My Good Friend Charlie

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I live in a very small area surrounded by 2 powerful, non-chinese neighbours. Over the years, their heads have changed but their behaviours remain more or less the same.

I remember long time ago, one had threatened to turn-off the water supply to my tap. The other created terror & damaged our popular neighbourhood. Now, every year without fail, he keeps burning his vegetation in his yards and causes severe air-pollution to our environment. In some weeks, I’m forced to wear my face mask when I’m out-door. 

As an insurance, I decided to befriend big brother Charlie from oversea, hoping that he would render some help & come to my rescue in the event when my neighbours harass me & give me serious problems. But big brother Charlie also has his own family issues to deal with at home. I wonder whether he would come in such a scenario. I just hope for the best & keep my fingers crossed.

The other problem is Big brother Charlie would retire in ten years time, and another from his family would take over. They like to play musical chair every tenth-year. So I have no choice but to constantly spend time, money & effort to re-start / renew this friendship with whomever is put in-charge. Sigh ! 

(A page from Merlion’s Journal)

 

Haze You Win, Hate I Lose

                       

I’m not a trendy person & I have never buy any accessory for fashion other than my waist belt & shoes.

But now due to the severe haze, I’m forced to borrow money to buy many accessories like protective gears.

Everyday, I have to check the PSI level & decide what “extra gear” to wear before going out.

 

Those perpetrators causing the yearly haze should be stopped, punished & dealt with severely.

I think this would be very challenging & would take many years. So be prepared for this yearly air-pollution crisis.

The current haze problem is a complicated issue & I don’t think it could be resolved any time soon. The top guy says “stop the burning”, but his team members have very different agendas. They are a poor nation & had to use the cheapest & fastest method to clear lands. Even the top guy could not afford a N95 mask. What do you expect others to do ?

Unless & until they recognize this as a serious problem with devastating impact to people, wildlife and environment, there would never be a solution. 

I support actions to stop the burning & de-forestation and ban the imports from these un-responsible suppliers. 

As a consumer, I could consume less & buy only from sustainable source but at higher costs for goods.  

I believe we have to continue to live with this haze & pay higher costs for consumable goods. It’s a double whammy for me.  Sigh!

                                                

In my opinion, those land owners & companies found to be responsible for creating the current haze and smog should be made to bear the full costs of damages to the environment, people’s ill-health and the costs of fire-fighting resources  deployed to mitigate this crisis. 

They must be made to pay to be educated.

Enforcement must be mandated & implemented on the ground by the authorities.
I see no other way to prevent this type of crisis recurring in coming years unless there is an immediate zero demand or substitute to replace palm oil.