26 replies to this topic

[nick87]

This is just horrible. Sickening even. It's the citarum river in west java, indonesia. It really makes you realize all the things we're doing to the planet. How bad does it have to get before we do something about the problems we're creating?
http://www.dailymail...uted-river.html

[Hayden]

WOW! That is unreal! I'm going to add those images to our gallery under "Negative images". Thanks!

[cyberrunner]

Another alarming fact is that about 80% of Jakarta's water comes from the Citarium river. These pictures are absolutely shocking and I do believe water borne diseases is wide spread in that area.

[godarna]

Seeing these pictures make me very sick. Unbelievable, how can people let it come this far. A very good example of the fact that there are still governments not taking their responsiblities and educate their population. There is a long way to go to teach people about the essence of life and the value of nature.

[zararina]

I wonder if they do have "Department of Environment" in there government. It also seems no one cares as if they were all blind. And for sure the smell of such "garbage river" is terrible that I think no one should get used to smelling it on their daily lives. Poor little kids to be born there not to even differentiate  anymore a good smell from bad smell and a good scene from those that are gross.
Will still hope that they will not get it worst and do something to make it better.

[amylisa1127]

What a horrible image. What disturbs me most is that the people rummage through it looking for items of value to help support themselves. This is just so sad for the people of that area! I read that their is no sewage system so everything goes in there. Seems like something could be done even if it meant reaching out to another nation for help. I would love to help!

[kathie_san]

Wow! I initially thought it would be somewhere in my country, knowing how polluted the rivers here in the Metro. But I sighed of relief when I saw that it's in Indonesia . Anyway, this is really disappointing. People have taken the environment for granted so they have no one to blame when disasters happen. So sad I hope we all wake up before it's too late.

[Jkility]

Wow, The thing is people are doing this because they have no where else to take there rubbish, their bins are the rivers pretty much, they dont have technology like we do so therefore just dump the rubbish in the river where it pretty much stays or gets washing down stream..

[JBMedia]

That is quite the pictures you have there. I honestly never even though we had some rivers that would be polluted to that point. It's quite unfortunate really. There's a lot of people now days that want to help with pollution by cutting back on it and cleaning up already polluted areas. However, the main problem boils down to everyone as an individual. Until everyone understands that this is something that needs to be taken care of now, we'll always be fighting similar struggles when it comes to pollution.

[kat74]

So sad! i can not imagine we are looking at a once nice flowing river, how did it come to that without anybody or the authority knowing. Its unbelievable the damage the human beings can do to their own home. To clean up that river will take more work and resources than it would have taken to keep it clean.

[marale60]

The real issue in Indonesia is overpopulation, there are just too many people and pollution like this is inevitable when the system is pushed to the limit. And the poverty does not improve things either. Those images are not only disturbing but unreal...

[msterees]

It was hard to tell this was even a river when looking at the first picture. It's hard to believe they would keep throwing their trash in the river like that. Very disturbing.

[Pushhyarag2000]

It is total recklessness and reprehensible that the administration there just doesn't feel helpless or unconcerned about what kind of devastation such a thing can lead to. Its beyond words, shocking that such huge accumulation, which should have taken years to build up continues unabashed?

[jasserEnv]

When I was in Indonesia, I was deep in the rainforest in a national park and there were plastic water/juice/pop bottles coming down the river from the hills. It was truly repulsive. This is one country that would do well to ban plastic bags, tetra packs and plastic bottles. They just don't have the infrastructure or education to deal with these materials and the result is that they are killing their own living spaces. Unfortunately, the leadership in the country is still based on the very corrupt Suharto family. They own everything and are using their power only to build more wealth and power. Different members of the family own different major industries in the country. I remember talking with a latex farmer and he said that he only had the Suhartos to take his latex. Nobody else was competing so the price they received was the price they received. Until this changes, the place is only going to get worse and worse.

[Green Thumb]

That’s quite a dangerous site/sight. People could accidentally plummet there and never float up. I was also thinking of the reach of harmful chemicals from the garbage that is mixed in that body of water. I am suddenly reminded of the oil spill. I hope they quarantine that area and well, start cleaning it. It may take long to revive those rivers but it won't be long if one put a start on it.

http://pasigriverwat...on-pasig-river/

[jasserEnv]

Sadly, it is not likely to be cleaned up any time soon given the continued poverty, lack of education and exploitation by the Suharto family. Indonesia is a very beautiful country with each of the different islands offering a very different ecosystem. Sadly, most of the islands are being severely degraded by the sheer mass of people trying to survive. Add that to the elimination of the jungle for production of palm oil and latex and the country is becoming severely and irreparably damaged.

[sculptor]

couple-3-? thoughts
1) this ain't a "we" thing, as i do not now nor never have engaged in littering-(momma didn't raise me that way)
2) it ain't that the people have nowhere else to dump their garbage, it's just a mindset-----------while in Ecuador, i saw a plastic drafting tool lying on the ground, and picked it up, dusted it off, and handed it to a child there and cautioned that it should be kept inside with like tools------------as I turned to walk away, i saw him toss it aside----------(something, i simply cannot comprehend)
3) if there is one thing i can guarantee, it is that if "we" continue to recklessly discard such vast quantities of plastics, nature will create bacteria that thrive on eating plastic-------------, and, as they spread, they'll creep into our homes and businesses and eat these communication devices........which might cut me off in mid sen...

[Runi1024]

This is terrible.  I'm just wondering if people know about it why hasn't anyone done anything? Couldn't an organization send in some volunteers to fix this? or is it too far beyond repair?

[joeldgreat]

Its not too late to bring a life to that river. It only takes will power and some luck that politicians have it. Our most popular river here in our country is slowly taking a big transformation. From the worst polluted river, it slowly cring back to life. no thanks to the government thugh, but to some local Non-goverment organization who help raised funds for the rehability of this river system. It may take decades to accomplish this, but the good thing is something is done with the problem. I just hope that this river will be alive again, the way I see it in pictures just 50 years ago. Man is the problem, then it would be appropriate to say that Man is the solution.

[MakingCents]

This is horrible, it doesn't even look like a river.  It looks like a land-fill.  I can't believe that a river anywhere would end up like that, no matter the condition of the country.