Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Is environmental pollution killing our flora?

Is environmental pollution killing our flora?
A STOMPer wonders if pollution from the factories near Pandan Reservoir and Jalan Buroh is causing the plants there to wither.

Conservationist told STOMP via email today (Jun 23):

"These pictures were taken at the bicycle track between Pandan Reservoir and Jalan Buroh.
Is environmental pollution killing our flora?
"You can see lots and lots of paper, cigarette boxes, discarded gloves and dead leaves.
Is environmental pollution killing our flora?
"It might appear that the place has not been swept for the last 6 months.

"The plants here do not look healthy as this leaf has lots of holes, possibly eaten by insects.
Is environmental pollution killing our flora?
"As I cycled through this track I could smell acrid smoke and industrial gases from the nearby factories.

"There is much gaseous pollution in this area.

"The healthy plant (Cordyline fruticosa) usually looks bright red but this plant here looks brown and withered.
Is environmental pollution killing our flora?
"The bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) has bright purple bracts but this plant here looks brown and shrivelled.
Is environmental pollution killing our flora?
"The set up of more factories has caused our economy to boom but the downside is that with industrial pollution, our flora will be badly battered."

I wonder what exactly a chewed-up leaf has to do with pollution.

Isn't that just a different-coloured form of bouganvillea?

And I do wish that this particular person would just pick a permanent nickname instead of submitting posts to STOMP under multiple identities. Oh, and by the way, I'm sure real conservationists have much bigger battles to fight.