This is a photo of the view of Sasolburg from the N1 highway from Johannesburg to Cape Town.
While I was taking the photo, Bradley asked me why there was such a big fire there. So, I tried to explain about air pollution. I told him that it was factory that makes petrol and oil (Sasol). And while they're making the petrol, it gets very hot, and lets off fire, and he'll notice that that fire burns 24 hours of the day. I also pointed out the smoke in the air, and told him that all the smoke is called air pollution, and that it makes the air dirty and that it makes us, the animals and all the plants on earth sick.
It's quite difficult to explain this to a 4 year old actually, but I think he got the concept, because after I explained it, he said "So, Mom, when are the police going to put the bad men in jail?"
Now you try explain that one to him... why is this not illegal?
While I was taking the photo, Bradley asked me why there was such a big fire there. So, I tried to explain about air pollution. I told him that it was factory that makes petrol and oil (Sasol). And while they're making the petrol, it gets very hot, and lets off fire, and he'll notice that that fire burns 24 hours of the day. I also pointed out the smoke in the air, and told him that all the smoke is called air pollution, and that it makes the air dirty and that it makes us, the animals and all the plants on earth sick.
It's quite difficult to explain this to a 4 year old actually, but I think he got the concept, because after I explained it, he said "So, Mom, when are the police going to put the bad men in jail?"
Now you try explain that one to him... why is this not illegal?
Surely there's a better method of producing fuel, that won't kill off the planet.
6 comments:
It does seem wrong
Hopefully one day this sight will be one of the past and we will have found a better way to produce fuel...
Kids certainly give you a fresh perspective don't they? I tried to explain rain the other day to my two-year-old. Water. In the clouds up high. Falling down on the ground. I thought he'd forgotten but the other morning as we set out to daycare in the car, he looked out at the unusually (for Southern California) cloudy sky and told me, "Raining, Mommy!"
Thanks for the comment - nice to meet you :-)
Too true Jeanette, how do you explain it :(
Very true! Hope this sight will be something of the past one day.
well, I suppose it would be a bit too tough on his 4 year old psyche to explain that the police are already so busy trying to recapture dangerous criminals who the courts have let out on bail that they don't have time to save the planet!!...... sorry, my inner cynic escaped for a moment there, but actually explaining all that to him was great, because it will probably be his generation that has to deal with the fallout, and to instill awareness at an early age is good... well done!
Whenever we tarvel up to your area by car my faith in the Eastern Cape is reinforced when I see all the pollution around Sasolburg and Vanderbijl Park. We don't have that heavy industry and our wind blows most of the smoke away.
Sounds like Bradley may have the makings of a good environmentalist - only problem it aint so simple - if only it were.
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