China's Olympic Goal: Turn Smoggy Sky Blue

BEIJING: Every day, 27 monitoring stations across the city measure air pollution to determine if the skies above this national capital can officially be designated as blue. It is not an act of whimsy: With Beijing preparing to play host to the 2008 Olympics next August, the Blue Sky ratings are the measuring stick for whether the city's polluted air will be clean enough for the Games.

Thursday did not bring good news. The gray, acrid skies rated an eye-popping 421 on a scale of 1 to 500. In the West, pollution this bad might qualify as an emergency. In Beijing, doctors advised people to stay indoors, but residents here are accustomed to breathing foul air. Earlier this year, the city actually recorded a 500.

For Beijing officials, Thursday was especially depressing because the city was hoping to celebrate an environmental victory. In recent years, Beijing has steadily increased its "Blue Sky" days - those scoring below 101 - and the city needs one more "good" air day to reach its goal of 245 for this year. These improving ratings are often how Beijing tries to allay fears that Olympic marathoners will be gasping for breath.

"We're definitely hoping for the best," said Jon Kolb, a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, "but preparing for the worst."

For the world's Olympic athletes, Beijing's air is a performance issue. The concern is that respiratory problems could impede athletic performance and prevent records from being broken. For Beijing's estimated 12 million residents, pollution is an inescapable health and quality of life issue. Skepticism about the improving Blue Sky ratings is common. The concern is whether the city can clean itself up long after the Games are over.