G-Flow Masks

Life Health & Fitness
1

Original Title: Pollution

This is a message I posted on Tainan Bulletin a little while ago…
Basically, anyone who is interested in understanding the air quality
in Taiwan can go to
edb.epa.gov.tw/eng/Quality/AirQu … ir_Qry.asp
There you can understnd why asthma and other breathing problems are
through the roof. I check it reqularly, and just to mention one
month in particular, November, I found it difficult and heart
breaking to tell the kids that I teach that there were only two days
that month where the air quality was considered to be good enough to
be outside, and eight which were dangerous. There is no immediate
solution, and in all honesty, our own countries would have the same
problem if we were all asked to live in such a small area. Stuff is
being done to help, believe me! I could ramble on, but won’t. For
the mean time, I can only offer this as a band aid. It will help
you, but do nothing for the environment, sadly. Go check out.
gflowmask.com
The company won’t be up and running until the start of next month,
but you can click on the email request and just say that you want
one, or you can just email me. For those of you who are interested,
you can learn more on the website. Oh, and yes, it is my effort, or
my company, or whatever, so suggestions and feedback are always
welcome. I live in Tainan, so if you want to check em out before
blindly ordering one, I’ll hold an open house or something, and
hopefully have them in bicycle shops and motorcycle shops soon.
The price is not up yet, but they will be 350 for the mask and two
washable filters. The active carbon will only last a certain amount
of time though. I’m also up for any ideas as to how one might help
to further establish a stronger bicycling culture here in Taiwan.
A bike rack for motorcycles?
Blah blah blah,
Linden

2

What are the criteria for your assessments? Perhaps you should include the acceptable levels of each pollutant on your website, and perhaps change ‘unhealthful’ which isn’t a word, to ‘unhealthy’.

Your website also seems to be more of a monitoring system rather than a predictive one. So I can’t see what the levels are like today. Therefore how do I know whether its safe to go outside? How useful is previous information, if all I can say is… geez I guess I shouldn’t have gone outside yesterday.

3

Oops, I think that there must be some confusion. The first site that I listed, is provided by Taiwan’s government. If you have a problem with their English (‘unhealthful’), you may want to email the person who spent some time learning it and then berate them. That’s up to you.

So, it’s still my opinion that you can get very good information from this website, as to whether or not you need to be concerned about the air in Taiwan, and whether or not you need to protect yourself.
Of course, if your Chinese is good, then you can listen to the radio where they provide more immediate information. That, however, is only if you really think you need to know each day. For many foreigners, this website tells us all that we need to know to make a conclusion.

Anyway, if your in Tainan, I’ll be out on my bicycle delivering these masks shortly after Chinese New Year. We have thirty pre-orders so far. Other cities can pre-order, too, and I’ll give info as to when they’ll be available in different cities and what stores they’ll be available in.

I’m going to include, beneath this, an email from the Tainan Bulletin that really got me moving on this effort. I’d also like to hear any input as to trying to get associated with a charity here in Taiwan (the type of charity, evironmental, or health, such as asthma) that I could get this effort associated with and start donating some of the profits.

“I got the black lung pop.”

So, I have been living here a little over 4 years. The last two
months, I have been sick all the time with a cough that won’t go
away, sore throat, headaches, no energy etc.

I went to a doctor and she ran some tests and told me I need to
stop
smoking.

I have never smoked a day in my life.

This surprised her a lot and then asked if I have ever had asthma.

No.

She presribed me some cold medicine and sent me on my way. This did
not do anything so I went to another doctor. He right away told me
I
should stop smoking as well. I went through the whole story again
with him and then he told me I should exercise inside. I told him I
work out 5 days a week inside. He was surprised at this. He
couldn’t
figure out why I looked healthy but my lungs were so bad and blamed
the changing of the weather.

???

Finally, I got really sick and went to one of the big hospitals.
They ran tests and did xrays and it turns out my lungs are being
totally destroyed by the air pollution. He said that I am most
likely allergic to the air in Taiwan. Allergic to air?! WTF?

Has anyone else heard of anyone being allergic to the air here? I
now have pneumonia because of it.

I would pack up and leave but I just bought a condo here six months
ago, so that isn’t really an option at the moment.

