There is a part of our Belizean culture that has been more apparent in our more recent generations, a part of our culture that becomes apparent every time there is a gathering, a concert, or major event. It is apparent every time we look at the streets of my wonderful home called Belize City. I have seen it as well, in other major towns across the country. It is one of the most prominent and obvious things, yet it is one of the easiest ones to fix, if we could only make the decision individually, but also, collectively. The problem I am talking about is litter, and anything else that adds to the deterioration of the beauty and aesthetics of our city.
It is not uncommon, as most of us youth already know, to hear people say that the government needs to help with this or that, or that they need to improve this. It is always so easy to criticize, yet, sadly, and truthfully, we hardly ever do anything as individuals to help our country. It was a U.S president by the name of John F. Kennedy who once said “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.” So, to all the youth who come across this article, and all the other readers who can spare some of their time: how about we all do something for our country? It is so simple and easy yet so profound. Let’s become proactive about litter, let us make the effort to always use a bin, to encourage others to do the same and volunteer our time to making neglected and dirty parts of our country cleaner.
It may not seem like much of a big deal, but studies have shown, and some US cities such as Oakland have demonstrated, that you can reduce crime rates to a certain extent just by cleaning up crime ridden areas. Just by changing the way we see our streets, just by changing the environment, people in that area start to look at their lives differently and it can cause a positive change. Litter, trash, gang graffiti, and uncleaned drains are a problem, but despite City Council being in charge of making sure trash is moved to its proper place, we as individuals must do our best to help. No one who has a maid will ever spit on their floor just because the maid will clean it up eventually. So why can’t we do a little extra? Why can’t we wait until we see a bin to put our trash in it, why can’t we put money together as neighbours and hire someone to make sure the drains don’t get clogged by weeds. Why can’t we see our beautiful country for what it is: our home; just like we would never leave an empty foam tray on our floor, we should never toss foam cups and plates on the street. Your home is more than just your house, it is the smallest part of a larger community, a family of Belizeans and an entire country. We must realize how important it is to keep our communities litter free.
As Belizeans, some of us fail to realize that slightly more than ¼ of every job held by Belizeans is related to the beauty of our country and the tourists who pay good money to visit. It is a massive part of our economy as a country and it depends on us having a beautiful country to offer. No one wants to visit a place covered in styrofoam, plastic, and other forms of debris.
It is not just for beauty; it is for our environment in general. Trash is pollution, and it is slowly hurting all the life around us, slowly stifling the living creatures that make our country such a Jewel. Every foam cup can end up crushed and eaten by tiny animals, every plastic bag can end up in our sea and hurt turtles who mistake them for food. Littering, has far more devastating effects than you may realize, and every single time you drop a cup on the street, it adds to the deterioration of the place we call home.
So, for everyone who reads this, young and old, it is time for a change, we need to change. We all do. It is time for us to give a little extra, give a little of our time and make sure our home is a little cleaner. Let’s put whatever differences we have aside and at least agree on one thing, no one wants a polluted city or country. No one wants their home to be known for their garbage problem, so let’s make a stand, let’s change the part of our culture that does not seem to care about littering. Let us change our habits, let us care more about our environment, and let us give whatever we can spare to keep our country beautiful.
