People often ask me if the air in Beijing is as bad as they hear.  I usually reply that it's worse, but then find myself having a difficult time describing what a Beijing bad air pollution really looks like.

Now, thanks to the folks at The Asia Society's Center on US-China Relations, I don't have to try to describe it anymore.  They've got some photos taken  on good days and bad days.  Pretty stark contrasts. Pretty scary contrasts.

Here's the link:  Beijing Air Better?

Look and cough.