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Haze In SOuth East asia

Picture
Author: Nivee Mitra
What exactly is the haze?

Haze is a term used to describe the poor quality of air, involving smoky fog and polluted skies. It is not uncommon in South East Asia, but 2019 brings some of the worst haze levels in years. 


Where is it happening?

The haze is mainly covering South East Asia,including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & Indonesia. 

What causes it?

Haze is caused by the slash and burn method mainly practised in Indonesia. This method involves striking down trees and burning them to clear land for other ‘more important’ purposes. Beginning January, more than 320,000 hectares of forest and plantation land have been on fire in several provinces of Indonesia (as per a report from The Straits Times). Reasons for this include clearing land for farming and palm oil plantations. The hot and dry weather helps to spread the fire easily and make it difficult to control. The ash and smoke from this is carried by winds from Indonesia to other countries.

How are haze levels measured?

The air quality is generally measured by the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI). The number of the reading decides on the danger level. According to the National Environment Agency of Singapore, 0 - 50 is good, 51 - 100 is moderate, 101 - 200 is unhealthy, 201 - 300 is very unhealthy, & above 300 is considered hazardous.

How are people affected?

Everyone from the elderly to the young are affected. This is mainly because of the poor air quality, which can cause lung congestion and bad cough. In some countries PSI levels have been so bad, that it has been considered dangerous to go outside.  In 2015, haze levels reached a shocking number of 341 in Singapore, causing schools to shut down for the safety of children. This year the PSI levels crossed the 100 mark in Singapore for the first time in 3 years and reached a high of 2000 in Indonesia, causing the deaths of many people. 

Who else is affected?

The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation has said that the haze has affected hundreds of orangutans in its care. As many as 37 young orangutans are suspected to have contracted a mild respiratory infection

What’s next?

Why do we burn the forests? And why is it that this continues to happen on an annual basis, causing some citizens to fear the oncoming haze? The Indonesia government says they are taking actions to curb the haze and punish those who raze the forest fires. Singapore too has been trying to impose fines on companies who own palm oil plantations and are found to be culprits in burning down the forests- but clearly this is not enough. We need a more collective action by people and groups across SouthEast Asia - people, companies and governments need to come together with a common purpose and mission - TO STOP THE FIRES. So let's all unite, and together we can stop the haze.

We Would Love To Have You Visit Again Soon!




