`I have to wear a mask due to air pollution'<\/p>\n
Environmental degradation is already affecting many people's
\nlives. Among the problems is the serious air pollution, which is
\nharmful to human beings and any living species. To mark the
\ncommemoration of World Environment Day, which fell on Thursday,
\nThe Jakarta Post talked to some city residents about the issue.<\/p>\n
Muhidin, 36, works as a street sweeper in East Jakarta. He
\nlives in a rented house in East Jakarta with several other
\npeople. His wife and three children live in Bogor, West Java:<\/p>\n
The pollution is so bad in the city that I have to wear a mask
\nevery day. It is hard to take, but I have responsibilities so I
\nhave to deal with it.<\/p>\n
I always start working at three in the morning, when the
\npollution isn't so bad. At that time of the day I can do my job
\ncomfortably.<\/p>\n
However, when dawn breaks people start coming out on the
\nstreets and start littering again. It pisses me off.<\/p>\n
I mean, I get mad when I sweep up an area and people come
\nright behind me throwing their garbage on the ground.<\/p>\n
I guess people are just stupid and don't know anything about
\nkeeping the streets clean.<\/p>\n
The trash cans along the sidewalk are useless because people
\ndon't use them for their garbage.<\/p>\n
They don't know how hard our job is cleaning the streets every
\nday. If a local administration official finds a street that is
\nnot clean, our boss will give us a warning.<\/p>\n
Miskan, 52, sells cigarettes along a street in Jatinegara,
\nEast Jakarta. He lives in Johar Baru, Central Jakarta, with his
\nfriends. His wife and three children live in Kuningan, West Java:<\/p>\n
I think air pollution and other kinds of pollution are very
\nserious now. The pollution sometimes affects my breathing.<\/p>\n
Luckily, I have gotten used to the pollution so it doesn't
\nbother me so much.<\/p>\n
I usually have a nap under a tree on the roadside on hot,
\nsunny days, to escape from the choking smoke of the public buses.
\nThat's how I temporarily escape the pollution.<\/p>\n
Another problem in my neighborhood is that lots of people just
\ndump their crap and garbage anywhere.<\/p>\n
In my neighborhood, people just dump their trash near their
\nhouses. These piles of trash keep growing until Sunday, when
\neveryone gets together to clean up the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
I think the initiative shown by the neighborhood unit chief is
\npraiseworthy in this case. Residents are willing to work together
\nto pick up the garbage and clean up the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
I like it when my environment is clean. But there are still
\nmany more residents who do not care about the garbage.<\/p>\n
Nasikin, 48, is a bajaj driver in Central Jakarta and East
\nJakarta. He lives in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, with a couple
\nof other drivers:<\/p>\n
Everybody knows that air pollution sucks. The exhaust fumes
\nfrom all the cars and stuff on the streets is almost impossible
\nto take, especially when there's a traffic jam.<\/p>\n
Sometimes I think I'm gonna die from all that smoke. But I
\nhave a herbal drink three times a week, which helps me.
\nOtherwise, I'd be sick all the time because working out on the
\nstreets is unhealthy.<\/p>\n
I don't think bajaj are the worst polluters. Public minibuses
\nare a lot worse because they use diesel. Bajaj are cleaner
\nbecause we use gas.<\/p>\n
Compared to my village, the city is really dirty and
\nunhealthy.<\/p>\n
And there's no use cleaning the rivers here because people
\nwill just dump their trash in them again.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/i-have-to-wear-a-mask-due-to-air-pollution-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }