Dear Readers,

September saw a lot of tragedies, along with some unrest in the form of the protests and demonstrations in Jakarta. We saw earthquakes striking in Maluku, along with the forest fires raging in Riau and Kalimantan blowing a thick haze of smoke over the islands and Jakarta, as well as the nation’s neighbours.

For another year, people in Sumatra and Kalimantan have had to fight against the thick smog blanketing their homes, with air quality reaching levels classified as “very unhealthy.” More than 285,000ha of land had been burned since the start of the dry season in June. Malaysia and Singapore were also affected and sought action from the Indonesian government, even though it’s believed that some of the palm oil companies involved in the forest fires are subsidiaries of Malaysian companies.

The fires produced a haze, or smog, that reached Jakarta. The capital’s air quality index status remains “unhealthy” and is accompanied by 50 percent humidity, along with the rains that haven’t yet really come no matter the predictions of the previous months. According to Air Visual, the average annual PM2.5 concentration as of August 2019 are on track to meet or exceed the 2018 high of 45.3μg/m3. Rapid growth and development, seasonal agricultural burning practices, a reliance on coal-fired power plants, and fuel-inefficient vehicles are the main causes of Jakarta’s poor air quality.

The air was filled with unhealthy gases of a different nature when policemen fired tear gas at local university students during mass demonstrations around the parliament buildings over the past two weeks. With those not protesting fearing for their safety and choosing to stay home, the smog, rather ironically, wasn’t as bad as usual.

Taking some time to venture to Eastern Indonesia might offer some temporary respite with some fresh air. I visited Karimun Jawa this month with hopes of exploring the famous turquoise-blue beaches. Snorkelling against the strong waves was exhausting enough, but it was tough to see so many dying coral reefs. Luckily, there’s a French marine biologist working on developing coral farming to try to mitigate and reverse the effects of coral bleaching.

If the ocean isn’t your preference, you can create your own garden just like a local family who ae resisting climate change in their home and alleyway in the cool, green city of Malang. Heading north, in Surabaya, you can try out the Suroboyo Bus and help ease litter problems while still exploring the city – don’t forget to bring your plastic bottles! For those of you not going anywhere, we share with you some tips from the zero waste movement for you and your children to live a greener life.

In the midst of all this environmental and humanitarian chaos, there’s a new bule in town. This particular one is in awe of Jakarta’s bustle and it being a metropolitan hidden gem, and will be sharing with you his stories in his column What’s Up, so stay tuned!

Don’t forget to check out what activities and deals are in store in our ‘Events’ and ‘Classified’ pages.

Remember, if you’re frustrated with the effects of climate change and the way things are progressing, you can make a change. Small changes bring about an accumulative difference and create a positive impact. Slow and consistent steps can improve the environment and allow nature to reclaim its domain for the future.

Stay safe and happy reading!