  • Home
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    • Book Reviews >
      • Stolen Away
      • Hunger Games
      • A Tale of Magic
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    • Why Funny Girl Should Be The Movie Of This Generation
    • TikTok
    • Among Us Tips & Tricks
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    • LOONA’s 12:00 album review
    • Behind the Scenes
    • Boycott Mulan
    • Were the F.R.I.E.N.D.S really friends?
    • Halloween Myths
    • Dune Review
    • Top 3 Musicals for Teens
    • That's What You Missed On Glee
    • IPL
    • Champions League 2021
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    • Uncut Gems Film Review
    • Little Women Review
    • Why Amber is the unsung hero of Sofia the First
    • The Two Popes Film Review: A Cinematic Sleeping Pill
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    • The Last Black Man In San Francisco: The Best Film Of 2019 That Nobody Is Talking About
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      • Wake up, Boris Johnson
      • First Presidential Debate
      • Brexit: The Political Decision We Can’t Ignore
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      • Donald Trump's COVID-19 Diagnosis
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    • Vintage Shopping In Singapore
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  • Editorial
    • Covid-19 Vaccine
    • Samsung Digital Cockpit
    • Riot or Protest?
    • Robot Baristas
    • Feminism and Men’s Rights
    • Why Don't We Speak About Our Mental Health
    • Anastasia Pagonis
    • Penicillin: The Discovery that Changed the World of Medicine
    • Do Video Games Cause Violence
    • Stairs: Would we be better off without them?
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      • Harriet Tubman
      • Susan B. Anthony
      • Uncovered >
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        • Chinese New Year
        • Poverty
        • Laziness
        • Inequality
    • Apple TV 4K
    • Contortion: An Introduction
    • Lessons From Covid
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    • Know Your French Fries
    • Why 'OK, Boomer' Is Not The 'N-Word of Ageism'
  • Environment
    • The 6th Mass Extinction
    • Climate Countdown
    • I'm Dreaming Of A Green Christmas
    • What Busy People Need To Know About >
      • Flights to Nowhere
      • Australian Bushfires
      • Hurricane Dorian
      • Greta Thunberg
      • Melting Ice
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    • Creative Writing >
      • One Last Breath
      • The Remote's Escape
      • The Remote's Back
      • The Clock: Part 2
      • The Secret Life of Potatoes (Part 2)
    • Comics - Seniors >
      • Seniors: Issue 1
      • Seniors: Issue 2
      • Seniors: Issue 3
      • Seniors: Issue 4
    • Comics - The Cherry Twins >
      • The Cherry Twins: Issue 1
      • The Cherry Twins: Issue 2
    • Comics - Miss Understood >
      • Miss Understood: Issue 1
    • Comics - Masquerade Ball >
      • Masquerade Ball: Issue 1
    • Art In Words >
      • I Can See the Light...
      • Above The Clouds
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      • Chanel's Fashion Revolution Reaches For The Stars
      • Caption Competiton
      • Funhome: Chloe Choo
      • Future World: Where Art Meets Science
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    • Christmas!
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    • First Lines
  • Archive
    • Creative Archive >
      • The Clock: Part 1
      • The Man In the Bank
      • Adventurous Story Of A TV Remote - Part 1
      • Yishun: The Devil's Ring
      • A World With No Borders
      • An Interview With The Divers At The Heart Of The Thai Cave Rescue
      • The Mountains
      • The Day I Woke Up In Troy
      • In Japan
      • Pertinus the Tenacious
    • Current Affairs Archive >
      • Riot vs. Protest
      • #BLM What You Need To Know
      • A World Of Performative Activism
      • Entrepreneurship: The Key To Go From Zero To Hero
      • Why The U.S-Iran Conflict Is Sure To Escalate
      • Why India’s Citizenship Bill And Its Effects Are More Serious Than We Originally Thought
      • The Rise Of Bitcoin In 2019
      • Hurricane Delta
      • Why Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's Murder Is More Significant Than We Originally Thought
      • Why Do Many Technology Startups Fail?
      • What Is The Trump-Ukraine Crisis And What Are Its Effects?
      • Ending The Hong Kong Protests - A Guide For Dummies
      • Why Brexit is Going Nowhere
      • Ending the Yemen War: A Guide for Dummies
      • India-Pakistan Conflict: A Dummies Guide
    • Editorial Archive >
      • Singapore's Latest Nuisance: Electric Scooters
      • Why Artificial Intelligence is the Future of Humanity
      • Self Driving Cars, The Future of The Automotive Industry
      • Should We Really Be Afraid Of Artificial Intelligence?
      • Something Is Rotten In The Heart of Tanglin's Head Team
      • Boeing 737 Max 8: A Question of Safety
      • A World in the Dark
      • The Day That Siri Died
      • Does Brandy Melville Fit into the Future of Fashion?
      • #NOFILTERPOETRY
      • World Cup Conspiracies
      • Is Money Really That Great?
      • Why I Hate Valentine's Day
      • How We Became Enslaved To The Social Media Overlords
      • The Projector VS Golden Village
      • A Little Red Dot
    • Entertainment Archive >
      • The Diary of Taylor Swift's Cats
      • Champions League Comebacks
      • It's Bruno, Possibly The Weirdest Show On Netflix?
      • Why Being a Film Fan in Singapore Kinda Sucks...
      • Fortnite Vs Apex: Let Battle Commence
      • The Dying Art Of One Direction Fanfiction
      • Taylor Swift Cancels Concert At The Melbourne Cup
      • Haji Lane
      • To All The Boys I've Loved Before
      • Thor Ragnarok film review
      • The Ring of Fury - Why Now?
      • The Films You Missed in 2018
      • Kingsman: The Golden Circle
  • Category