I read the article “Bangladesh Pollution, Told in Colors and Smells” by Jim Yardley which was published on July 14 2013 in the New York Times
Can you imagine trying to concentrate in school with an odor so strong and foul you feel dizzy? Well that is what it is like for kids in Savar Bangladesh. The article “Bangladesh Pollution, Told in Colors and Smells” describes Bangladesh’s severe pollution problems and the effects that this pollution has on those who live there.
Bangladesh is a country in South Asia and is the world’s second leading clothing exporter, just behind China. But the making of clothes comes at a price for the environment. Bangladesh is filled with many rivers but it is sad to say that many of them are severely polluted. A number clothing factories have been illegally dumping waste water into rivers to avoid the extra cost of water treatment.
The dumping of waste water into rivers is one of the leading causes of Bangladesh's severe pollution problems. Mohammed Abdul Kader, Savar’s mayor stated that, “The whole country is suffering from pollution. In Savar, we have lots of coconut trees, but they don’t produce coconuts anymore. Industrial pollution is damaging our fish stocks, our fruit produce, our vegetables.” It is sad that their natural resources like the coconut trees are no longer active. Also the rivers are a different color every week because of the dye from the clothing factories. A local English teacher, Tamanna Afros, said, “Sometimes it is red. Or gray. Sometimes it is blue. It depends on the colors they are using in the factories.”
But the damage doesn't stop their. Not only does the pollution affect the environment it also hurts many people, especially the students and faculty of Genda Government Primary School. A polluted canal runs behind the school where many factories dump their waste. The odor that rises from the canal is so foul that it can be suffocating on its worst days. Imagine trying to study with an awful odor coming in through the window. Concentrating is difficult for both students and teachers and it is said in the article that “Students often become lightheaded and dizzy. A few boys fainted in late April. Another retched in class.” This is not a safe place for learning.
As I was reading this article I instantly connected it to the Lorax which I watched in my Biology class. The factory in The Lorax was dumping all their waste into the rivers and harming the animals in the rivers. All the animals ended up having to move because they could no longer live in their home because it was so polluted by the factories waste. This is very similar to how the factories in Bangladesh are dumping their waste into the rivers and polluted the rivers and harming the organisms inside. But, the animals like fish and the plants cannot just get up and walk out of these rivers so it is very important to reduce the amount of pollution by reducing the amount of waste being poured into rivers. Also the factory owners are only thinking about themselves and their companies success in this situation, they don't care that they are severely harming the environment. This is similar to how in The Lorax the Once-ler only cares about the success of his business and doesn't care that he is ruining the environment around him which is the home to many creatures just like our environment.
Good job Emma! I really liked your title and your opening sentence because it made me interested in what your blog was about. I think it is amazing that pollution is becoming such a problem in come places, because we in America haven't experienced anything that extreme. I wonder if the workers in the factories are aware of what they are doing to not only the environment, but the kids at the school as well. I also liked how you connected it to The Lorax because this article made me think of that as well. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kiera. Your opening sentences were very intriguing and got me interested right away. I feel very bad fro theses kids that have to go to school everyday and smell these terrible odors. Great connections with The Lorax! I was thinking about that before you mentioned it. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteYour title caught my eye and you gave a great description of what your article was about. I enjoyed reading this because you picked a great topic to talk about because it's about what students our age are going through at there school. I can't believe that the smell in these kids schools are so bad that a few people fainted! Lastly, the pollution sounds scary because the rivers are sometimes red and that palm tree can't even grow coconuts. I found that crazy and I think they should try to figure out ways to stop so much pollution from occurring. Overall, I enjoyed your post. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteGood job Emma! I really liked your opening sentence because it made me want to keep reading. I like the connection you made to the Lorax from biology. I completely agree that these people only care about their business and not the effect it has on the environment. I wonder if the people causing the damage are even aware that it is happening. It is really surprising that they keep polluting even though it is affecting so many people. Great job!
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