Canada may be struggling with low oil prices, but China's latest environmental crisis is proving to be a lucrative opportunity for another of its natural resources — Rocky Mountain air. Alberta-based Vitality Air has been cashing in on Beijing's worsening air quality problems, selling aluminum cans of "fresh clean air and oxygen" from the picturesque Rocky Mountains for around $10 to $20 each. Vitality Air's China representative Harrison Wang said told MailOnline that they sold out almost instantly after marketing the product on China's e-commerce website Taobao. They'll be sending another 700 bottles to China in the coming weeks, topping their first 500-bottle shipment. "We have sold everything, and we now have a bunch of customers and people wanting to be our distributors," Harrison said.

Alberta-based Vitality Air sells this 7.7 litre can of Banff air for $23 Canadian dollars ($16.80). vitalityair.com

It comes as Beijing grapples with high levels of air pollution, having issued its first red alert for smog last week which saw schools, factories and construction sites closed and car limits enforced.

And the company wasn't shy about capitalizing on the crisis on Twitter shortly after the alert was issued. TWEET

Not a joke

Founders Moses Lam and Troy Paquette admitted to Canadian media that the project first started as a joke, selling their first sealable food bag of air for 99 cents on eBay. The then sold a second bag that raked in $168 Canadian dollars ($122). They launched Vitality Air shortly afterward. But for those who are still laughing at the idea of selling air that usually comes for free, the website reminds us that bottled water also used to be a punchline "The truth is we've begun to appreciate the clean, pure and refreshing taste of quality water," the website reads. "Air is going the same way." "Just like bottled water, premium air is a growing industry because people are noticing the difference."

