Air, Dust, above Jakarta

Jakarta is getting dustier and dustier everyday isn’t it? And when you go outside, you go are you feeling hard to breathe, aren’t you?

Seems simple isn’t it? DUST.

I just wondering; Has Indonesian Health Department surveys about patient symptom hard to breathe in Jakarta? If yes; Is the survey showing considerable population in several specific location?

Well… I just put suspicion on this matter. Let me explain my hypothesis.

We all know about land breeze and sea breeze, and how it impacts local climate at shore, as Jakarta respectively. My theory begins with air pollution over Jakarta. During the day, the air is polluted not only by CO2, but also with other particles produced by vehicles and industries.

At day time, those particles are lifted by the wind to the sea. While when night time, sea breeze bring those particles back to the city. However, the city isn’t sleep and keeps producing particles. As a result, the quantity is getting higher! Those are particles produced within night time and during daytime which brought back by the wind.

The cycle happens everyday. Imagine the amount of dust on Jakarta’s sky is doubled by each day. Maybe it contains particles from years back then!

The other theory is about tall buildings and how they impact the environment. Jakarta has them, sprawling randomly over those low storey residential called kampong.

In terms of air movement related with building orientation, skyscraper causes two. Firstly, wind tunnel. The wind is directed in focused direction with high pressure. In Jakarta, you could strongly feel it along Jalan Sudirman – the paving material is very good, the landscape is beautiful, yet it is hard to walk while keeping your skirt “safe”. The higher buildings, the massive wind could through. Moreover it carries more particles causes the disease.

Second, if the building blocks the wind, then the wind turns to the top and downhill, and manage wind whirl on the ground level. The result is inconvenient ground level. Not only because the wind, but because of the dust brought by.

Those causes may concentrates the patients in several specific locations in Jakarta. Of course, the theory only works on them; firstly, low income people- who doesn’t have any money to buy air purifier, air conditioning unit, or car, and for them who works on the “red spot” and outside everyday, e.g. policeman.

This posting –again- should further researched for the sake of urban civilization. However, this is a good reminder for you to be aware to your surrounding. And for them: architects, planners, and urban designers to be careful for their design or plan.