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Superior Air

The idea that the very rich can breathe different air than the rest of us takes entitlement to new heights. 

On June 7, 2023, New York City briefly had the worst air quality in the world. The sky turned auburn as smoke from wildfires in Canada spread throughout the boroughs. The horizon vanished into an orange haze. It was not hard to feel that we were living in an era Stephen Pyne, an emeritus professor at Arizona State University, has called the Pyrocene.

It just so happened that I was in New York for work right around the time the air quality was breaking world records. The worst had passed by then but it felt horribly unpleasant no matter where I was - indoors or out. Then one evening, while out with a group of coworkers, I passed out and an ambulance had to be called. It was an awkward and scary experience. The paramedic told me later that they had many such calls in the last few weeks and I should stay hydrated and inside as much as possible. 

I could see such technology doing very well in India where there is no escape from bad air quality but there are plenty of highly affluent people who can afford to make their homes a safe haven

The notion that smoke could be a democratizing force, afflicting everyone equally and perhaps motivating them to take action to mitigate worsening climate conditions, is already colliding with the reality of an emerging luxury air market, yet another example of how, as the environment becomes less habitable, the wealthy will continue to insulate themselves from its worst aspects—even as their lifestyles disproportionately fuel emissions.

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