10 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

If you stop smoking, it encourages others to stop smoking.

 

Encourages is the word you use? How weak is that. Do you really think you can walk up to someone and they will stop smoking after learning you don't? It's just so ludicrous. What you decide to do yourself is completely useless in solving the issue.

 

Let me give an example related to this topic. In my area there is no garbage collection. I asked the village head what to do with garbage. He replied to dump it in the forest or burn it like everyone else. It sounded so ridiculous I escalated the question up the next level and to my astonishment received the exact same response. In fact I learned the government wants this area to have garbage collection but the villagers fight against it because they enjoy burning plastic. So I made an immediate decision to haul my trash to dumpsters many kilometers away. It's not terribly inconvenient. I just toss some bags in the back of the pickup when I go to the big city. And I always compost everything I can. I have never burned anything. Years passed. No one in the village followed suit. Even ones with pickups. They could care less. Every one of them still enjoys those plastic trash fires. Moral of the story is what you do yourself is completely useless in solving the burning problem. I am also the only one who doesn't burn my land. "Leading" by example has likewise caused no change nor did I expect it to. I am not discouraging being environmentally responsible and I will continue to follow my beliefs. Just saying don't have stupid expectations about it creating a better world because the masses creating the problems don't care what you are doing.

 

14 hours ago, Brunolem said:

So it's worse than I thought...but not surprising.

Here in Sisaket, far away from any industrial activities, and little or no crop burning, the air is terrible!

Me and my son are on anti-allergie medicine (running nose) all year long, and eyes infections are frequent in the population around, depending from where the wind is blowing.

 

We have done a fine mess during the past decades, which is maybe why our dear leaders are in such a hurry to go to war, so as to wipe the slate clean...one way or another...

I have been pointing out that the problem is even worse that what people make it to be. The indiscriminate use of pesticide (probably in higher dosages that are required) compounded by the burning of the crops that are spread with those create a very toxic mix in the air. If it is not Thailand farmers and people, it will be from Laos. There is an idiot leader and a herd of corrupt underlinks there too. Go to homepro and buy those masks at once.