Caring for the Environment

The cold winter air is already here and everyone is bundling up.

My colleagues scared me about the chilly weather so I bought a long nylon coat padded with down feathers (at least I think it is) that goes down to my knees.

I have already started wearing long johns, along with everyone else.

Outside we look like big padded Michelin men waddling down the street.

There are the odd people who wear thin jackets and I wonder if they realize it's really cold outside!

Owners obsessed with their pets are eager to give canine fashion shows, dressing their dogs up in everything from sweaters and coats to red Santa suits.

The city also looks after its greenery for the winter.

Along the streets workers have constructed thin wooden frames around shrubs to cover them with an awning-like material in forest green. The leaves won't be able to do much photosynthesis, but at least they'll keep a little bit warmer.

Even some trees are protected, with these giant burlap tents mounted on their sides to block the winter winds from the north.

So you can't completely dismiss Beijing for not caring about the natural environment. But more people are donning face masks these days. And not all of them are sick. They're trying to avoid the smog that has built up in the last few months due to the lack of precipitation.

Maybe the government should turn its attention to its people who are also part of the environment.