Wearing a pollution mask was never on my list of things to do. Until it became necessary. In Asia, people have become so accustomed to wearing a mask that you spot people doing anything and everything, with their pollution masks on.
Similar to the time I was on a flight from Hanoi to HCM city and a man sitting next to me wore his motorbike helmet from the check-in till long after exiting the plane, a pollution mask becomes so normal that it’s worn everywhere.
Air Pollution
Air pollution in big cities is the first and foremost reason to wear a pollution mask.
People try to block all pollution in and out of buildings.
Burning
At a certain time of year, farmers burn their expired crops to make way for fertile soil and successful plantation. This is the same time of year many areas are covered in smog.
Allergies
For many people sensitive to allergies, filtering out pollen and asthma, which are caused by airborne pollen during the spring and throughout the year gives them some fresh air to breathe.
Spreading
A public act of consideration for strangers. The person wearing 
the mask is sick, and cannot stay at home. Out of respect for others the person is keeping their cold or virus to themselves! How very nice of them.
Aesthetics
Supposedly in Korea, people where masks for aesthetics. Women wear masks when they aren’t wearing makeup, or if they’re still recovering from cosmetic surgery.
Industries like energy require coal and nuclear power plants that churn out electricity in active coal-fired steam stations burn coal to produce electricity. This causes a lot of PM2.5 particle pollution in and around cities. People who have learnt that these particles and gasses can be very harmful for their lungs decide to wear a high quality filtered mask. Most people are still wearing fabric masks or surgical masks which often do not seal or remove pollutants well. Now people are starting to get higher quality filters which they know will help them to block most of the pollution.
Did you learn something new?
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