environmental protection

“This is a crime against our planet.”

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Indeed. Three words that immediately popped into my head after glancing at this disturbing photo were fetid, macabre, and surreal. It is both sad and infuriating, yet another depressing example of ecocide. The oversized teddy bear is Brown of LINE (chat app) fame. Maybe a child or someone's girlfriend got tired of him. What better … Continue reading “This is a crime against our planet.”

Militancy for an Existential Cause: Environmental Protection in Vietnam

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Photo taken at the Golf Valley lagoon, which drains into Xuan Huong Lake. Credit: Paul Olivier Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch. Check out the first two paragraphs and follow the preceding link if you wish to read the article in its entirety. While most people use Facebook, the third most popular website in Vietnam, … Continue reading Militancy for an Existential Cause: Environmental Protection in Vietnam

Beyond the hype, a dirty side of Da Lat

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Trash is left at Lam Vien Square in the heart of Da Lat. Photo by Paul Olivier I was pleased to see VNExpress International publish this article by Paul Olivier. The dire situation that he describes applies to many cities and towns throughout Vietnam. Be sure to have a look at the comments. Paul criticizes … Continue reading Beyond the hype, a dirty side of Da Lat

The Normalization of Environmental Pollution

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Credit: MAA On a recent trip to Móng Cái in northern Viet Nam on the Chinese border, I had the chance to spend some time at a nearby beach. Above and below are photos of some of the items that were either left there by tourists or that washed up, e.g., country of origin, China, … Continue reading The Normalization of Environmental Pollution

Trash, Trash, Everywhere, Everywhere!

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Photo by MAA. This is a common sight in Viet Nam, especially in the countryside. Like a magnet, a small trash dump becomes a large one. Let's take a partial inventory of the items in this disgusting pile of garbage, shall we? ---lots of plastic bags (it can take up to 1,000 years for a … Continue reading Trash, Trash, Everywhere, Everywhere!