Original in Spanish: Quema de plantaciones para aceite de palma
Turns out that in Indonesia, EVERY YEAR, plantations are burned to make palm oil. It’s illegal, but it’s done.
http://time.com/4034382/indonesia-smog-haze-fire-forest-singapore/
It’s done SO much that in neighbouring Singapore they’ve spent days with restrictions on going outside because of pollution levels that harm health.
I’m told it doesn’t smell of burning; I imagine the volatile particles we smell get lost along the way. I also imagine the fires in Indonesia probably are the real cause of Singapore’s pollution and nobody’s pulling our leg on that. If you notice I’m missing something, please flag it.
How is it possible that this is happening? Not once: EVERY YEAR.
To what point does it affect people’s health? They talk about short-term effects (from 200 PSI your eyes sting, at such-and-such level schools should close, etc.) but I’m not sure how to translate that into its equivalent in packs of Ducados.
If you’re over there, what can you actually do to stay healthy?
I truly don’t understand it, it seems surreal. I don’t think we have any idea of the scale at which we’re mucking everything up.
Can someone help me understand?
I’m leaving this public so you can share it, in case it reaches someone who can throw me a rope. I’m amazed this isn’t on TV.
(Facebook, 2015-09-15)