Discipline is the Key

When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.

Plastic bags, plastic bottles, candy wrappers, cigarette butts etc.

In most places in the Metro Manila in the Philippines, you will see these things scattered everywhere.  On the streets, the sidewalks, the gutter EVERYWHERE.  Most people doesn't even care.  They walk by it and some of them even add a thing or two to the filth.  Every thing is fine and dandy until the rainy season comes and what to they get?  Floods!  The one thing that I really hate during the wet season. 

I have waded in 2 foot deep floods, waist-high and when I was living in Malabon I even experienced wading in chest high waters.  I even experienced being chased by a large rat while wading in chest high waters, maybe it thinks that I'm a raft or something.  I hit the showers as soon as I got home and stayed there soaking and soaping my self repeatedly for 2 hours.  I never felt so dirty in my entire life.

Flood water can make you sick so try to avoid it as much as possible.  But if you can't and you really need to wade in it, remember to wash yourself thoroughly immediately as soon as you get the chance.  One of the decease that you can get is Leptospirosis which is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal.  Commonly in rats and mice in Manila. I manifest itself trough sudden  fever with chills, intense headache, severe muscle pain and sometimes rashes.  Don't take any chances clean-up ASAP.

One of the major cause of flooding is the lack of discipline in most Filipinos.  Stand on one sidewalk and I guarantee that you will see a person throw something in the streets, whether its a piece of paper, candy wrappers or cigarette butts.  The local Government specially Makati has an ordinance against littering the when you get caught you will be fined Php 1,000 pesos or roughly $20 in todays exchange rate and that's expensive.  So why do people still do it?  I think most people apart from lack of discipline thinks it's a cook way to do. or they think they're ASTIG if they do so.  For me I's pure lack of discipline and self-respect. 

I see people almost every day getting caught, and what do some of them do?  They actually get mad a the officer who tries to apprehend them.  You can see them arguing with the officer, dropping names of some big-shot half-ass ranking officer threatening the officer that they can get fired if they give that person a ticket....such as the way of some Filipinos that sometimes it's embarrassing just to watch.

But what can we do?  We have to learn to throw our trash in...the garbage can.  No if's no buts.  If you have some sort of trash and you wants to dispose of it and you don't see a trash can, then hold on to it until you do so.  It's your trash anyway. 

Apart from that avoid using plastic bags.  Plastic bags if not disposed of properly will cause flooding.  If you go to the grocery, use an eco-bag.  Don't have one?  Buy one it's cheap at Php 10 a piece in Shopwise.  Avoid using plastic straws when you drink your soft drinks.  STOP drinking your soft drinks in small plastic bags. It's a double whammy, after drinking you throw away the bag and the straw, and most people specially children just throw them in the streets. It's unhygienic, disgusting and bad for your health.  Stop buying water sold in PET bottles.  I always bring my own water in an aluminum bottle.  On average a 500ml bottle of water cost around 15 to 20 pesos.  If you buy a large 5-litter in a water refilling station it will only cost you up to 40 pesos (you do the math). Then just top off you own bottle before you go.  You get to save money too. 

If you smoke throw your cigarette butts properly.  They are the most numerically frequent litter in the world.  It's bad for the environment and when you throw them in the streets the butts can get drained in the sewers and also a major cause of flooding.

Aren't you tired of it?  I know I am.  No one can save us from the floods...no one except us.

The greatest threat on Earth, is the belief that someone else will save it.