Wednesday 21 April 2010

Earth Day 2010

Yes, yes after earth hour last month, we now have earth day. I think it's not bad that our dear and old planet gets a bit more attention than an hour. As they say in the UK "every little helps"! And our planet needs it. Desperately. One can only wonder if all the natural catastrophes and variations this year have something to do with it all?  Earthquakes which have costs too many lifes, storms, floods, snow in abundance and lastly of course the volcano eruption in Iceland which is still paralysing half of Western Europe. Is our planet rebelling? Is Earth telling us that it has had enough?



Tomorrow, 22nd April is the day. The 40th celebration of what is the largest civic event worldwide. You can go on their website to get ideas of easy things you can do every day to lessen your impact and help our planet! Here in Jordan, I must say that the thing that is choking me he most is the use of plastic bags. I mean I could open a whole shop with all those I have at home. I think that supermarkets should change their habits a bit and tell their packing guys to be a bit more careful with the use of these bags. I tell them to put more things in the bags, they listen for one bag and then they'll continue as they usually do. One of the supermarkets, Cozmo, has done a little bit for the awareness. This week you get one of these when you shop with them.



Of course, you can't really reuse them, but the idea is there, and small ideas like this can do wonder. The problem is here there is nothing done recycling wise, I mean not really. Yes you can take your bottles with you to an embassy - but then with a baby in a stroller etc. it is not easy to organise! I have seen a lorry drive around and pick up cardboard - but I have seen it once - and it didn't look like it was organised by Amman Municipality. Every day I see people throw cans, paper and plastic out of their car window. Every time we drive out of Amman, I see plastic bags lying around, because people are too lazy, or don't care, to take it with them home after picnicking.

We don't really buy small plastic bottles anymore; if I am I make sure I reuse it for some time. And then I have decided that I am going to bring the plastic bags back to the shops and use them when doing my groceries.

So, what will you be doing to celebrate Earth Day 2010?

6 comments:

Scoop said...

We don't have recycling here in Luanda either, and the city and the people really suffer for it. There is garbage lying around most of the streets, heaps of it. They also overuse plastic bags here too. It is very sad.

Unknown said...

There are so many things which can be done...around the world. Yes, it is sad

Anonymous said...

It seems to have taken forever for the idea of the 'eco bag' to cotton on ( ha!) here, I think if people were more substantially penalised for NOT having their own bag, we might see some progress, and lawdy the Japanese LOVE to wrap things, they just live to wrap!!

Unknown said...

Absolutely agree with you! in Denmark you have to pay a fortune for a new bag, so you learn to bring the old ones with you! In the UK it's like 5p for plastic bag (in the places where they charge you), so it doesn't really make a difference, cause everything else is so expensive anyways...

Anonymous said...

Yes, I totally agree. I was walking my dog a lot this year and was amazed how much trash is just everywhere on the streets. Very sad. I too, reuse plastic bags and have given serious thought to bring my own bags to the grocery store. People need to be made aware of their habits of throwing trash everywhere. It just shouldn't be acceptable at all.

Unknown said...

it's a whole education that needs to take place in Jordan - they need to go to schools, colleges, university to explain the importance of taking care of our planet. look at all the things happening around the world, it's time and it's urgent...

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