Bali's nature fading<\/p>\n
From Bali Post<\/p>\n
Often, I am nostalgic for the environment of Bali during my
\nchildhood in the seventies, when I could play after school was
\nover. Nature offered so many things to play with, that dusk came
\ntoo soon and it seemed I had too little time to enjoy everything.<\/p>\n
Among my hobbies was flying kites during the kite season, when
\nwe used to go to the causeways between rice fields for this
\nactivity. We were also fond of catching crickets in the grassy
\nareas of the paddies, particularly during planting season, with
\nthe rice stalks stretching across the fields like green carpets.
\nDragonflies and butterflies were so abundant and easy to catch,
\nwhile crows were everywhere, flying about and perching on shady
\ntrees.<\/p>\n
We were so happy during harvest season for fruits, reaping
\nguavas, mangoes and various other fruits. We really enjoyed every
\nmoment, even though we didn't have any technology-based games
\nlike PlayStations and Internet cafes.<\/p>\n
Where have all those childhood delights gone today? Can our
\nchildren fly kites on asphalt roads or between high-rise
\nbuildings? Can we find fruits to pick on farmland where cafes are
\nnow built? The land and river banks are now owned by different
\npeople of diverse cultural backgrounds. And where can the kids
\ncatch butterflies, if there are no flowers or trees? Or are they
\nhappier now than their parents were in the past?<\/p>\n
Various greenbelts in Denpasar have also been converted into
\nbuildings without proper control by the relevant city apparatus.<\/p>\n
This calls to mind community figures who have great visions
\nregarding city planning and Bali's cultural preservation, like
\nNyoman Gelebet and Ida Pedanda Gede Made Gunung. Let's hope they
\nare capable of maintaining Bali's high values, or perhaps of
\nrestoring its natural conditions to what they used to be during
\nthe 1960s-1970s.<\/p>\n
GEDE PUTRA SURYANINGRAT
\nDenpasar, Bali<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/balis-nature-fading-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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