15 November, 2006

Trashing the UAE

As I were going from Dubai to Fujairah for a beach clean up last weekend I was amazed to see at least 4 different cars throwing rubbish out of their window. Not to say that most people who were having a Picnic along the beautiful Dibba road were any better as they were throwing all kinds of trash around them.

Its sad but you would think that its common sense not to dirty your country of residents but when you talk to people, they get offended, ‘how dare you tell me not to dirty this country’

Saddly UAE locals, Arabs and Asians are the worse culprits. I hope a law is put in place and enforced for all those why dirty this country.
Posted by ColOman at 9:10 am

15 comments:

Brn said...

Bss and I noticed the same thing over Eid as we drove up to Umm Al Quwain. The trash seemed to be heaviest around the signs urging people not to litter. I don't know how many times I have seen people just chuck stuff out of the car windows. Most mornings at my house I find cans, bottles and wrappers on the ground less than 10 meters from a dumpster.

15 November, 2006 09:42
samuraisam said...

You forgot the [insert nationality here]. They get on boats, drive to the coast, and unload bags of rubbish, then drive off and laugh.

/sarcasm

Does it really matter who the worst culprits are? The worst culprits are the people who let it happen in the first place.

15 November, 2006 11:16
Unknown said...

Agree with Samuraisam, this has nothing to do with nationality.

15 November, 2006 12:02
Anonymous said...

It has nothing to do with nationality persay, but there are certain nationalities who (for presumably reasons of cultural upbringing) are more likely to drop litter.

For example, I doubt a Singaporean Chinese or a Chinese person in Dubai would ever drop litter because in their culture it is a heavily fineable offence. In England (I don't know about the rest of Europe) you are actively taught that dumping rubbish is wrong.

Coming from that kind of environment, I was shocked when I saw how badly littered sites everywhere in this region were.

15 November, 2006 12:49
Anonymous said...

I drove from Dibba to Dubai this week and twice from the same car in front of me (tinted widows) came the trash flying - plastic cups, pepsi cans and plastic bags... Quite unthinkable in Europe

15 November, 2006 14:25
Anonymous said...

Just visit the Karama Shopping Complex at 11 in the night. The parking lots are filled with garbage that shoppers have left behind for the residents.

Having lived there for roughly 25 years I would say I have seen people from all walks of life and different countries drop litter on to the streets.

15 November, 2006 14:58
B.D. said...

My personal motto when I travel in many 3rd world countries is Keep [insert country name here] beautiful, and I start reciting it to my hosts. The locals don't care but it's ingrained for me. People have to be taught this, I guess.

I was in India once visiting a friend in his village. At their home they threw out the trash in their own yard. I noticed, however, this was not a problem. They didn't use much paper, plastic or other packaging; everything they consumed was either consumable or bio-degradable. After a week of rains the waste just melted into the ground.

When it came to me, however, my trash consisted of paper, plastic wrappings, etc. Out of force of habit, I suppose, they just threw it into their yard. 2 weeks passed and I was embarrased to see my trash still litering their yard.

15 November, 2006 15:39
Woke said...

bd,
Times have changed and today you get Coke and pizzas in most Indian villages and thats not turning out well for the environment.

15 November, 2006 16:50
Michelle Nickelson said...

Sorry, I do think certain nationalities are more prone to littler than others, because again in Europe and US, you get caught, you pay a fine.

People just get trained not to. In LA, if you throw thrash out the window, it is a $1000 US fine, and the cops and Highway Patrol WILL stop you.

I keep saying, if you make trash valuable by paying people who pick it up and bring it to recycle centers, people won't throw it on the ground, or the ones who do, someone less fortunate who needs the money will pick it up.

My friends call the national flower of the UAE the little blue plastic bags, which hand from trees when you are out driving around. Sad.....

15 November, 2006 18:51
Shiva said...

The way we gleefully throw trash around...I see several new awards and promotions being instituted in Dubai. "Dubai Trash Awards" "Dubai Trashing Festival" and "Trashy Surprises" and oh, did I mention"Dubai International Trash Expo" ?

15 November, 2006 20:23
Anonymous said...

well there is one thing to say,, if the nationals took this issue seriously and avoided throwing trash, then foreigners will too..

we hope they put laws against this issue,, and in the near future we see the UAE as one of the cleanest countries in the world..

16 November, 2006 02:02
Anonymous said...

Apparently, Dubailand will feature the exciting new TrashCity. But they'll charge a toll to get there ;-}

16 November, 2006 02:42
Anonymous said...

I think a big problem is the lack of small rubbish bins on the street - in AD there are very few, so you either cart your rubbish around or dump it.
In South Africa the excuse for littering was : It gives street sweepers a job, so it is a GOOD thing!!

16 November, 2006 13:24
samuraisam said...

I once knew a local that said he'd throw rubbish on the floor in Dubai but not in London, because in Dubai they have people that run around and clean up after you /:

16 November, 2006 13:30
littlejimmy said...

That fucking "it gives someone a job" excuse really pisses me off. Murdering people keeps the police in a job, but I don't go round killing people for that reason.

And by the way, Britain is terrible for littering. You can tell when you're getting near a McDonalds restaurant because of all the take-away bags lying around, and all the streets are covered in spots of stuck-on chewing gum.

16 November, 2006 21:10

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