Having lived in New York City, I'm no stranger to pollution. But in Malaysia, and especially in my small town, pollution shows up in my life in a different way than how it did when I lived in a city.
I learned about open burning, which is the practice of burning your trash instead of throwing it out or recycling it. Unfortunately, this practice is common in Malaysia. Burning trash allows people to dispose of garbage easily, but it can also release harmful chemicals and pollutants that can harm humans, animals and the environment.
Open burning is so popular because it's easy and people need to get rid of their trash. However, it can release smog into the air, which can put people's health in danger.
In school, students are taught to avoid open burning. They also encourage their families and communities to stop the practice. Spreading awareness helps, but open burning still occurs occasionally. There is a law that prohibits open burning, but it's not enforced effectively due to a lack of resources.
