No to littering

I am writing as a Jordanian environmental advocate to address an issue I believe is the bane of Jordan’s streets, and which is often overlooked despite its significance.

It concerns the alarming amount of litter on the ground; the rubbish seems predominant and the habit appears to be implanted in the local culture.

To begin with, the obligation to call out the act of littering by Jordanians is hard pressing; litter is not only an unsightly thing to behold, but also malodorous to those near it.

For aesthetic reasons, litter wards off people from places such as parks and malls, or spoils their experience. Moreover, litter on vacant land put up for sale will discourage buyers from purchasing that certain area due to its insalubrious condition.

Aside from the unappealing nature of littered locations, indirect effects also ensue. For instance, the toxins in many disposables, such as used batteries, computers and leftover food may seep into the soil and render it infertile, hindering plant growth.

If dumped into water, the toxins contaminate it and endanger creatures dependent on that water source, such as alley cats, which are also at risk of consuming the litter, pigeons and other city dwelling animals.

Thus, litter is not only a danger to humans but also to other forms of life.

It can be asserted that the reason littering prevails in Jordan is lack of awareness and carelessness. 

Despite the numerous anti-littering advertisements and the inclusion of the issue in school curricula, littering is omnipresent.

The public must be more effectively taught the consequences of littering and the rewards of cleaning up the streets. 

The reason for littering is a bundle of misconceptions about the seriousness of the problem.

Schools should take students on more field trips to heavily littered areas to clean them up. Even if this does not teach Jordanian youths the importance of what they are doing, action is being taken in any case.

Another suggestion would be to have different organisations, both private and public, initiate litter-collecting campaigns. Of course, proper advertisement of such campaigns is paramount for maximal results.

Littering is a formidable enemy of the environment and fighting it benefits people and the environment.

Jad Dahshan,
Amman