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Posts: 57

Governor

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Q: What is deal with Chinese and the fresh air?

Is winter, is cold outside, there is heat inside for warmth. But window stil remain open, why? If need fresh air, then you can go outside.

 

Never mind pollution, open window means cold air come into warm house. Do Chinese not understand this? House or office different from farm, if no like warm house you can always sleep outside, lots of fresh air outside.

10 years 19 weeks ago in  General  - Other cities

 
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Posts: 3837

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i actually open the window every morning (even in winter) for about 5 minutes to freshen/change the air. But the rest of the time, the windows are there to seperate the cold outside air and wind from the warmth of my cocoon.

Nessquick:

Sure, as I do to. but here... I have rant last year about the practice in our office. open the AC for maximum heat but same time open window for all day to get fresh air. Still wear 2 sweaters and jackets, in office. :( 

10 years 19 weeks ago
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sorrel:

i haven't encountered that yet. It sounds bizzare given the fact that many companies want to save electricity here. but i did work in a training school where the boss constantly turned the a/c off so we were freezing in winter and passed out from the heat in the summer

10 years 19 weeks ago
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10 years 19 weeks ago
 
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It's considered healthy to have a stream of outside air flowing in, at least, in China. If the building use heating, it's not exactly an efficient energy expense, on top of the discomfort. But then, at least this side of the Yellow River, building are not insulated, often not heated, and people have several layers of clothes and a thick coat *inside* the buildings, and won't remove anything.

Let's sum-up:

* Cold air from outside flowing in, because it's healthy (regardless of scientific evidence, of this I don't know)
* People don't mind the cold air, as they are covered head to toe of clothes
* There's no heating nor insulation anyway

Nowadays, some place have heating inside, but people keep open a window, despite the waste of energy. I guess it's a mix of ignorance and of not questioning an old habit.

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10 years 19 weeks ago
 
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Back in the village, you house was humid and had no insulation. Thus there is no point in trying to bring the indoor environment to a pleasant level. In the modern buildings, the ability to control the climate indoors is pretty crap too, and people are incapable of adjusting to modern times. 

 

Also, there is a general fear that the building materials used are harmful to organic life. This is probably true too, but I doubt to the extent people think it is. 

The rule of thumb here is. If you paint the walls, you cannot live in your place for 6 months. 

Oddly no one is interested in trying to prevent things like mold, which can also be extremely hazardous to people, cause respiratory problems, cancer and other ailments. 

 

Opening the windows for 5 minutes once in a while to change the air. Thumbs up

Keeping the windows open all the time. Thumbs down

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10 years 19 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Ha ha! Lots of fresh air outside. You funny, Tap. Like your sense of humour!

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10 years 19 weeks ago
 
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If the windows aren't open, how are you supposed to enjoy the honking from the streets ??? 

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10 years 18 weeks ago
 
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they never use a vapor barrier in concrete walls, so the the walls are always wet and chalky to the touch and you breathe that great mixture in, window or no window, enjoy many more BCD's to come.

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10 years 18 weeks ago
 
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Great. My home office now has the visibility of Beijing on a bad day as MIL thinks it is way better to have the kitchen window open so all the smoke and shit blows into the apartment rather than getting sucked out. Thankfully I am able to type without looking at the keyboard

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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
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It creates air flow, so your warm house doesn't become stuffy, or have that lived in smell. I tend to do for a bit each day as well. Though on very polluted days I keep the window as firmly shut as I can.

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10 years 17 weeks ago
 
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