Air quality in summer is extraordinary

Most visitors see the Johannesburg metropolis just as a mining and business hub.

Yet its residents mostly love living here. Apart from the buzz and being the centre of business opportunity, it is characterized by ridges and undulating hills covered in trees. Gardens are bigger than average and trees for shade are the first things homeowners plant since the discovery of gold here in 1896.

Its trees and gardens are its Green Capital. One should put a value on its greenery.

Joburgers believe they also have the world's best climate. What does this mean? Outdoor activities like e-biking or golf, for that matter, can be enjoyed year-round like in no other city.

Take golf, for instance, I tee-off first thing on Saturday mornings with a group of friends. Firstly we play every week including in winter. It might be very cold when we tee-off but by the time we finish, we would expect the clear winter sunshine to have warmed up the temperature to around 18 degrees. Put another way, by avoiding summer afternoon thunderstorms and playing in the morning out of 52 weeks we would expect to play in shorts 48 or them and for the rain to interrupt play about 6 times. The wind is seldom a factor.

But its Green Capital should also include the air quality. At least in summer. I have an Awair air quality measure in the system. It measures five aspects of the air and gives a score out of 100. Anything over 80 is good. 60 to 80 is fair. It takes into account the amount of dust, chemicals and carbon dioxide in the air. It also values temperature and humidity. Since I have been measuring air quality in November it has not dropped below 80. Is it because of the altitude (1700 m)? The greenery? Then this week it touched a perfect 100 for the first time. Whatever the cause it's perfect air quality to go e-Biking!