Have you ever woken up on a dark grey morning and wondered just how safe it was to go outside? If you want to gauge whether or not you should stay indoors or wear a mask when the sky isn’t at its best, there’s finally a solution, granted you need an iPhone or iPad (sorry Android users).

Fresh-Ideas Studio has developed a handy free application China Air Quality Index that displays real-time air quality and air pollution indexes of 120 major cities in China, Qingdao included. The data displayed comes directly from the U.S. Embassy and China MEP.

Air Quality Stats

Air Pollution Rankings

See how Qingdao stacks up against other cities, all 120 cities listed are constantly ranked based on their current conditions from worst to best (worst being #1 on the list and best being #120). Be careful, this part of the app becomes somewhat addicting; you may find yourself constantly checking the shift in rankings.

Air Pollution Rankings

Great for Travel

This app is also great for those who travel around China and want to get an idea of the air quality where they’ll be staying. Can’t find the city you’re visiting on the list? Simply allow the application to use your location and it will automatically determine the closest city on the list.

Great for Travel

Share Current Conditions with your Friends

Another useful function built into the app is the ability to share screenshots of the current air quality data with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, Sina Weibo, Tencent Weibo, and even SMS via Email.

Share Current Conditions with your Friends

How to Get It

To download the app, search ‘china air quality’ on the App Store. Look for ‘FreshIdeas Studio – China Air Pollution Index’, it should be the first application listed, then download directly to your iPhone or iPad. For more information, visit http://air.fresh-ideas.cc/en/.

Relevant Links:
Fresh-Ideas Studio in English
Direct URL to China Air Pollution Index Application on the App Store