Inspired by this news article…
Wearing a mask, the reporter half-shouted into the microphone, “approximately 156 million Americans are affected by air pollution.” Around her, the dense fog had begun to swallow the surroundings. Looking down at the dim screen of her phone, she kept reading, “the level of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM-2.5) has recently spiked, sending the air quality index into dangerous categories. Residents, especially those with breathing problem and elderly, are recommended to limit to indoor activities. Back to you in the studio.”
Breathing a sigh of relief as the camera turned off, she turned around to find herself swallowed by the fog.
(100 words)
This is Another Story 
This gave me the shivers. We are headed in a bad direction. Nicely written!
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I go through this in my area every year. There would be about a week every year where there would be dense fog and bad air.
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Scary stuff.
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Yes indeed.
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All too real!
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This is truly concerning – 156 million Americans affected by PM-2.5 pollution is a staggering number. It’s a reminder that environmental challenges affect us all, regardless of where we live. Would be interesting to see what local initiatives are making a difference in reducing these pollution levels. 🌱 #CleanAir #PublicHealth
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Truly concerning.
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I’ve generally believed that air pollution was better compared to the 1970s, but now there’s this:https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/23/health/air-pollution-report/index.html
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I saw the same news article a few nights ago. I live in such area. Every year, around January or February, there would be days where outside would be foggy and we would be told to limit outdoor activities.
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Who needs clean air and water? The answer is, “Everyone!” So frustrating but a good tale.
Tracey
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I agree. I find it frustrating that there are a lot of people who don’t believe in pollutions.
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great metaphor in the end. well done.
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Thank you. 🙂
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I enjoyed the ending where the reporter faced the fog – and nice play on words with the sigh of relief and the entire 100 words really gave us a great story about the dangers of air pollution – and it sure can be everywhere.
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Thank you. Air pollution is an unavoidable thing. We will all experience it in our lifetime.
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yes, fully agree
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