Email through the website for any other info. Also, any foreigners, or locals (but more than likely foreigners) looking for contacts into production, i.e. where clothing and other accessories can be put together, are free to contact me and I’m happy to help out. I’ve been very fortunate here and would be happy to share any leads or insight that I’ve acquired.
Thanks for your time (and heaven forbid that I made a spelling error!),
Linden

4

Oh, or you can email me directly,
doctor_gonzoxxx@hotmail.com
Later,
Linden

5

I don’t need to go the website … I just have to look out my window and I know … it’s been more than 3 weeks the air is full of pollutants, I can feel it on my breathing when I’m outside … today is even worse, it’s unhumane humid, this morning 80% …

6

Oh boy, this is spam … didn’t get it first …

7

But masks don’t do anything for Nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, or very small particulate pollution.

8

Absolutely spot on. If you notice the English label on 3M brand scooter masks sold in Taiwan, the product description after the product code is “comfort mask”. NIOSH doesn’t allow any other description, because they basically do diddley-squat in terms of protection against anything.

For protection against particulates, you need hepa-filtration and a leak-proof fit around the edges of the mask. Those paper-cup disposable masks and surgical masks aren’t up to the job either, and I’m not convinced that yours is anything but a dressed-up lycra version of the same thing: Lipstick on a pig, in other words.

Seeing that your mask has no testimonial from an independent testing lab, I’m highly skeptical of your claims about its capabilities. Is your product NIOSH/MSHA approved? No. It claims to be an “air filtration system”, a claim which you have absolutely no basis to make. Here’s a claim that you can make: The filter for this mask consists of two bags called lungs, not included with purchase.

Clearly the solution lies with someone in Taiwan getting off their ass and doing something about the pollution. Drinking “special drinks” and wearing comfort masks just don’t cut it.

Nice website by the way. I was bemused to discover that Daliao township in Kaohsiung county has had only one good air quality day in three months. :astonished:

9

[quote=“belgian pie”]Oh boy, this is spam … didn’t get it first …[/quote]Certainly looks like it to me also. Tainan is one of the few places on the island that actually has pretty good air quality.

Anyway, as a rampant Capitalist, I wish them well in their business endeavor.

Caveat Emptor.

10

[quote=“TainanCowboy”][quote=“belgian pie”]Oh boy, this is spam … didn’t get it first …[/quote]Certainly looks like it to me also. Tainan is one of the few places on the island that actually has pretty good air quality.
[/quote]

Always seemed that way to me too. Wouldn’t mind living out in Anping when it’s all ready. Nice sea breezes.

11

Indeed. That’s why I like 3M products so much, because you know exactly where you stand with them. It’s easy to make an informed decision about which product suits the job. I don’t trust this G-flow outfit at all.

12

At least I know with the other people feeling the same way that I’m not crazy - most of the time I just refuse to go out of my apartment now, especially with the insane amount of traffic in Sanxia for CNY. I feel like I could choke just walking down the street!

13

So, um, how do you filter these things out of the water that you are drinking?
Active carbon!
With regards to the mask, the active carbon removes oil vapour, odor, and hydrocarbons. The fabric of the filter removes other particulates If you want to learn more, wikipedia puts a lot of this information into simple terms.
A for nitogen, you have got to be kidding me?!?!?! You think the amount of nitrogen released into the air by cars is a threat to you or even your health? It asphyxiates. You would have to suck on a tail pipe.
As for needing a tight seal, the mask is made from neoprene, which creates a tight seal. None of the 3M ones offer either active carbon or an effective seal, so at best those masks keep flies out of your mouth. Yay.
Oh, and as for Tainan having good air, that’s bogus. If you take a look at the paper, the reading is right down with Kaohsiung and Taichung, and guess what? Chiayi has the worst.

So, yes, a good mask does protect your lungs.
Thanks,
Linden
www.glfowmask.com

14

And to get into specifics:

“But masks don’t do anything for Nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, or very small particulate pollution.”

nitrous oxide: is laughing gas. It’s not very dangerous, unless your dentist is some sort of weirdo. I think you mean nitrogen dioxide: caused by internal combustion engines, can cause death, but you need an incredibly high amount to be present to do this. Outside, it poses very little threat to you, even in traffic.

ozone: contributes to eye and nose irritation (mucus) or other serious respiratory health problems. According to WHO, charcoal filters, i.e. active carbon, do filter ozone, thus significantly reducing any threat.

sulfur dioxide: causes acid rain, and is a huge danger to the environment, but not to your breathing. This is a mask, not an umbrella or a hat, though how you wear it, is entirely up to you!

For the last one, can you define very small particulate pollution? Very small particulate pollution is exactly what any air filter is designed to remove. So, please give me the dimensions of this ellusive very very very very very very small particulate pollution. Then, I’ll send you a response based on the testing that has been done.

