Clean air campaign at mall targets private car owners

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 12/09/2006 1:27 PM | Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Nonprofit organization Swisscontact, together with city agencies and the Shopping Center Operators Association (APPBI), launched Thursday at Ciputra Mall, West Jakarta, a campaign to raise awareness of motor vehicle air pollution.

The campaign -- to be held at 16 malls city-wide -- is aimed at encouraging Jakartans to reduce vehicle emissions, both visible and invisible.

""We are campaigning here because we know how much Jakartans like their malls. Many of them come to the mall on motorcycles or in private cars,"" said Damantoro, Swisscontact's campaign program officer.

""We are also aware that not many people know what they can do to regulate vehicle emissions. Turning off their car's engine while they are waiting for friends in the parking lot is a start,"" he added.

Jakarta is one of the world's most polluted cities.

""If you keep the engine on when the vehicle stops, this will produce more pollution,"" Damantoro said.

The APPBI's vice chairman, Stefanus Ridwan, said the association supported the initiative because it believed parking lots carried a significant pollution threat.

However, he said, most of the time, shoppers were not willing to cooperate when mall employees reminded them to engage in environmentally friendly practices.

""When our parking officers ask them to turn off their car's engine while waiting for their friends in the basement, they act all offended,"" he said.

The mall-to-mall campaign is also supported by the city industry and commerce and environmental management agencies.

Hotner Tampubolon from the industry and commerce agency said the campaign was a good way of reminding people of their environmental responsibilities.

He praised APPBI members for taking part in the program.

""It is about time business people started taking care of their immediate surroundings,"" he said.

Face masks were handed out to people at the launch, to remind them of the consequences of air pollution. (05)

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