Indonesian palm oil industry. A gas chamber.
From Malaysia to Indonesia
City and port of Malacca in Malaysia is overflowed in the historic center by exited tourists from over the world which takes photos in most banal poses. The influence of Portuguese and Dutches is still present in noticeable European architecture, protestant church, replicated ship Flora de la Mar[1] and old ruins of fortress. The noisy night market and busy street food stalls is the culmination time for people after sweaty sightseeing walks during the day. At the International ferry terminal I bought an one way ticket for a speedboat to the town of Dumai that is opposite on Indonesian side from Malacca. I went through the relaxed customs control without any hassle and additional irritating interrogations. The monopolist ferry company charge unjustified high price of 135 ringgit for one way ticket that is about 2 hour journey which they highlighted will be 200 ringgit from first of November 2019.
Indonesian palm oil industry
During my time in Malaysia I could feel the menacingly haze in the heavy air which penetrated my lungs with bursting coughs and suffocation anxiety. The blue sky often turned in toxic orange an inferno cavity to appear nearly apocalyptic scenario similar with foggy Silent Hill or dense smog of Blade Runner with no way to simple escape from smoke that is covering an area for thousands of km in all possible directions for days in a row. The source of induced exhaust was caused by devastating palm oil industry and man made fire. The fire was burning deforested jungle and peatlands which had spread to untouched wild habitat and pristine nature environment on the island of Sumatra and Borneo.
The Yemen-based Hayel Saeed Anam Group, which is linked to sell palm oil to Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Unilever through subsidiaries, is responsible for clearing 40 square kilometers of rainforest and peatland in Indonesia’s Papua province between 2015 and 2017. Thus Indonesia lost forests at the rate of 146 soccer fields lost every hour — that’s one soccer field every 25 seconds[2]. Destroyed magnitude of these proportions are mind blowing and is equal as consequence with extinction of wild life and collapse of ecosystem. Nonchalant attitude and assertive approaches of these actions is what companies are willing to exercise in favor for large profits and frenetic increased margins.
[3]
Draining peatlands and burning forest is common used method and the cheapest way to clear the space for agriculture and specially for palm oil plantations. In result palm oil plantation made a mono culture wasteland from once virgin full of life and bio diverse ecosystem. Shrunk by human activity habitable jungle that once was a home for already endangered species like clouded leopards, sun bears rhinoceros, Sumatra tigers, elephants or orangutans now is a playground for lobby, business, corruption and deadly dirty money. As palm oil is used in many products as chips, toothpaste, ice cream, shampoo etc. its estimated to consist in 50% of all products on the shelves in supermarkets[3] though the biggest part of extracted oil goes to bio fuel in Europe as a tentative to replace cars that run on diesel fuel that is provided by Malaysia and Indonesia which combined hold together 84.5% of the global supply[4]. With backward mentality and without any sustainable vision Indonesian's govern is taking steady steps to defend its harmful industry: just two month ago, it banned products in grocery stores from bearing the label “palm oil-free,”[5]. Luckily enough European Commission woke up from the green sustainable utopian deep sleep and took measure to pass by vote decision to phase out by year 2030 palm oil-based bio fuel for it's devastating consequences[6]. From 6.43 million ton of the commodity imported from Indonesia and Malaysia EU used more than half 4 million ton of oil for bio fuel[7], regardless function to use eatable oil as fuel is madness, it is waste of food and a punch below dignity and moral for many organisation that pretend to establish prosperity, natural balance, sustainability and help to solve world hunger. Palm oil industry is not blamed only for wiping out wild life and ecosystem annihilation but also for respiratory health issues of human in result of clearing the lands with help of fire. Experts saying that breathing the haze in badly affected burning areas was as dangerous as smoking 80 cigarettes a day[8].
As a competing measures to palm oil in both in north and south hemisphere should be broadly invested to develop vertical farming solution which gives the capability to assure substantially higher yields of oil than palm oil at the same comparable area. With controlled environment, reduced to 90% water requirement compared to traditional agriculture, no chemical pesticides and less fertilizers is a vision for an all year around sustainable farming without been grounded by outside factors like drought, insects, heavy rain or winter.
Gas chamber
After haze from forest fires second asphyxiation experience was inevitable, not to mention smoking tradition of Indonesian will be an another win for horrible tobaco companies as Marlboro and Philip Morris.
