Breathing through Jakarta: From Everyday Challenges to Eternal Peace
This post is warmly penned in celebration of Jakarta’s 496th birthday, honoring the city’s vibrant pulse and resilient spirit.
Just as I marvel at the energy and vibrancy that bubble through the busy streets of Jakarta, I’ve also got to take a minute to think about the challenges this bustling city grapples with. When it comes to living in a city that’s bursting at the seams with people and buildings, the storyline can sometimes twist from the exhilarating to the sobering.
I’ve picked up a new morning habit. Before I swing open my doors and windows each morning, I find myself reaching for my phone to check the air quality index (AQI). Over the past few weeks, pollution levels in Jakarta have been climbing alarmingly.
The first act of Jakarta’s urban opera starts with a struggle for breath—literally. Much like other bustling metropolises, Jakarta wrestles with environmental issues. At 10:14 a.m. Jakarta time on June 14, 2023, Swiss air quality technology company IQ Air dubbed Jakarta the most polluted city globally. The city’s air quality index was a staggering 157.
