Sometimes one cannot blame the slash and burn farmers particularly in Indonesia. They have no other means to provide for themselves except to burn. An excavator can feed teh village for months!
Australian bush needs fire to rejuvenate. That is the natural cycle. Keep the undergrowth clear and activating seeds. In the tropics, there is no need for this kind of burning. We have the fungi and beetles to breakdown vegetative matter.
One funny thing I observed about the Olympic opening. Days before they emphasised on keeping the air clean. The irony is, during the opening ceremony, days of saving up credits is "burn up" in a matter of hours.
Our planet... heading for definate doom unless some eco-warrior rise to fight the decline. Sometimes I wish Captain Plantet and the Planeteers are real.
