CONTRAST
And then came that famous river in Jakarta where 30 million people live, the most polluted river in the world. The idea (Flo’s of course) was to take a few photographs of it and give our report an ecological dimension. Words are not enough to describe the horror of the scene. An unendurable foul smell of chemicals and excrement, a thick and oily green liquid where only floating plastic bags were surviving and all this in the middle of the city. It was the sight of schoolboys buzzing happily near it that scared me the most though. Their classroom was right beside it and it looked like they weren’t smelling anything and were unconcerned with the piling up of plastic bags and used packaging which surrounded them. For them, it was like that in their suburb and that was it! According to some scientists our planet is overpopulated and, as Jakarta’s problems show, we have to restrain and manage demographic increases. But what about if we consume less?
REVOLUTION
Flying round the world to windsurf may also be seen as a pollutant and these are all factors we will have to consider in changing our lifestyle and needs to ensure our planet remains a home. But what would occur if we reduce our consumption? And, if instead of living the dream of a materialistic and capitalistic life, which we now know inevitably frustrates, we would turn ourselves towards a new ideal: a world of equality between people and in harmony to our relationship with Mother Earth? A love based on sharing and respect for others and for our environment. Because, as I see it, we are the others and we are our environment and the time to act is now.