Once again, it’s Yu. Not a lot of updates lately on the Roots and Shoots front, unfortunately. Everyone has been so busy that Roots and Shoots meetings have had to be postponed. I just came here to comment on the condition of the air of Chiang Mai lately. First, here are some pictures:
There used to be mountains behind those trees.
Taken out a window of Mr. Troy’s classroom. I think this was one of the worst days of dust.
For over a week, radios and the government have reported that the level of pollutants in the air in Chiang Mai had gone over safe levels, and advised senior citizens and the young to stay inside (Chiang Mai Mail, The Nation). This warning has recently only come to full force when in the past few days, the polluted haze of the city has become so apparent that throughout the day, the light of the sun can hardly be seen! Even in the afternoon, when the sun usually beats down relentlessly, the light is still reminiscent of the early morning, yet holding nothing akin to the pleasures of a sunrise.
I remember sitting in the front seat of the car this morning with my mother, and as it came up the rise of the bridge leading to school, my mom told me to look at the sun, which looked like a bright red egg in a mist of tan sky. “Even the sun is being choked by this haze,” she tells me and how can I not agree — the haze is proof to anyone that air conditions have gone past any level of pollution we have experienced before. I’ve seen several ninth graders — also Roots and Shoots members — walking with their shirt sleeves covering their mouths and noses, one even donning an air pollution mask. Though at first glance, this may appear comical, one can soon understand why and how these girls are utterly serious. Looking out the classroom window, how can one not be alarmed to find that the sky is no longer blue, but an almost orange haze?
Air pollution in Chiang Mai and neighboring provinces is an issue already past concern — it is an issue that must be addressed, and tackled as soon as possible. I’ve heard that the government has been planning to create artificial rain to help ‘chase away’ the haze, but in my opinion, this is not a real fix to the problem of air pollution in Chiang Mai. In no way is creating artificial rain going to, in the long run, solve our problem. What we need is raised environmental awareness in the citizens and in our government, and a stronger environmental policy.
