Yesterday the DH and I shamed a man in our neighborhood. I don’t know if he lost face or not, but I hope he did.
We were on our way to the bus stop when we saw this man fling a large garbage bag into the ditch that runs in front of our apartment building. “Hey!” we shouted, and pointed to the row of empty garbage cans located just 50 meters further away. “Oh!” he replied, as if the cans had just materialized out of thin air.
The ditch is full of black, foul water and all kinds of trash. I’ve posted about it before, but here is a picture to refresh your memory:
We walk past this daily.
Everyday there is something new in there. Sometimes it is a mattress, sometimes it is rotting food. Other times it is construction material. This is what was new today:
At least one dog can be found there at all times, rooting around for treasure. It’s the kind of ditch you’d dump a body in if you were in the mafia. And it is just outside our gate.
Living day by day beside foul-smelling and unattractive trash is something I will never understand.
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Did he pick up his trash or just leave it there?
He just left it there and walked away. This happens on a regular basis. On our many bike rides into the nearby countryside, every stream we pass is a dumping ground and the water is thick and black. I understand that China is a developing country and many people may not know any better, but this is basic sanitation. Often, the government says that they must promote economic growth above all else, including the environment. My fear is that by the time China is a wealthy country, there will be no land nor people left to enjoy it.