Air pollution is bad in China—the thick, greyish miasma that lingers in Beijing for weeks on end has forced schools to cancel classes, and led a famous professor from a prestigious Beijing university to move to southern China. Recently, an environmental organization has released a comical video clip on pollution in hopes that it will inspire people into taking action to combat pollution.
“Hairy Nose,” a 90 second video, depicts a dark future where Chinese people have adapted and survived the “putrid, choking air and the never-ending smog” by growing lengthy nasal hair. In this dystopian future, people and animals live comfortably with their new, bizarre facial feature—a young couple taking out their baby girl out in a baby carriage; hipsters playing pool; the infamous Chinese “dancing grannies”—middle-aged to elderly women who annoy Chinese residents across the country by blaring their square dancing music—flip their nasal hair while dancing; and even a friendly golden retriever with Fu Manchu-esque nose hair.
“To them, this is just the way it is,” said the voice over.
One man, however, decided not to “blindly submit,” and shaves off his nasal hair so he can “experience breathing.” As he peddles off on a bike, the voiceover announces: “Change air pollution before it changes you.”
The video was made by WildAid, a non-profit group based in San Francisco that counts among its ambassadors Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, and Lupita Nyong'o, as well as NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Yao Ming.
Some Chinese netizens on Sina Weibo, China’s popular microblogging service, agreed with the film’s message—Chinese citizens should help to fight air pollution by changing their lifestyle—while others feel that the Chinese regime should too be held responsible for China’s pollution.
“_Evette,” a netizen from Fujian Province, wrote: “To avoid having such long nasal hair, let us all put more effort in environmental protection.”
“The government should increase its effort to combat air pollution,” wrote a Macau netizen with the moniker “Gwyzdl.”
Beijing issued it’s first “red alert” for smog last December as smog reached dangerously high levels. Several polluting industries were forced to cease production, and only half the city’s cars were allowed on the road per day. Only after the measures were taken did air visibility and quality improve.
