Polluting Paradise.

Recently I shot a campaign for Greenpeace focusing on the Citarum River, one of the most polluted rivers in the world due toxic wastes illegally dumped by textile factories. Many of them are direct distributor to popular international brands such as GAP.

These industrial wastes contaminated the water supply used everyday by local residents. Most of them had no choice but to buy water for drinking and cooking despite their economic limitation, However, they still use the contaminated water for washing clothes and shower. As a result, many of them suffer skin irritation including children.

I also met a fisherman who could no longer fish due to their decline in number, a farmer that must sell his rice for half the price because the contaminated water stunted the growth of his crops, a brave activist who gets threatened constantly for speaking out, a husband and wife river-crosser for over 30 years that wants nothing but their river back.

For all my friends, families, and colleagues in Jakarta, please be aware that 80% of our drinking water supply comes from the Citarum River.

You could see the photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.588872244465688.1073741841.114938651859052&type=1

To get more information please visit the links below

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/a-toxic-fairytale/blog/44792/

http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/id/campaigns/toxics/Polluting-Paradise/

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/toxics/Water2013/Toxic-Threads-04.pdf