Photos: How Air Pollution Could Drastically Change Some of the Most Iconic Views in the World
Places around the world are seeing changing weather patterns, more natural disasters, and higher pollution levels due to climate change. HouseFresh, a company that tests air purifiers and specializes in indoor air quality, created some powerful imagery that shows what some of the world’s most iconic views would look like if pollution levels continue to rise.
To figure out the suspected levels of pollution, HouseFresh used Insider, RTE, and The Times to put together a list of some of the world’s best skylines, then used IQAir to find the levels of pollution for each city at a PM2.5 concentration. Photos shown were made to reflect the views in each city if pollution reached the levels of Ghaziabad, India, named the second-most polluted city in the world by IQAir. HouseFresh then used images that align with the smog levels experienced in Ghaziabad.
New York City
London
Rio
Hong Kong
Toronto
Paris
Rome
Seattle
Sydney
Tokyo
Pollution levels mean more than cloudy skies and worse air quality; rising sea levels and flooding would displace people from their homes, especially in coastal cities. Vulnerable cities across the US could see temperatures reach as much as six degrees warmer. And some cities, like Mexico City, are even sinking.
While these may be terrifying thoughts, there is some hope. Consider flying on airlines that are trying to offset their carbon emissions and using more public transportation. Even small lifestyle changes can have meaning. 
