Indonesian forest fires affect Malaysia

An annual event here in SE Asia, is a smokescreen that drifts across the Straits of Malacca from Indonesia and chokes Malaysia. It develops when farmers in Sumatra burn chunks of the forest and clear away bush every year. The huge amount of smoke, created by hundreds of fires can be seen from space.

Here is Bali we are far from Sumatra and the winds don't blow our way fortunately, still air pollution is one of my pet hates here in Bali. One of the things that can ruin a scenic trip is getting stuck behind a truck of bus going up a hill. You will be introduced to the taste of diesel and sometimes I can feel it in my lungs the day after, disgusting!

Balinese burn their trash at the side of the road as they have done for years, which is maybe not a problem when done on a small scale. When modern items are added it can be a problem. I remember staying out in East Bali once and the locals down the street were burning fish bones and plastic garbage. Their simmering pile kept going for more than 24 hours and stank the whole place out. At least someone should teach them how to make a hobo-stove out of a drum and burn the stuff in 30 minutes.

SE Asia is highly populated and under educated. The environment is usually on the bottom of the list of priorities and the air pollution in Malaysia is one symptom. The government of Indonesia should consider recycling and air quality as important issues before things get out of control. How could they do this? For starters ban 2-stroke motorbikes, introduce emissions standards for trucks, buses and cars over 2 liter.

For my part I am not entirely guilt free either, I ride a 4-stroke motorbike and have bbqs. If my activities become a problem I will seek change.