'The least we can do is not litter'<\/p>\n
Many environmental problems in the capital have remained
\nunresolved because residents are unwilling to adopt a \"green
\nlifestyle\". Worsening air and water pollution has begun to take
\nits toll, with many people suffering from respiratory and other
\nhealth problems. The Jakarta Post spoke with residents about what
\nthey do to help protect the environment.<\/p>\n
Ignatius Ari, 30, works at a PR firm on Jl. Balitung in
\nKebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. He lives in a rented house near
\nhis office:<\/p>\n
There are two major environmental problems in the capital: air
\npollution and flooding. The quality of the air is getting worse
\nand it is no longer healthy. High-rise buildings seem to fade
\naway in the thick smog every morning.<\/p>\n
The city administration has also failed to cope with flooding.
\nI don't know why the administration put concrete blocks along
\nriverbanks instead of planting trees, which I believe could serve
\nas a natural buffer.<\/p>\n
I think the officials need to learn how to involve the public
\nin protecting the environment, like the work being done by an
\nenvironmental activist at the Pesanggrahan River. He has invited
\nhigh school students to take part in planting trees along the
\nriver in an effort to help protect the environment.<\/p>\n
Hanang, 26, is a freelance computer programmer and vendor. He
\nlives with his family in Ciputat, South Jakarta:<\/p>\n
To save the devastated environment in the country, we need a
\ntop-down approach as well as a bottom-up one.<\/p>\n
A top-down solution would be for the government to pay more
\nattention to the environment by creating relevant laws and
\npolicies and enforcing them. The government could, for example,
\npromote the use of environmentally friendly fuel and ecolabel
\nproducts, and punish those businesses that pollute and destroy
\nnature.<\/p>\n
The bottom-up approach, meanwhile, would come from the
\npublic's own awareness of being environmentally friendly.<\/p>\n
Nobody likes a dirty environment, for example, so the least we
\ncould all do is not to litter, for our own benefit.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-least-we-can-do-is-not-litter-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }