The Truth About Bottled Water
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/34361/the-truth-about-bottled-water/
David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding, 21 July 2009, Yahoo! Health
"Imagine you’ve just been given a choice: You have to drink from one of two containers. One container is a cup from your own kitchen, and it contains a product that has passed strict state, federal and local guidelines for cleanliness and quality. Oh, and it’s free. The second container comes from a manufacturing plant somewhere, and its contents—while seemingly identical to your first choice—have not been subjected to the same strict national and local standards. It costs approximately four times more than gasoline. These products both look and taste nearly identical."
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The data there comes from research conducted in the U.S. and I think should not be extrapolated directly to Indonesian context. But I think we in Indonesia can take several points out of the article.
Plastic containers use up energy to build. This would cost our economy and energy, both on terms of individual and national. Energy cost has effect on the environment, and the economy cost has effect on the social condition. So, from now on, I think we should reduce our use of bottled watter (including plastic cup water).
This is not mentioned in the article, but I'd like to point out the contribution of plastic waste from bottled water. I don't believe the recycling process currently conducted should be relied upon to reduce our waste. Our abundant waste should be reduced also through the reduction of plastic usage. The reduction would not only reduce the waste, but also reduce people who are satisfied in living as scavengers. The latter issue I believe is a bit controversial.
From the article, there are also points about the bottled water may not be as clean as we previously think, and that there may be some dangerous leeching chemicals absorbed by the water from the container. These issues are not investigated yet in Indonesia, I believe, but we should remain critical about it.
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Pendidikan Gratis Sulit Diwujudkan
http://edukasi.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/07/23/09562150/Pendidikan.Gratis.Sulit.Diwujudkan
Kompas.com, 23 Juli 2009
"Keinginan pemerintah menyelenggarakan pendidikan gratis untuk tingkat pendidikan dasar dan menengah sulit diwujudkan. Hal ini antara lain disebabkan terbatasnya APBD di sejumlah daerah."
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Ga mau komentar banyak ah. Cuma ini aja.
"Jadi sebenarnya sekolah itu gratis atau ga sih?"
* * *
Deadlier H1N1 in winter
The Strait Times, July 23, 2009.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_406928.html
BUENOS AIRES - MOUNTING fatalities in the South American winter launched a new warning yesterday on what to expect from the flu pandemic. With the World Health Organisation now putting the global toll at more than 700 - a leap of 40 per cent since the start of the month - scientists fear the onset of winter could see Influenza A (H1N1) mutate to a more deadly form, in a reprise of the Spanish and Asian influenza pandemics of 1918 and 1958.
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Let's just pray it doesn't happen...
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/34361/the-truth-about-bottled-water/
David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding, 21 July 2009, Yahoo! Health
"Imagine you’ve just been given a choice: You have to drink from one of two containers. One container is a cup from your own kitchen, and it contains a product that has passed strict state, federal and local guidelines for cleanliness and quality. Oh, and it’s free. The second container comes from a manufacturing plant somewhere, and its contents—while seemingly identical to your first choice—have not been subjected to the same strict national and local standards. It costs approximately four times more than gasoline. These products both look and taste nearly identical."
- - -
The data there comes from research conducted in the U.S. and I think should not be extrapolated directly to Indonesian context. But I think we in Indonesia can take several points out of the article.
Plastic containers use up energy to build. This would cost our economy and energy, both on terms of individual and national. Energy cost has effect on the environment, and the economy cost has effect on the social condition. So, from now on, I think we should reduce our use of bottled watter (including plastic cup water).
This is not mentioned in the article, but I'd like to point out the contribution of plastic waste from bottled water. I don't believe the recycling process currently conducted should be relied upon to reduce our waste. Our abundant waste should be reduced also through the reduction of plastic usage. The reduction would not only reduce the waste, but also reduce people who are satisfied in living as scavengers. The latter issue I believe is a bit controversial.
From the article, there are also points about the bottled water may not be as clean as we previously think, and that there may be some dangerous leeching chemicals absorbed by the water from the container. These issues are not investigated yet in Indonesia, I believe, but we should remain critical about it.
* * *
Pendidikan Gratis Sulit Diwujudkan
http://edukasi.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/07/23/09562150/Pendidikan.Gratis.Sulit.Diwujudkan
Kompas.com, 23 Juli 2009
"Keinginan pemerintah menyelenggarakan pendidikan gratis untuk tingkat pendidikan dasar dan menengah sulit diwujudkan. Hal ini antara lain disebabkan terbatasnya APBD di sejumlah daerah."
- - -
Ga mau komentar banyak ah. Cuma ini aja.
"Jadi sebenarnya sekolah itu gratis atau ga sih?"
* * *
Deadlier H1N1 in winter
The Strait Times, July 23, 2009.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_406928.html
BUENOS AIRES - MOUNTING fatalities in the South American winter launched a new warning yesterday on what to expect from the flu pandemic. With the World Health Organisation now putting the global toll at more than 700 - a leap of 40 per cent since the start of the month - scientists fear the onset of winter could see Influenza A (H1N1) mutate to a more deadly form, in a reprise of the Spanish and Asian influenza pandemics of 1918 and 1958.
- - -
Let's just pray it doesn't happen...
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