So
they occupied the Ministry of Environment because people have had it with the
garbage in this country. I am all for taking a stand and be active engaged in
the making of a change. And yes, we do need a change. But where do you start
with change?
Consider
this, for instance.
I
like hiking in the mountains. I like the views, the air, the nature,
everything.
Now
upon my return to Lebanon, I found, on one of my favorite trails, three scout
group encampments. I absolutely applaud the entire idea of young people camping
together; the number of skills learned while camping are immeasurable. It
teaches them cooperation, collaboration, it helps them with their problem
solving and critical thinking skills, it enhances their appreciation of the
luxuries they take for granted in daily life, it helps building compassion for
the less fortunate among us (currently living in tents), it shows them a
different side and part of their country, one they may have not yet encountered,
and it teaches appreciation for nature.
These
are just some of the larger objectives. If you want to go into details,
building a good (camp) fire is a skill and knowing where to position yourself
during a camp fire is another; only the suckers get engulfed in smoke.
And
all this, while having fun.
The
three groups, over 200 people, come from
different organizations. One was an Armenian boy scout camp, there was one from
the Guides of Lebanon (whatever that may be), which was a mixed camp, and a
third, a girl scout camp. The division is not important; I assume that during
the evening and the night the lines that are drawn between the camp sort of
disappear in the darkness. Or so it should.
All
good and well.
Now
these youngsters are the future of Lebanon. Right? They are out in nature and
they should appreciate their environment, right?
This guy has the runs |
Wrong.
The amount of garbage currently surrounding the three camps is absolutely mind boggling. I understand that young people do not like to clean up after themselves, after all, I have two fine examples of that at home.
But these are scouts! If I Google through a few of their web sites, I can see quotes like ‘The Scouting Division's main objective is to help scouts develop character, citizenship …’ (source) , ‘helping them to develop their capacities as responsible citizens’ (source) and ‘provides it members with opportunities to develop strong values’ (source), to name just a few.
Values that should include picking up your own trash. Obviously not.
This one is a 'crumpler' |
My
husband had a shit-fit over this, and he went on a rampage through the camps,
lecturing the young but not-too-impressed humans about their job as role
models. After all; they’re scouts. Shouldn’t they respect nature? So – in their
favor – they have done some cleaning up. Plastic plates and bottles were being
gathered now.
But
somehow, the leadership has failed to organize proper bathroom facilities. Or
maybe it is there, but they have failed to instruct their members on the proper
use of them. Or maybe they are so dirty most scouts choose not to use them or
maybe they are too far away to walk to them. Whatever the reason, when you walk
the trail, there is shit absolutely everywhere.
Group session maybe? Or a repeated offender? |
Now
that’s not a problem. After all, it’s organic, will add to the minerals of the
soils and will wash away after one rain shower.
But for some reason, these kids wipe instead of using water, indicating a
somewhat affluent background.
My experience through my work as a journalist is that in very poor households, you will find a water pitcher in the bathroom with a shower head of some sorts next to the toilet. The more money they have, the greater the chance they will have either Kleenex, or for the better off, toilet paper on rolls. The richer the household, the thicker the paper, with colored paper in the higher echelons, and with a design and a fragrance at the top of the line.
You may argue that I do not know what I am talking about, but through my work in the field, I have had to use other people’s bathroom a lot, and I think that if you do a research on this, you will find I will not be too far off.
My experience through my work as a journalist is that in very poor households, you will find a water pitcher in the bathroom with a shower head of some sorts next to the toilet. The more money they have, the greater the chance they will have either Kleenex, or for the better off, toilet paper on rolls. The richer the household, the thicker the paper, with colored paper in the higher echelons, and with a design and a fragrance at the top of the line.
You may argue that I do not know what I am talking about, but through my work in the field, I have had to use other people’s bathroom a lot, and I think that if you do a research on this, you will find I will not be too far off.
But not
only that; these kids use copious
amounts of toilet paper. And I mean, COPIOUS. Maybe the food resulted in
some scouts having a serious case of the runs. Whatever the reason, when you
walk along the trail, which circles their camp, you walk through piles and
piles of used toilet paper.
These
scouts camp – literally – in their own shit, and do not seem to be bothered
significantly by this.
Now
I was contemplating this problem last Sunday, while wading through clusters of
white toilet paper (and some Kleenex, and an occasional wet wipe). If it
doesn’t bother you that you live in your own shit, why should it bother you
that you’d have to live in other people’s shit?
And if you have no qualms – as a scout – about leaving your trash behind
in a forest that was pretty clean when you found it, then why on Earth are you
suddenly so bothered about the garbage pile-up in your city.
We
all want a change, I agree with that. And I agree that this occupation and the demonstrations
downtown are not just about the literal garbage, but more importantly the garbage
in leadership position that have failed – even though the civil war had ended
over 25 years ago, en the last major Israeli bombardments ended 9 years ago – to
provide us with 24 hours electricity and drinking water, and proper education ,
to name just the very basics. And when you hear that an Italian mining company
pulled out of a deal because certain ‘politicians who shall not be named’ demanded
a 10% cut for their own pockets, it is shameful.
But how about you start with yourself? If you
start cleaning up after yourself when outdoors, recycle, and bring your own
shopping bags to the supermarket instead of relying on their 6 billion plastic
bags, that will help significantly.
And if
you’re going to occupy, the Ministry of Energy and Water also needs to be
occupied (here’s the address: Mar Mikhael Street) , The Ministry of Education
(Near Unesco, if I am correct), there’s
the Ministry of Labor, for not providing enough jobs for our young people (Baabda),
the Ministry of Justice for not being able to solve one single political
assassination, The Ministry for Public Work and Transport for their crummy
roads and the sewers and tunnels that
flood when it rains and on and on I could go.
So go
out and occupy it all.
While I
will be walking the coming weeks trough a shitty paper trail. And let's see if anyone can come up with a good - pun intended - comment. (And 'you're full of shit' is not an option)
2 comments:
Totally disgusting! In the defence forces in Australia, we learnt the 3 "BBBs" when it came to disposing of rubbish. Bash, burn and bury. As for faeces, there was a wooden cabin cubicle with a container to collect the waste.
Good for you and your husband for expecting more of Lebanon's youth. I believe that youth can live up to high expectations, as long as we are consistent about it. However, it was not the scouts that needed your husband's rant -- it was their "leaders". They are the ones who sorely need retraining in responsibility, accountability, and the aims and ideals of scouting. As the saying goes in a few Middle Eastern languages, "The fish stinks from its head".
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