"Fresh air" for sale in China

Smog thick enough to cancel flights hits Beijing

A man wears a mask on Tiananmen Square in thick haze in Beijing Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. Extremely high pollution levels shrouded eastern China for the second time in about two weeks Tuesday, forcing airlines in Beijing and elsewhere to cancel flights because of poor visibility and prompting government warnings for residents to stay indoors. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chinese millionaire Chen Guangbiao gave money away to street cleaners during an event aimed to promote awareness on air pollution. Weeks ago Chen, who made his fortune in the recycling business and is a high-profile philanthropist, handed out soda pop-sized cans of fresh air, purportedly from far-flung and pristine regions of China.