Business English

Public Transportation to Reduce Air Pollution in

Jakarta

5 PAK 51
Group 2:
Monica Indriani / 11170078
Monica Indriana / 11170087
Gracela Berliana / 11170091
Jesslyn Edgina / 11170169
Irene Indah / 11170193
Monica / 11170198
Air Quality in Jakarta

Looking back, two or three decades ago when the number of motorized vehicles in
Jakarta was relatively small, the air that Jakartans breathed might have been okay and healthy.

However, today with the city’s high traffic environment, air quality has become one
of the pressing issues that need to be addressed. The capital’s streets are packed with
hundreds and even thousands of fossil-fuel-generated private cars and motorcycles, which
produce smog-forming emissions. The capital’s streets are packed with hundreds and even
thousands of fossil-fuel-generated private cars and motorcycles, which produce smog-
forming emissions. There are The Switzerland-based air quality-monitoring group Air Visual
rates world cities on an Air Quality Index of 500. A rating of 151-200 is considered to be
“unhealthy,” while 201-300 is seen as “very unhealthy.”

Normally, According Ministry of Environment and Forestry determines a good

Environmental Quality Index in a range of 70 until 80. But On August 27th 2019 at 10 AM ,
trough air Quality Index, Jakarta reached a level of 159 and PM2.5 air pollution which is
considered to be unhealthy. PM 2.5 (particulate meter) means the high level of a carcinogenic
pollutant three times higher than the maximum “safe” level recommended by the World
Health Organization (WHO) of 25 micrograms per cubic meter.

The main sourceof air pollution in Jakarta

There are some main source of air pollution in Jakarta :

1. As a metropolitan city, the main source of air pollution in Jakarta is dominated by

motorized transportation.
2. Construction project gives impact to the environment, particularly the air because the
project produces dust, while the number of green spaces is dropping because the hike
in constructions
3. Dry Season is also one of main source of air pollution in Jakarta because of high
temperature affects air quality as well.
The Effect of Air Pollution

It is impossible to describe the whole extent of potential and actual damage caused by
all forms of air pollution. But here are the main consequences:

1. On The Environment
Air pollution has a major impact on the process of plant evolution by preventing
photosynthesis in many cases, with serious consequences for the purification of the air
we breathe. It also contributes to the formation of acid rain, atmospheric precipitations in
the form of rain, frost, snow or fog, which are released during the combustion of fossil
fuels and transformed by contact with water steam in the atmosphere.

2. Global Warming
On top of that, air pollution is a major contributor to global warming and climate
change. In fact, the abundance of carbon dioxide in the air is one of the causes of the
greenhouse effect. Normally, the presence of greenhouse gases should be beneficial for
the planet because they absorb the infra-red radiation produced by the surface of the
earth. But the excessive concentration of these gases in the atmosphere is the cause of the
recent climate change.

3. On Human Health
Our continual exposure to air pollutants is responsible for the deterioration of human
health.Air pollution is indeed a significant risk factor for human health conditions,
causing allergies, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as lung damage.

Why public transportation can reduce air pollution in Jakarta?

One other step to improve the quality of air is by switching the use of private
transportation to public transportation.According to Excecutive Director of Komite
Penghapusan Bensin Bertimbel (KPBB) Ahmad Saifudin, leaving private vehicles and
switching to public transportation can be a good step to reduce air pollution. According to
him, private transportation contributes 47-90% for air pollution in Jakarta.

If many of Jakartans leave their private transportation and switch to use public
transportation, air pollution in Jakarta can be restrained up to 50-90%. If many people use
private vehicles, the road will become congested which increases the intensity of pollution.
meanwhile if many people use public transportation, congestion on the road will be reduced
so the air will be reduced sharply.

The change of civil's behaviour to use public transportation must be accompanied by

government efforts to build good mass transportation facilities such as Moda Raya Integrated
(MRT). The MRT is expected to reduce congestion in the capital. The decline in congestion
would reduce air pollution.

The MRT is also expected to encourage more people to shift from private vehicles to
using public transportation services.The 16-kilometer phase 1 of the MRT, from Lebak Bulus
in South Jakarta to the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle in Central Jakarta, could reduce
emissions to 85,680 tons of carbon dioxide per year.The figure is obtained by taking into
account the carbon dioxide emissions from 175 thousand people who cross phase 1 of the
MRT.

Some 175 thousand people who cross phase 1 of the MRT contributed 171,360 tons
of carbon dioxide per year. Around 64,260 tons of carbon dioxide came from motorbikes and
107,100 tons of carbon dioxide from cars.

Other Benefit of Using Public Transportation

1. Saving money

One of the advantages of using public transportation is it saves more expenses. The costs
thay you paid when you use public transportation are certainly 5different if you use a private
vehicle. This is because public transport fares are quite cheap and affordable.

For example, if you choose to use an electric train (KRL), the fare is only Rp. 3,000 per
first 1-25 km, and the rest is a multiple of Rp. 1,000 for each of the next 10 km. While the
Transjakarta bus is only Rp. 3,500 and it is free to transit to anywhere.

Of course this will reduce your daily expenses compared to using private vehicles,
right? Because in addition to gasoline, you also have to prepare money for vehicle parts and
maintenance costs.
2. Save Our Energy

Of course, driving a private vehicle is more draining your energy than just sitting on
public transportation that has been driven by the driver or machinist.

When the traffic is congested, driving a private vehicle make us more tired However, if using
public transportation, you can just sit and relax as a passenger and wait until the destination

3. no need to bother looking for parking

lest we use land / roads that are public property to parking our vehicles because it will
interfere other people. This is different if you use public transportation. You don't need to
bother looking for parking a vehicle.

another convenience when you use public transportation is when you want to stop by
somewhere in the middle of your trip, you just need to go down from public transportation
and don't need to be confused and dizzy to find a parking space for a while.

4. Supporting a Clean and Healthy Environment

By using public transportation, you can indirectly help support programs to create a
clean and healthy environment. For example, the Go Green program. By using public
transportation, of course you will reduce the potential for increased air pollution.

In addition, other programs such as reducing the level of congestion also benefit from using
public transportation. Not only that, you can also help the Government to optimize fuel
subsidies.

5. Makes you move more

Starting with leaving home and then heading to the terminal, bus stop, until the station.
After that, then arrive at the destination. This process certainly makes you move more than
using a private vehicle.
The number of this processes when going to your destination that indirectly makes the body
become healthier and fitter. This is certainly very beneficial for those of you who lack the
time to exercise.

6. As a place to socialize

Public transportation is certainly used by many people. you can automatically make it
a place to socialize and communicate with other people who also use public transportation. It
is not impossible that your connection will increase because of using public transportation.

7. Can Observe Changes or Latest Trends

When using public transportation, you will indirectly observe the changes that
occured. Starting from fashion trends to people's behavior.

8. Safer and More Comfortable

If many people use public transportation, the number of private vehicles wil decrease,
it means the number of vehicles on the road also decrease, of coursethe accident rate is also
getting lower. Therefore, indirectly using public transportation will make you more secure
and comfortable.