Greener Pastures

 

The mornings are getting brighter, the days are getting longer and the sun is getting hotter. It’s almost summer in South Africa and in my opinion Durban’s the best place to be! We have beautiful beaches, warm water and people who love to take full advantage of summer time.

I was at the beach yesterday for a morning jog (you now probably think I’m a heath freak and super fit, don’t you?). Sorry to burst your bubble! However I do wish there was some truth in that.

Truth be told I’m not extremely fit or one of those people who can run 10km along the beach without gasping for breath. I’m also not close to death or someone who needs a drastic lifestyle change. The morning jogs at the beach is something my boyfriend and I are trying out to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I also just got new advanced technology running shoes and you know that brand new training gear motivates like no other. People see your cool shoes and think you’re a pro.

However I didn’t start writing this post to tell you about my cool shoes. While I was flaunting my cool shoes at the beach yesterday morning I couldn’t help but notice the cleanliness around me. I’m not talking about the people! I’m referring more to the absence of litter.

If you read my About Me page you would have seen that one of my pet peeves is litterbugs. I hate it when people litter and I get really agitated and sometimes even angry when it’s done so casually and then followed by some sort of justification. LITTERING IS A DISGUSTING HABIT & THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR IT even if Albert Einstein said so!

The trick here is to inform people about the DAMAGING effects of littering:

·        Littering causes blockages to drainage and sewage systems. This means that if the situation gets worse our own systems at home will be effected. Can you imagine going a week or so without clean water to shower, drink or flush?

·        When litter gets into the water it reduces the oxygen in the water as it decays and endangers the aquatic life. They choke on pieces of litter and sometimes die as result of the quality of water. The thing that bothers me the most is the seafood we eat. If these under water creatures are consuming our hazardous and poisonous wastes, these can eventually affect us when we eat anything that is bred under water.

 

·        Solid wastes such as plastics bags, cups, glass bottles and rusty objects can be dangerous to people, a fire hazard when cigarettes are thrown away and can attract mosquitos when it rains. These can encourage illnesses.

·        Litter also breeds rats who carry diseases, destroy & eat food and chew on electrical & telephone cables.

·        Areas that are used as frequent dump sites are often unprotected and thus easier crime target spots.

·        Littering diminishes the pride people have in their environment and creates a culture of lack of caring.

·        It also reduces the aesthetic value of public places such as beaches, parks and playgrounds.

Thus, the next time you’re about to throw something out of your car window or on the floor as you walk along the street PLEASE just think about what you’re doing and I’m sure that even before you complete the thought there will be a bin/trash can in front of you. It also helps to keep a plastic bag in your handbag or car thus when you need to dispose of litter and there are no bins around you could put all your litter in the plastic bag and only dispose of it once you get home.

In South Africa litter is a major problem in some areas. Many people are taking the initiative to create litter free zones and to prevent dumping of hazardous wastes. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Also, I’d love to know what other countries do to combat littering or even litterbugs. Please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.

Peace, love & a litter free world

Verusha ;)

Types of Litterbugs
Too Cool For School Guy	Simply does not care about the environment & disposes of his litter in any way he pleases.	Cannot Find Bin Guy	As long as there are no bins in sight he will assume there are not bins at all even within the next 10km.
The Man with Excuses	He thinks that if he doesn’t litter all cleaning workers will be jobless and the country will go into depression.	Tactical Guy	Check lift, check right, check up & check down, to confirm no one is around, then throws his litter.
Everyone is doing it!	You litter, I litter, Everybody litters. This person always uses the action of others to justify her own.	The Pretender	This person always pretends she mistakenly dropped her litter & continues to walk on.