. Dust particles and suspended particles in the air in the concentrated areas of high-rise buildings are more difficult to pass through the ocean wind Blow off. Therefore, the air quality of citizens living in office buildings and buildings in Hong Kong is relatively poor, and most areas are still relatively good.
In Hong Kong, one must develop its economy, and the other must improve the quality of life of the people. It is still difficult to increase the air quality compromise in Hong Kong. Therefore, air purifiers are required for Hong Kong ’s higher floors and high-floor office areas.
Industry is far away from the urban area
Hong Kong’s industrial areas are mainly concentrated in Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Kowloon West (Sham Shui Po, Lai Chi Kok) and other areas. Industrial manufacturers are far away from the urban area to avoid the emissions of industrial products during the processing of air emissions.
The purpose of the establishment of the Hong Kong Federation of Industries is to standardize the management of the Hong Kong industry, especially industrial manufacturers such as the chemical industry and the paper industry that emit more toxic gases. It is very effective in helping the air quality of several major industrial concentrated areas not to be extremely poor. Avoid toxic gas emissions in the air, causing the risk of personal injury and death.
The Hong Kong City Planning Bureau has a long-term vision in dividing concentrated industrial areas, avoiding contact between industry and residents, effectively helping Hong Kong to improve air quality, and increasing the quality of life and comfort of residents.
Points for attention to the future improvement of air quality in Hong Kong
- When planning the greening area in Hong Kong, it is necessary to focus on the geographical location and the degree of forest coverage;
- Step up the improvement of exhaust emissions of cars and private cars, and increase the use of natural gas or electrical energy for cars;
- The water mist spraying device of the high-rise building is increased, especially in the hot summer season, spraying the water mist in the high-rise building can effectively attach the suspended particles in the air to the water mist, which can reduce the impact of the heat island effect;
- Single and double number of traffic restrictions can effectively reduce traffic congestion and reduce the level of vehicle emissions.
To sum up
Hong Kong’s measures to improve air quality have a long way to go. We need to learn from the planning and layout of cities with better air quality in China and international cities, and combine local geography and terrain to achieve the goal of improving the air quality of Xiangjiang.