Filthy Beaches, Polluted Rivers Hammer Bali Tourism - AP

[hatrack]

BALI, Indonesia — Deadly nightclub bombings in 2002 nearly devastated Bali's vital tourism industry. Now, dirty beaches, stinking rivers, and "Bali belly" are putting off visitors and threatening the tropical island's chances of a full recovery, environmental activists warn.

"What if I told you there was another bomb about to go off in Bali?" said Australian Norman van'tHoff, who runs an environmental organization in Bali staffed and funded by the thousands of surfers who flock to its beaches each year. He said he was referring to the rapid deterioration of the island's environment, adding, "Air and water quality are both down the toilet in Bali."

EDIT

To be sure, Bali remains one of the world's premier tourist destinations and still boasts hundreds of kilometers (miles) of pristine coastline and lush tropical forests rich in flora and fauna. But on the island's main tourist area of Kuta, piles of rubbish lie dumped on the beach and rank odors exude from drains that are sometimes clogged with raw sewage. In November, 25 tourists from Taiwan — a key market for the island — were hospitalized with dysentery after eating at a Chinese restaurant.

"The dysentery outbreak among Taiwanese tourists is just a warning," said Viebeke Lengkong, a member of a group that monitors Kuta's development. Activists warn that raw sewage often contaminates rivers, a problem exacerbated in the rainy season from October to May. Moreover, they claim there is no sewage plant to treat overflow from the island's densely populated urban areas."

EDIT

http://www.enn.com/news/2004-01-30/s_12589.asp

[StClone]

1. Welcome to

Earth 2004. I was on the beach on Corpus Christi not long ago and was sickened by the disposable diapers, plastic bottles and assorted spread of garbage. I was told by a more well-travelled gent that this is pretty much the way the world is in populated areas with obvious exceptions.

[jonoboy]

2. anyone know a beach without plastic bottles in the surf ??

[Vogon_Glory]

3. Yes Development Is Deadly For Tourism, But

Yes, over-development, especially in third world areas lacking sewage treatment and garbage-disposal programs and the capital to build such, is bad for tourism and tourist attractions. Let's also remember that how ever much enthusiasm we may have for recycling, recycling is an unnatural act. While I favor recycling plastics, paper, glass, and metals as much as the next progressive, I can't help but note that the rest of the mammalian order chooses to drop its detritus and walk or swim away from it. We have to act against many of our natural instincts when we try to recycle to preserve natural habitat.