DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm David Greene. As we've reported, China has a major smog problem. And now one environmental official thinks he's figured out the cause - breakfast, specifically bacon. The official says smoking, the traditional method used to preserve pork, is polluting the air. As local residents smoke delicious meat products in preparation for the Chinese New Year, the smog has increased. Still, this claim was met with some skepticism. Some say that at most, the air might smell like bacon. You're listening to MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.