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I am currently living in Boston, MA in the USA. I do not know how much I can call this my “community.” But I suppose that wherever one happens to live at a certain time can be considered their community.
Living in a big city like this hides the interaction between human beings and the environment. The impacts and effects are almost invisible as you don’t see massive deforestation as you would, say in the Amazon. Nor do you see desertification as is evident in some parts of Africa. Likewise, better waste management (though appalling for a modern city, a major city in the world’s largest economy) means that you don’t see the effects of litter at large as you would in Harare or Nairobi.
However, I see the interaction between people and the environment in a different way. I see it in the choices and decisions that people around me make every day. Because I understand the impacts of every action we make, I see every option made as having a direct impact on the environment in terms of the global community.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday are trash days. On the eve of each one of these days, outside my apartment building stand a mountain of black bags, each one jam packed with waste. So much waste over a 48 hour cycle. It’s is amazing how much we use and throw away. It all comes from somewhere and must go to another place. The recycling program here is very poor and inconvenient that most people do not even want to use it. When I first moved here, I was passionate about recycling. I tried to find out information about it; I tried to inspire my flat mates to recycle. They must have thought I was mad, and indeed, perhaps I was, because there was no recycling pick up where I first lived. So, after a while, I had to painfully watch plastic, biodegradable waste and bottles all go towards the same end.
Of course, the impact of this waste cycle is not felt immediately by any of us as tenets of Boston buildings. If it did, something would be drastically different. People seem too busy to stop and care. So many times I have felt like approaching the landlord to bring up this issue. But I haven’t. If I did, that would be activism. Why haven’t I? Would it not be good to work on a way to build the awareness of people that live in my ‘community’ about the state of the environment, and the impact of their choices and action on it?
You see, it’s so much easier to do environment work over the internet, communicating with people that already are sympathetic to similar issues and are aware of these things. Regardless of where they are from, you can talk about the environment, have an understanding about the issues and work together. It would be simpler too if it was in Zimbabwe because I sometimes feels at greater liberty to tackle these thing there as it’s where I feel I ‘belong.’ Over here, I feel as if I’m out of place as a stranger, telling people that they should adapt their way of life for a more sustainable lifestyle. How dare I? But I need to remember that pollution requires no visas and environmental impacts have no limitations placed on it by customs control. It affects everyone, everywhere.
Perhaps people need to incorporate environmental issues into their already busy days. Perhaps thinking of the environment needs to be more than just an election item, but rather, a part of our daily behavior and ethic. What am I going to do this week to make improvements on my impact on the environment?
1. Continue to avoid buying coffee in disposable cups. Sometimes I get lazy and think that just one more cup won’t hurt the Earth that much. Every disposable cup does-especially if it does not get recycled!
2. Try and find our more information about recycling and if necessary, call the landlord to ask him.
3. Make it a point to talk to the neighbors at #8 about recycling and get their views on it. Where do they stand? If they are on my side, they I am not alone!
These actions won’t save the world, but they are a contribution. The greatest change I can make is in my mind and in my ethic. June will be Dumi’s Environment Month. Let’s see what difference I can make in my behavior and impact over 30 days. Email me at the end of the month and check up on me: dumi@yesweb.org
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Writer Profile
Dumisani
I write because I believe in the power of ideas! Thoughts are what have changed the world... Every revolution, every legislation, every act started off as a thought. All thoughts are inspired by other thoughts expressed in song, essays, research, poetry, spoken word, action...
I write because I love. I hope that my writing inspires and informs you as much as the writings of others has done to me in my life.
~dumisani
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Comments
Hi Dumisani Gilbert, SHEMA NDAHAYO | Jun 8th, 2003
Hello, I like the idea of sharing issues concerning environment using internet. It is a kind of contributing to a better tomorrow and it is the only way in this new mellenium to spread the world on issues affecting our lives.
Keep it up
sopiemay | Jul 1st, 2003
don't be afraid to tell us Americans how we can live more environmentally responsibly... some of us (myself included, i'm afraid :)) could obviously use the help. :)
very deeply thought Nancy | Nov 6th, 2003
The idea of your article is very interesting and is worth thinking about.
It is very important for us to think about the environment and how it will affect our future for there is a certain amount of soil, oil, and rocks (etc.) in the world. If we don't start to work together and be careful in what we do, one day, there might not be enough of something when we need it. As you said in the article, we should waste less and make use of your garbage and wastes. We could compost food and reuse the reusable products. Buy non-disposable containers to reduce wastes.
There is more to the environment than wasting even though the amount of garbage is increasing and is delivering to other places. There are trees to be concerned about. We use paper like it is supplying but sometimes many trees get wasted because people waste paper. New trees should be planted when other trees are growing.
I am a Canadian myself and I know about the pollution around in the area and how cars release gas into the air affecting breathing. We turn on the heat when we are cold. This may cause global warming. We should not litter for there are garbage bins for you to place them in. Animals around could be nibbling on what you threw on the ground and there is no definite answer to what will happen to it.
Fight the good fight Alaine Plourde | Oct 17th, 2004
I have just joined this TIG site. I am currently taking two online classes one is environmental science. Everything in your article is about what I am studying. I am working on my BA. It is good to hear you are taking personal responsibility, and I will hopefully think of you and not feel so alone in my fight to help save the environment because sometimes My schoolwork gets monotonoue and I tend to loose sight of the bigger picture. If everyone thought like you the world would be a better place. There are Americans who feel the same way as you about the environment. I know I do.
Fight the good fight Alaine Plourde | Oct 17th, 2004
I have just joined this TIG site. I am currently taking two online classes one is environmental science. Everything in your article is about what I am studying. I am working on my BA. It is good to hear you are taking personal responsibility, and I will hopefully think of you and not feel so alone in my fight to help save the environment because sometimes My schoolwork gets monotonoue and I tend to loose sight of the bigger picture. If everyone thought like you the world would be a better place. There are Americans who feel the same way as you about the environment. I know I do.
adham tobail Adham Tobail | Jun 30th, 2008
I agree with you, my dear writer, but what I said
I believe that the preservation of the environment must first be ourselves, we sense that people have convinced self Balkhvaz on the environment, hygiene and this issue is linked to the process of social Starching of the people by planting and maintaining the cleanliness of our country in the hearts of children and youth
The young people in the world to act to preserve the beauty of their environment awareness and education programmes and urged the government to pay more rebutted
Thank you for participating Good
Adham
adham_333@hotmail.com
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