Sunday, February 04, 2007

Where's the pride?

Even though I was floating with joy from that cup of cappuccino today on my way to the bus I saw a sight that just totally disgusted me.

It angers me in general to see people just disregard the environment around them and toss their litter on the ground. I see people open their car doors and push out rivers of empty wrappers, cans, bottles etc. Others walking with a drink, candy, or chips just discard the empty can / wrapper on the ground and keep walking as if that is perfectly normal. Sure some hindi (possibly even local cuz I heard that’s what the ones who’ve been to jail and can’t find better jobs go and work as) in an orange municipality suit is going to come and pick it up but still. Do they not feel a shred of shame?! The locals who do that think Khalee walee someone will come along and pick it up therefore it ain’t my business. The non-locals figure Ah well it ain’t our country so what should we care?

Just because u aren’t going to have to pick it up doesn’t mean it’s ok! Likewise it doesn’t have to be “your” country to “care” (not to mention the fact that if u live in a country U SHOULD CARE!) Sure maybe all of them aren’t thinking those exact thoughts when they go and litter but that doesn’t excuse them from the deed. Littering is littering and it’s not going to kill anyone to hold on to something a few moments longer till they reach a bin or reach home and dump the trash of their car in a proper bin at home.

As I was walking to the bus today, I passed the pavilion thingie they have in the university garden. There are a few of them built and spread out in the gardens. Under each are two park benches (I’ll snap a pic tomorrow). The two benches are facing each other. Beside the benches are matching rubbish bins. Quite often groups of two, three, four and up girls go and sit under the pavilions and enjoy the pleasant air. Hmph! Today I as I passed I saw a group of girls sitting there laughing and eating lunch together. They had gotten take-out orders from the Burger King in the cafeteria. They finished with their food and just casually threw the boxes, wrappings and paper cups on the ground around them….








THE RUBBISH BIN WAS RIGHT BESIDE THEM WITHIN ARMS REACH DAMMIT!!

The university is beautiful. I fell in love with the architecture from the first day I saw it years ago. Sitting under the pavilions in the cool air surrounded by the well groomed garden is so refreshing… and yet that’s what people do with such beauty. Never mind the fact that it’s our university or heck THEIRS. No pride whatsoever in the place they have / will experience things they can’t experience anyplace else.

Those types truly deserve to be thrown in some university running out of a villa or apartment building. (Ajman Uni in Abu Dhabi is in a high rise building ….so un-uni like).

Those who can’t appreciate beauty so don’t deserve it!

3 comments:

Bookworm said...

I know exactly how you feel. It's absolutely digusting how ppl litter here. Locals and expats alike.

I wish they'd have some really high fine for littering and actually implement the rule. I heard that ppl were supposed to pay Dhs 500 if the police caught them littering...but I don't really see someone actually putting that rule to good use =(

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU! SOMEONE ELSE NOTICED THIS!

I find it dazzing. I've actually witnessed people throwing their candy wrappers or whatever on the grown with a wastebin not over a kilometre away...

El Hazard said...

Doc. Speech Comm. said that for the mid-term and final exams he will let us choose the topic of our presentations. I have my topic chosen: Littering.

I'm going to start snapping pics of disgusting litter from now ;) By the time mid-terms come around I'll have some pretty graphic pics..