smog

Belgium is under a smog alert these days. Like Mexico city, just a wee bit smaller.
All very unhealthy and so - though it makes for very nice sunsets. But of course I did not have my camera with me in the office today.
It also makes for some creative political thinking, all in the line of Al Gore*: a 90km/h speed limit on highways around Brussels is imposed.

Now I'm not hindered by any factual knowledge, but this limit does seem a bit strange to me. Apart from the fact that most pollution is caused by heavy road transport that doesn't do more than 90 at all times, the current smog is caused by weather conditions. Or rather it is caused by fine dust particles in the air, that are trapped/not moving due to the absence of wind and rain.

Now, the same amount of small dust particles are produced on any given day; they are just blown all over the place or washed into the soil. Is that less dangerous then? Let's hope nobody gets ideas...


* Mr Gore is so popular here these days, people even take helicopters to go see his film. Other talking heads donate the film to highschools. Heavily sponsored by Apple, that film. Can't blame the guy; Dell is not nearly as hip as a Mac. For another point of view, do try Michael Crighton's "State of fear" ( ISBN 0-00-718159-0).