[4]From port city of Dumai I took a bus to mountain village of Parapat before the journey waiting for the bus at the station's building the smell of the cigarette smoke have made me ill disturbed by the loud men who smoked inside the edifice and it is not strange at all because Indonesia had the lowest score (1/10) on eliminating exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in all indoor workplaces, public places and transport.[9]. Harmful smoking habits always follow poor developed places I thought for my self. It's an easy game for companies to target the most vulnerable and less educated people to implant the idea of cultural macho supremacy of a successful life style as consequence of lungs maladies and never ending addiction outcome. The mesh steeled frame on the front window of the bus looked more as transport for prisoners without AC just some small windows open. Short after departure cigarette smoke filled the bus and saturated the air in the bus with hard to breath atmosphere, I couldn't believe that someone smoking behind me but suddenly more men start to smoke simultaneously. In the night the small windows were closed to hold back the pouring rain and cold humid air so now the cigarette smoke was imprisoned it self for escaping the bus, thick smog began to irritate my eyes, breathing become difficult and I had nothing to stop inhaling toxic cigarette gas and during this ride I listened a symphony of coughs around the bus from those who possible had breathing difficulties as well. This was an true awful nightmare that i never experienced in other parts of the world and could be described and contested as my worst knowledgeable bus ride and undisputed real gas chamber.
Indonesia the world's second largest-market for tobacco after China remains the only place in Asia that has not joined the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of the World Health Organization[10] which establish guideline for protecting children, adults and future generation from devastating health issues caused by consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. Inexpensive cigarettes, omnipresent advertising, corruption as well as powerful lobby of tobacco companies with tight political connections and lack of law enforcement fuels a national addiction.
To tackle and surround smoking pattern is required to do opposite of today policies: to ban cigarette advertising; increase considerably the current price for tobacco; restriction and penalties for selling cigarettes to underage young people; properly inform dangerous effects on health; legislate laws in favor for nonsmoker and prohibit smoking in public places.
Tuk Tuk, Indonesia | November 7, 2019
Gas chamber
After haze from forest fires second asphyxiation experience was inevitable, not to mention smoking tradition of Indonesian will be an another win for horrible tobaco companies as Marlboro and Philip Morris.
[4]From port city of Dumai I took a bus to mountain village of Parapat before the journey waiting for the bus at the station's building the smell of the cigarette smoke have made me ill disturbed by the loud men who smoked inside the edifice and it is not strange at all because Indonesia had the lowest score (1/10) on eliminating exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in all indoor workplaces, public places and transport.[9]. Harmful smoking habits always follow poor developed places I thought for my self. It's an easy game for companies to target the most vulnerable and less educated people to implant the idea of cultural macho supremacy of a successful life style as consequence of lungs maladies and never ending addiction outcome. The mesh steeled frame on the front window of the bus looked more as transport for prisoners without AC just some small windows open. Short after departure cigarette smoke filled the bus and saturated the air in the bus with hard to breath atmosphere, I couldn't believe that someone smoking behind me but suddenly more men start to smoke simultaneously. In the night the small windows were closed to hold back the pouring rain and cold humid air so now the cigarette smoke was imprisoned it self for escaping the bus, thick smog began to irritate my eyes, breathing become difficult and I had nothing to stop inhaling toxic cigarette gas and during this ride I listened a symphony of coughs around the bus from those who possible had breathing difficulties as well. This was an true awful nightmare that i never experienced in other parts of the world and could be described and contested as my worst knowledgeable bus ride and undisputed real gas chamber.
Indonesia the world's second largest-market for tobacco after China remains the only place in Asia that has not joined the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of the World Health Organization[10] which establish guideline for protecting children, adults and future generation from devastating health issues caused by consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. Inexpensive cigarettes, omnipresent advertising, corruption as well as powerful lobby of tobacco companies with tight political connections and lack of law enforcement fuels a national addiction.
To tackle and surround smoking pattern is required to do opposite of today policies: to ban cigarette advertising; increase considerably the current price for tobacco; restriction and penalties for selling cigarettes to underage young people; properly inform dangerous effects on health; legislate laws in favor for nonsmoker and prohibit smoking in public places.
