Today I re-ignited an old account for a VERY IMPORTANT REASON!
Illegal mining in Bali.
It is a subject close to my heart now that I have been living here for two years. And I will be posting about it regularly from 
Watch this 1 minute film (shot from my living room) and you will understand immediately why I feel strongly about this!
Why is this happening?
The illegal sandstone mining along this river has dramatically increased since Bali's tourism boom turned it into such a desirable product:
it is a soft rock, which makes it easier to cut.
it is very porous, so plants are able to attach themselves to the sides, making any building or temple look organic and natural very quickly.
it is desirable as a product across Asia so it is now exported too. Singapore is a large customer.
Here you can see my son Esteban enjoying the ambience of this porous rock!
Before the tourist boom
Hand tools were used to cut the sandstone blocks for the local temples in the past.
Today however things have changed. Not only are the tools different but the end destination of the rock is different.
Just 40 years ago a picture from this angle above Kuta in south Bali would have shown you nothing but rice fields and beautiful green perfection.
Source
Now it looks like this.
The majority of this illegally mined rock is used to construct huge tourist resorts, intent on one goal: MAXIMUM PROFIT!
Since arriving here in Bali 2 years ago it has become clear to me now that something must be done. Before it is too late!
IT IS ILLEGAL YET IT CONTINUES!
Bribery is common practice here in Asia and the mine owners simply pay off the police who permit this rape of the land in exchange for cash. Untaxed & under the table, this is a crime which must be addressed for the benefit of all who live on this little island.
The Effect
We all know you cannot mess with the natural balance of nature.
There is a complex ecosystem at work in this jungle valley.
And it has been working in perfect symbiosis for thousands of years.
To cut away at the side of the valley in such a vicious manner will bring only imbalance to this natural order, leaving the luscious farm land of future generations as a wasteland of rubble upon which their crops cannot grow.
Even the flow of the river itself is being restricted more and more each year as the disregarded irregular shaped boulders are thrown into the water, building up over time.
On top of this, there have been deaths working in these mines because there are no health and safety standards. And the minimum wage they are paid is ridiculous when compared to Western standards.
THE SOLUTION
The building of awareness is the first step towards a solution. Not many people know about this!
I recently walked down to the mine and shot a bunch of footage from which I have made a film.
MY INTENTION
It is my intention that with my soon to be released documentary film in combination with the help of this amazing supportive Steemit community, I will be able to raise money which can be put towards existing campaigns - to be outlined in later posts.
What can you do to help this cause?
Simply RESTEEM this to get the word out there. I'm not going to beg for your upvotes.
I will be posting regularly in the
See how they are literally cutting chunks out of the side of the land. This is the cold hard truth of it.
But we must look at it now with SOLUTIONS in mind!
How long can this continue?
It is clear from the above image that if this is not stopped, eventually there will be no more land left to mine!
With your help we will build awareness and put an end to this madness, finding alternative, eco friendly jobs for all those who rely on this type of work to make a living.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you feel it stir something in your soul, you must respond to this feeling!
....and share this message far and wide, with your focus upon the SOLUTION.
Blessings to you all from this beautiful yet broken part of the world πΏ
