Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste-Chapter 702 - 655 Environmental Pollution

Pripyat, a name Perfikot whimsically chose, is not unfamiliar to most people in the Northern Territory.

After all, the vast majority of industrial equipment or products produced in the Northern Territory are often labeled with this name to indicate their place of origin.

As the train merely approached this city, the scene Perfikot saw before her eyes underwent a dramatic change.

The snow accumulating alongside the railroad clearly turned gray-black, and the distant city sky also appeared light gray, as if shrouded by clouds.

But in reality, those were not clouds, but industrial waste gas pollution emitted by factories.

Containing a large amount of dust and pollutants, the sky was dyed gray, and the falling dust covering the snow also turned its color to gray-black.

"How many years has it been, and the pollution is more severe than Langton! Are these factory owners so aggressive?" Observing the pollution before her, Perfikot couldn't help but frown.

The natural environment in the Northern Territory is excellent; before she set foot in the Northern Territory, it was almost entirely undeveloped.

Yet, in just a few years, the pollution situation in Pripyat has reached this level, revealing just how serious the local factory pollution is.

Is Perfikot saying it's more severe than Langton's environmental pollution? From the pollution level perspective, it's not an exaggeration at all.

After all, Langton is the capital of the Empire, where industry is not wholly concentrated within the city, hence the concentration of pollution is not as exaggerated as in Pripyat.

In Perfikot's plan, this was intended as the Northern Territory's industrial center, be it steel smelting, mechanical processing, or other industrial production, all concentrated here.

The coal smoke emitted by the steam engines used by factories, coupled with the mass industrial waste gas released during production, these things are visibly smearing Pripyat's sky, turning the originally azure sky into light gray.

Even without investigation, Perfikot clearly knew that if not governed and intervened, within a few years, Pripyat's entire sky would become even filthier.

By that time, attempting to manage environmental pollution would be too late.

Thinking of this, Perfikot somewhat couldn't maintain her composure, for who would have thought to consider environmental protection in the 18th century?

But Perfikot knew well the enormous harm industrial pollution could bring; this issue must be taken seriously, and the pollution must be managed.

Otherwise, when the original world acknowledges the seriousness of environmental pollution, an even heavier price will have to be paid to manage it.

"I remember when I was in Langton, I worked on a plan for reducing coal dust fallout from steam engines?" Perfikot recalled briefly, remembering she seemed to have researched in this area, seemingly able to modify it for use.

However, at the moment, she didn't consider this, instead she picked up a napkin from the table beside her, utilized alchemy to turn it into a breathing mask, and fitted it onto her face.

She was far clearer than anyone in this era about the extent of harm industrial pollution could inflict on the human body, naturally not wishing to inhale air filled with industrial waste gas and coal dust particles.

Considering and feeling for others, Perfikot thought she truly should pay attention to Pripyat's environmental issues.

And not merely Pripyat, perhaps the majority of cities in the Northern Territory should notice this issue, for the Energy Tower also burns coal; even employing higher-efficiency combustion technology, the exhaust still contains substantial dust and pollutants.

The Northern Territory needs Energy Towers to maintain temperature, but this doesn't mean they also need to endure the air pollution brought by Energy Towers.

Previously, to rapidly establish a complete support system ensuring the Empire could resist the apocalyptic winter, Perfikot overlooked many issues.

After all, when survival itself becomes an issue, other problems can be ignored.

But now, the Empire is at leisure to reform the parliament and conduct prime minister elections in the Northern Territory, Perfikot felt they might also have the energy to care about the environmental issue.

The train quickly reached the station, and like in Beloburg, local officials boarded the train to welcome Perfikot.

When she doesn't deliberately conceal her identity, officials everywhere can mostly learn of her arrival in advance and prepare to welcome her.

Facing the officials welcoming her, Perfikot directly asked: "Don't you find Pripyat's air unpleasant? I just arrived in the city and feel my breathing is obstructed."

"Count, it's the smell of industry!" Though surprised by the mask on Perfikot's face, Pripyat's official still answered her question with a tone full of pride.

To this, Perfikot merely felt it was absurdly funny.

She could understand this mindset and thought; there were people in the original world who felt similarly, believing air pollution symbolizes industry.

Of course, such people are ultimately few in number, like Perfikot herself before crossing over; though fond of riveting steam and differential machine gears, believing this is where the charm of human civilization's industrialization lies.

She only liked this aesthetic, not severe industrial pollution.

Especially since industrial pollution is not just unpleasant, but severely harms human health.

"The smell of industry, huh? Then has the number of asthma sufferers among Pripyat residents risen this year?" Though speaking through a mask made her voice somewhat muffled, Perfikot could accurately convey her voice.

Thus, the official clearly understood Perfikot's inquiry; recalling for a moment, he answered: "I'm not responsible for public health and disease matters, but I'm still aware of the relevant data; compared to last year, the number of asthma sufferers has risen by about 5%, probably due to weather causes."

"No, it's due to environmental pollution; dust pollution in the air makes asthma easier to trigger." Perfikot directly denied the official's speculation.

"This... what should we do then?" Pripyat's official didn't refute Perfikot's words; after all, besides being a renowned Alchemist, she also has considerable achievements in medicine.

Moreover, he truly didn't know how to deal with this matter.

"I will provide the relevant management technology for you, and what you need to do is to popularize this technology in every factory, insisting they strictly follow my requirements." Perfikot was unapologetic, directly ordering officials to cooperate with her.

Pripyat, being a city belonging to the Northern Territory, was under her absolute dominion.