There’s NO planet B; let's get tough to the litterbug

By Godwin Semunyu.

In Tanzania, it is estimated that the quantity of municipal solid waste generated amounts to more than 10,000 tonnes per day. However, nearly 50 percent ends up disposed through the local methods of burning or burying. By year 2015, it was estimated that, of the total population, each person was producing an average solid waste of about 0.5 kg to 0.8 kg per day. What we do with the waste we produce in our daily activities, is now the worlds’ biggest headache. 

 

Littering is a deliberate act,Littering is amongst the leading contributor to urban waste problems. What irks the most is the fact that; the majority of littering happens intentionally. People find it completely normal to throw away cigarette butts, food wrappers and disposables. As a result, most of this rubbish swiftly ends up in our water bodies. What is this doing to our planet? Simply put, destroying it.  

 

There can be several arguments as to why people litters, which includes the prevalence of existing waste and the absence of collection equipment's, but the truth still stands, 85% of littering is mostly a deliberate act.  When pressed with severe repercussions and penalties, human beings tend to do the right thing, they stop littering. Also, those who grow up in a disposable society have a tendency to end up disposing, and vice versa. 

 

“Usitupe taka hapa” is now a joke 

 

It is annoying to see signs like “Usitupe takataka hapa” in areas full of debris. No one really cares. It feels like the campaigns have fallen to deaf ears. Either the one installing the signs are not authoritative enough or the litters just find them too common to obey. That is where we are as a society. It is becoming clear that the reason most people litter is not because they think it’s OK, but because they think it's the easier thing to do. They know it is wrong, but they do it because it’s easy. 

 

Say no to noise pollution,

 

 For most people in big cities like Dar es salaam, noise pollution is supposed to be a "normal” everyday phenomenal. That, it is normal for the local pub next door, to host live music till late hours. That is normal for our neighborhoods to become hubs of uncontrolled sounds and blares. People in this city seems to have decided to soldier on like it’s part of the “urban” lifestyle. 

 

NO, it is not normal, and it shouldn't be allowed to be. Though the impacts and adverse effects of noise pollution cannot be immediately felt, there is a big chance of ending up with health effects such as loss of hearing ability, birth complications, and even high Blood Pressure.  

 

It is a collective effort

 

 As a society, we need to get serious in highlighting collective social disapproval against littering and other forms of pollutions. The fact that no one dares to litter around the c0ntrolled areas such as army and law enforcers barracks, tells us all we need to know, about the need for changed behaviors.  

 

If one can be conscious enough not to litter in certain areas fearing repercussions and consequences, one can be mindful enough to not litter at all. Let’s apply stringent rules to get tough against these unacceptable behaviors. 

 

Also, there is no shame for our city lords to borrow a leaf from other cities like Kigali in Rwanda and Moshi. Apart from stringent littering conventions in the case of Moshi, Kigali has a special cleaning program, every Saturday morning, where everyone is compelled to participate in cleaning activities around their neighborhoods. This has worked out remarkably. 

 

We should all remember that we have no Planet B. Might as well take good care of the one we have.