Each morning, when I leave home to work, and drive my car I think about it. It's there. We all know about it and tend to ignore it, like we do with all problems that affect us and the planet.
Air pollution is everywhere, exactly because it's the air, it is everywhere...with all the pollution in it.
So far we have been talking about the future of the planet and the future generations.
What about now? I live in such a polluted city that if I stop to think about it, it makes me feel sick that we are condemning ourselves to a pollution-related disease. Does anybody think about this?
The air in Macau is thick and grey and is getting into our lungs with every breath we take.
Even in Coloane...which seems a last resource for fresh air, is not pollution-free at all.
There is the stone grinding industry which releases stone powder dust that has already condemned to lung cancer many workers from the near-by Seac Pai Van Park, supposedly the place we go for pure and fresh air ....
Waiting in traffic jams and red lights with all those high-pollutant motorbikes and old buses blowing black smoke from the engine pipes into our faces?
So many casinos and money flowing around and we have to take all this smoke? So much money here and still no improvement in the air quality. So much money and still no electric or hydrogen buses....
Can you imagine when the bridge Macau-Hong Kong-Guangzhou is ready? How many cars and buses will there be in Macau then?
Nobody seems to care and improve the situation. It doesn't make you wealthier and that's it.
Seems hopeless. Looks like it will never get better.
And what can the normal citizen do in a place where apparently there is no law governing the release of pollutants by cars, buses and cars, because we keep seeing those vehicles releasing black smoke, which would be forbidden in other countries but here is still allowed? Why?
The government is somewhat sensitive to the power of the press. However, the press doesn't always use its powers to exert pressure. So, here is a suggestion to our fellow local journalists... and for the government ;-)
Many cities are promoting the use of electric buses and the result is less pollution and less noise too!
And for the normal citizen, like me, we can always drop our opinions and suggestions here or here. It will not take you long ;-) and the more comments we drop the better chance for our voices to be heard!
I grew up in a fairly fresh-aired small village in Portugal and had a fortunate childhood in the countryside together with trees, green places and animals. Never thought that some years later I would be deprived of it and missing it so much.
But here.... kids can't even enjoy green, pollution free places unless they fly away. . Isn't this terrible? Forcing them and us to constantly breathe the polluted air of Macau? There is no countryside in Macau. Depriving kids from enjoying a grass field, with poppies and butterflies and a blue sky? What will their future be like? Where will they be in 10 years?
Well, this is the place where I wish to be in 10 years, and hope everybody can find a place like this and finally live a healthy life: