I spent around a week volunteering for a program and I felt completely rejuvenated though I slept only 3 hours a day and spent rest of the time in physical work. During that, we took a little time off and went for a trek into the forest to a waterfall. On the way, we cleaned the place removing plastic items and see how much we collected. Mostly there were bottles, pens, bags spread all over the place. At first I saw people being hesitant to do this as it was dirty all around. Some just went about doing it. I then noticed in the middle of my work, slowly everyone was doing their bit. I smiled and realized, it is human to open up and do what is needed when a fellow human does it right in front of you.
Once a German friend visited and was complaining about absence of clean public toilets. When I went to Germany, I had no problem finding one. Isn’t this a basic necessity? But how many people are ready to help for the cause? When asked around for support, I was told it is a government’s responsibility. Yes giving education and health facility is also government job. But how well are they doing it? If not for NGOs, not many would have had a future. Whichever NGO you contribute to or influence you may have in corporate social responsibility you can ask for this. We need clean usable public toilets in cities and towns where nature way is not possible. Isnt this a basic need?
Whenever we travel in the highway, I see people rolling down the windows and throwing the garbage right outside in the road. These are “educated” ones. If “educated” people behave this way, then obviously there is no point complaining about the “public”. Can’t you keep the garbage in your car and throw in the next dustbin you encounter? Is it so difficult?
Even if you can’t participate in cleaning a forest or a beach or some public place, you can definitely follow simple practices of non-littering and educate people around you, be it a stranger or your friend / family. You can, but will you?
In the first place, why should someone litter and then someone else has to clean it? Can’t we do our bit to maintain a clean place? I am not complaining of me doing it. Someone has to do it and I am glad to be a part of it. But at the same time, I would like to coax the ones who can do their bit.
Once I was standing in the railway station. There was a big family starting from granny to grand children eating some wrapped food. After eating the granny collected from everyone and just through the whole stuff right into the tracks. I went straight to the decked up youngster in the family and said “The dustbin is right here. Next time please tell your family to drop it here”. If it was atleast thrown somewhere else where I could pick up, I could have done something. The train would come any moment and getting down the tracks wasn’t a great idea. That girl didn’t respond. She looked at me scornfully. I thought if there is a fine system would these guys budge? I am doubtful. There is fine in the traffic system, but the majority cross the line when the signal is still red. Once we were hit from behind by a public transport bus and spent Rs.7500 from our pocket (which was the remaining apart from what the insurance could pay) when we were standing in red signal. Cant he see the red signal? First I was bent down in filing a FIR and then looking at the poor bus driver, and the police saying they can give a police report with which I can get insurance claim, I left it there. More than the money, it was so annoying to see how most of the people just take it for granted to break the rules and look scornfully at people who don’t. We get a honk from behind and a glare from the sides when we stand in red signal. Once I was travelling in a taxi with a friend and the taxi driver just crossed the red signal. I politely said you just crossed a red signal. He replied “Who follows it?” and I asked “What if some police catches you”. He replied “Then he will have his day” as if to threaten the police. This is at Chennai and not at Bangalore. Atleast in Bangalore traffic police look like infant puppies who can hardly bark. In Chennai, police look like ruffians. So, I politely coax people (despite the possible results) whenever there is a chance. Can’t each one of us do this?
Once a German friend visited and was complaining about absence of clean public toilets. When I went to Germany, I had no problem finding one. Isn’t this a basic necessity? But how many people are ready to help for the cause? When asked around for support, I was told it is a government’s responsibility. Yes giving education and health facility is also government job. But how well are they doing it? If not for NGOs, not many would have had a future. Whichever NGO you contribute to or influence you may have in corporate social responsibility you can ask for this. We need clean usable public toilets in cities and towns where nature way is not possible. Isnt this a basic need?
Whenever we travel in the highway, I see people rolling down the windows and throwing the garbage right outside in the road. These are “educated” ones. If “educated” people behave this way, then obviously there is no point complaining about the “public”. Can’t you keep the garbage in your car and throw in the next dustbin you encounter? Is it so difficult?
Even if you can’t participate in cleaning a forest or a beach or some public place, you can definitely follow simple practices of non-littering and educate people around you, be it a stranger or your friend / family. You can, but will you?
Yeah.. lot of people think physical work is inferior....that mentality is quite common these days..
ReplyDeleteThis I completely agree. It is too often that we see littering right in front of our eyes. You mentioned these things about the highway. Also people travelling on city streets driving fancy cars like Honda City make it a point to roll down their electrically automated sun shielded glass windows and throw out a pepsi or a coke bottle. Seriously, can't the bottle travel with you a little farther to wherever you are going and find its place in the bin?
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