For the rest of you who care about your lungs, thanks for showing interest!
Any other concerns or comments, you can post them here, or email me directly. In the end, it helps me make a section on the website for frequently asked questions.
Thanks,
Linden, Tainan

15

Linden,
Your product description makes extraordinary claims: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Your product has no endorsement from an internationally-recognized independent testing laboratory, and you yourself present no credentials at all for being competent to design or manufacture such a device.
There are a lot of charlatans out there hawking bogus products: get this device tested. Until you can prove conclusively what this product really does, I strongly recommend everyone to stay clear of it. In the end it might be no better than a comfort mask… a very expensive comfort mask.

[quote=“US EPA”]“Particulate matter,” also known as particle pollution or PM, is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles.

The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems.[color=blue]EPA is concerned about particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller because those are the particles that generally pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs[/color]. Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects. EPA groups particle pollution into two categories:

* "Inhalable coarse particles," such as those found near roadways and dusty industries, are larger than 2.5 micrometers and smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter.

* "Fine particles," such as those found in smoke and haze, are [color=blue]2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller[/color]. These particles can be directly emitted from sources such as forest fires, or they can form when gases emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles react in the air.

epa.gov/oar/particlepollution/ [/quote]

16

I have had it tested and it passes all requirements, and I’m happy to provide people with the results. It’ll be up on the website ASAP, but I’m in Canada right now, so it will have to wait until after Chinese New Year, when I get back from Taiwan. I understand that there are a lot of bogus products out there, so I’m happy to make sure that this information is available and certified.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and criticisms…helps me to better understand people’s concerns.

Linden

17

[quote=“blinkingx01”]Oh, and as for Tainan having good air, that’s bogus. If you take a look at the paper, the reading is right down with Kaohsiung and Taichung, and guess what? Jiayi has the worst.

So, yes, a good mask does protect your lungs.
Thanks,
Linden
www.glfowmask.com[/quote]Linden -
No, it is not bogus.Even the rather questionable site you reference shows only 3 “unhealthful” days and the balance as “moderate” so far in February. And considering the rain of the last day or so I expect it to be great for the rest of the month. I happen to live in a fairly ‘green’ part of the city.
Like I said…Good Luck with your sales.

Caveat Emptor.

18

[quote=“blinkingx01”]And to get into specifics:

“But masks don’t do anything for Nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, or very small particulate pollution.”

nitrous oxide: is laughing gas. It’s not very dangerous, unless your dentist is some sort of weirdo. I think you mean nitrogen dioxide: caused by internal combustion engines, can cause death, but you need an incredibly high amount to be present to do this. Outside, it poses very little threat to you, even in traffic.

ozone: contributes to eye and nose irritation (mucus) or other serious respiratory health problems. According to WHO, charcoal filters, i.e. active carbon, do filter ozone, thus significantly reducing any threat.

sulfur dioxide: causes acid rain, and is a huge danger to the environment, but not to your breathing. This is a mask, not an umbrella or a hat, though how you wear it, is entirely up to you!

For the last one, can you define very small particulate pollution? Very small particulate pollution is exactly what any air filter is designed to remove. So, please give me the dimensions of this ellusive very very very very very very small particulate pollution. Then, I’ll send you a response based on the testing that has been done.

For the rest of you who care about your lungs, thanks for showing interest!
Any other concerns or comments, you can post them here, or email me directly. In the end, it helps me make a section on the website for frequently asked questions.
Thanks,
Linden, Tainan[/quote]

Is the mask effective in smokey areas? I find the most polluted areas of Taiwan to actually be in night clubs, and is it possible to drink a beer through the mask?

Obviously by wearing such a mask in a nightclub, I may attract girls like yourself, who are obviously into people who take care of themselves, however fashion IS an issue as you know. Since your website is down, I’m not quite sure how cool the masks look.

Is it anything like this? because if it is, it may only suit the more evil amoungst us.

Posters, like Tash, for example will probably only want something that looks more like the following:

19

It would work well in a smokey environment. As for the drinking, I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe you would want to wear it inside out so you could pour the beer into it, and let it filter through…the shape is a bit like a one-breated-bras, but you might lose the bubbles in the beer doing that…otherwise, I think it would be a go.
Would you be willing to test it? I think it would make a great photo op.
Thanks,
Linden
Website works…
gflowmask.com

20

How the heck can you smoke cigars when you’re wearing a mask? I don’t get it.