Dear Indonesia, Don’t Let Global Warming Get in Your Way

Elgha said there used to be approximately 100 spring waters in Batu a few years ago, but now only 30 are left now due to drought caused by global warming. Instead of visiting schools, we went to see two of those spring waters.

Sumber Air Brantas was located high in the mountain. We drove on the curvy and narrow road for a while until I thought no one would be in such secluded area. Then there was a village, a quite big one! The scenery of deep green hills, trees and fields together was spectacular. While taking pictures, I suddenly thought about a lot of Koreans who probably believe that Korea is the most beautiful country in the world. But that would only show how nationalist and close-minded one is. Is natural beauty even comparable? I think not. Korea and Indonesia are equally beautiful to me.

Our next stop was Cangar. It seemed like its hot spring swimming pool makes a nice family picnic place, together with nearby Owa Goa Jepang (a cave). But I could not help but raise my eyebrows over the trashes I see on the roads, in the stream, inside the cave, and literally everywhere. Why don’t people care? Despite its wide and thorough public environmental education I witnessed, why does this happen in Indonesia? Well, I still think the future is brighter for Indonesia than for Korea, because not polluting is much easier than restoring environment that is already polluted. Let’s just hope ozon hole stops getting any bigger so that Indonesia can have enough spring water.