Much of Southeast Asia is now covered with a blanket of what is euphemistically called "haze" but is actually "smog" (combined smoke and fog). This smog results mainly from destruction of Indonesia's rain forests, which are replaced with palm trees for production of palm oil.

Much of the wood is used for timber production, and is exported to Japan, the United States and other countries. Palm oil, which comes from the palm trees grown on cleared rain-forest, is a widely-used cooking oil despite being an artery-clogging saturated fat.

For satellite photos of the smog blanketing Southeast Asia, please look at:

The worst fire/smog combinations affect the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Java, location of the cities of Jakarta and Bogor, is where decisions are made and logging concessions granted to "well-connected" businessmen, many friends of the nation's President.

Java is not as badly affected as other islands.

A mother whose daughter is hospitalized with severe asthma at Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo told the Wall Street Journal: "Do you think President Soeharto would make his family breathe this air?"

Humans are staying indoors as much as possible. Outside many people wear masks.

But there are no masks for the animals of Borneo and Sumatra and other affected islands. Among these animals are some wonderful primates:

• Orangutans - of which less than 30,000 remain in the wild
• Gibbons (Borneo and Sumatra) and siamangs (Sumatra)
• Leaf monkeys, many belonging to very rare species
• Proboscis monkeys (Borneo) - those fabulous long-nosed monkeys
• Tarsiers (Borneo), small nocturnal animals who leap through the trees at night
• Lorises, slow-moving nocturnal primates

"Some good can come of these tragic fires if they persuade Southeast Asia and the nations that import their products to take forest protection seriously. The United States should begin by banning plywood made of tropical hardwood, or requiring country of origin labeling on wood products so consumers can refuse to buy them. Japan, often the buyer of products created by ruinous environmental practices, also needs to rethink its import policies. In the end, however, Southeast Asia's environmental practices will not greatly improve until corruption and authoritarianism diminish. There is too much money to be made by powerful people, and too little attention paid to those groups trying to bring sanity to reckless growth."

YOU CAN HELP

1) If you live in the United States, please request your congressional representatives to ban import of plywood made of tropical hardwood and/or require country-of-origin labeling on wood products (addresses: House Office Building, Washington DC 20515, Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510). If you live outside the United States, make a similar request to your government. This is very important for anyone living in Japan.

2) Request the supplier to provide you with the name of the country of origin of any wood product you purchase. Some items are labeled.

3) Check ingredient lists of foods you buy and avoid anything with palm oil or coconut oil. Canola and olive oil are better for you, anyway!

4) If you live in affected areas, please send news clippings and information to IPPL, POB 766, Summerville, SC 29484, USA
 

 
 
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