Tuk Tuk, Indonesia | November 7, 2019
Source
[1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flor_de_la_Mar - Flor de la Mar
[2]. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/palm-oil-commitments-broken-global-brands-linked-massive-deforestation/ - Palm Oil Commitments Broken: Global Brands Linked to Massive Deforestation
[3]. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/8-things-know-about-palm-oil - 8 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PALM OIL
[4]. https://www.indexmundi.com/agriculture/?commodity=palm-oil - Palm Oil Production by Country in 1000 MT
[5]. https://news.mongabay.com/2019/08/indonesia-bans-food-labeled-palm-oil-free-in-move-welcomed-by-industry/ - Indonesia bans food labeled ‘palm oil-free,’ in move welcomed by industry
[6]. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-climatechange-palmoil/eu-to-phase-out-palm-oil-from-transport-fuel-by-2030-idUKKBN1JA21F - EU to phase out palm oil from transport fuel by 2030
[7]. https://news.mongabay.com/2019/03/europe-in-bid-to-phase-out-palm-biofuel-leaves-fans-and-foes-dismayed/ - Europe, in bid to phase out palm biofuel, leaves fans and foes dismayed
[8]. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/25/world/southeast-asia-chokes-on-indonesia-s-forest-fires.html - Southeast Asia Chokes on Indonesia's Forest Fires
[9]. https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/97/2/18-220483/en/ - Implementation of national action plans on noncommunicable diseases, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam
[10]. https://seatca.org/indonesia-protecting-indonesian-youth-from-tobacco/ - Indonesia: Protecting Indonesian Youth From Tobacco
[11]. https://seatca.org/indonesia-protecting-indonesian-youth-from-tobacco/ - Indonesia: Protecting Indonesian Youth From Tobacco
[1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flor_de_la_Mar - Flor de la Mar
[2]. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/palm-oil-commitments-broken-global-brands-linked-massive-deforestation/ - Palm Oil Commitments Broken: Global Brands Linked to Massive Deforestation
[3]. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/8-things-know-about-palm-oil - 8 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PALM OIL
[4]. https://www.indexmundi.com/agriculture/?commodity=palm-oil - Palm Oil Production by Country in 1000 MT
[2]. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/palm-oil-commitments-broken-global-brands-linked-massive-deforestation/ - Palm Oil Commitments Broken: Global Brands Linked to Massive Deforestation
[3]. https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/8-things-know-about-palm-oil - 8 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PALM OIL
[4]. https://www.indexmundi.com/agriculture/?commodity=palm-oil - Palm Oil Production by Country in 1000 MT
[5]. https://news.mongabay.com/2019/08/indonesia-bans-food-labeled-palm-oil-free-in-move-welcomed-by-industry/ - Indonesia bans food labeled ‘palm oil-free,’ in move welcomed by industry
[6]. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-climatechange-palmoil/eu-to-phase-out-palm-oil-from-transport-fuel-by-2030-idUKKBN1JA21F - EU to phase out palm oil from transport fuel by 2030
[7]. https://news.mongabay.com/2019/03/europe-in-bid-to-phase-out-palm-biofuel-leaves-fans-and-foes-dismayed/ - Europe, in bid to phase out palm biofuel, leaves fans and foes dismayed
[8]. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/25/world/southeast-asia-chokes-on-indonesia-s-forest-fires.html - Southeast Asia Chokes on Indonesia's Forest Fires
[6]. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-climatechange-palmoil/eu-to-phase-out-palm-oil-from-transport-fuel-by-2030-idUKKBN1JA21F - EU to phase out palm oil from transport fuel by 2030
[7]. https://news.mongabay.com/2019/03/europe-in-bid-to-phase-out-palm-biofuel-leaves-fans-and-foes-dismayed/ - Europe, in bid to phase out palm biofuel, leaves fans and foes dismayed
[8]. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/25/world/southeast-asia-chokes-on-indonesia-s-forest-fires.html - Southeast Asia Chokes on Indonesia's Forest Fires
[9]. https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/97/2/18-220483/en/ - Implementation of national action plans on noncommunicable diseases, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam
[10]. https://seatca.org/indonesia-protecting-indonesian-youth-from-tobacco/ - Indonesia: Protecting Indonesian Youth From Tobacco
[10]. https://seatca.org/indonesia-protecting-indonesian-youth-from-tobacco/ - Indonesia: Protecting Indonesian Youth From Tobacco
[11]. https://seatca.org/indonesia-protecting-indonesian-youth-from-tobacco/ - Indonesia: Protecting Indonesian Youth From Tobacco
Pictures and photos
[1]. https://www.reuters.com, An aerial view of forest fire next to oil palm plantation
[2]. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/palm-oil-commitments-broken-global-brands-linked-massive-deforestation/ - Palm Oil Commitments Broken: Global Brands Linked to Massive Deforestation
[3]. https://qz.com/1711172/the-global-demand-for-palm-oil-is-driving-the-fires-in-indonesia/ - The global demand for palm oil is driving the fires in Indonesia
[4]. http://www.michellesiu.com/marlboroboys#17 - Jurong Island Reclamation and Tuas View Extension - Phases 1-4
[1]. https://www.reuters.com, An aerial view of forest fire next to oil palm plantation
[2]. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/palm-oil-commitments-broken-global-brands-linked-massive-deforestation/ - Palm Oil Commitments Broken: Global Brands Linked to Massive Deforestation[3]. https://qz.com/1711172/the-global-demand-for-palm-oil-is-driving-the-fires-in-indonesia/ - The global demand for palm oil is driving the fires in Indonesia
[4]. http://www.michellesiu.com/marlboroboys#17 - Jurong Island Reclamation and Tuas View Extension - Phases 1-4
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