Food for thought

Only 2 more sleeps in 2021. Time to look back onto the year that’s been. Covid-19 has made it another chaotic year for most of us, and for some it was filled with uncertainty and fear for the future and the life of loved ones. In order to protect the most vulnerable amongst us, travel restrictions were in place and our personal routines had to take a hit as we were temporarily forced to stay at home, sometimes isolated from family and friends. But still we have had the privilege to live in a civilized and democratic country, enjoying not just freedom of speech, but also the luxury of a roof above our heads and some of the gadgets that have become an essential part of our lives. Everyone who reads this, is in possession of a computer, a tablet or a smartphone. We do have enough food and we can enjoy the pleasure of a shower after a long day of work. So, is it worth complaining about bits and pieces that are not entirely perfect? Let’s have a look abroad to put things in perspective.

The air is filled with thick, black smoke. A massive pile of garbage is burning next to the main street in Kopo, not far away from the shopping district of Bandung, the 3rd largest city in Indonesia. Although the government had prohibited the burning of rubbish under two national laws on waste management and environmental protection, a lack of convictions for trash burning documents that the authorities are turning a blind eye to the practice that has been going on for years. For many, burning trash is their source of income – and as no reliable waste collection service is available, residents are left with little alternatives.

Water is a human right – well, it should be. Clean water is a given thing in our lives, we just take it for granted. Billions of people on this planet do not have easy access to clean water, not even a toilet. Did you know, that according to UN-reports, more people across the globe have got access to a mobile phone than to a toilet?

Jakarta, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, suffers from serious water pollution. Untreated wastewater from households and industry are contributing to the rapidly growing problem, and the majority of residents have to rely on extracting groundwater to survive. For decades, this practice has opened a can of worms – Jakarta is sinking. Simply explained – when a massive amount of groundwater is pumped out, the land above sinks as if it is sitting on a deflating balloon. Over the last 10 years, areas in North Jakarta have sunk about 2,5 meters – and rising sea levels are accelerating the problem. Millions of people in Indonesia’s capital and the surrounding areas are facing an uncertain future, and given the continuously growing population and the ongoing global warming the outlook is dire.