It was encouraging to note that the Ministry of Forestry staff members relaunched their Forest Litter Prevention Campaign.
This comes in the wake of what it says was the increasing household rubbish dumping at the Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve.
Forestry Officer Parks and Reserves Unit Forest Resource Assessment and Conservation Division Apisai Moce is quoted saying littering was an environmental problem, not only at the forest reserve, but also around the country, and especially along roadsides.
He urged members of the public to support efforts to keep our environment and forests clean and healthy.
For some people, the Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve, he said, was a cesspool where they could dispose of their household rubbish as if it was acceptable to the public.
“These people are considered imprudent and show no sense of pride in our country and in mother nature as they continue to dump rubbish along Princes Rd and the section where the Forest Reserve is.”
He said, unfortunately, this had been a recurring issue despite a number of attempts to minimise and totally eradicate this issue.
It is encouraging to note the concerted effort to address an issue that is detrimental to our environment.
In saying that, it is, however, a concern that we are indiscriminately attacking our environment.
Some people are still not aware of the importance of the health of our environment.
They are still not willing to assist in the upkeep and protection of our environment. Whether it is through a lack of understanding or awareness, it is an issue that must be addressed.
We adopt a no-care attitude when it comes to littering.
In fact, to a certain extent, we seem to have developed a habit that has become part of our lives.
People are still spitting out chewing gum, for instance, disposing of their cigarette butts indiscriminately, throwing out plastic food containers and utensils wherever they want to, doing the same with their used water or soft drink bottles, and plastic bags, among other things.
Our beaches are filled with discarded waste, including plastic, old tyres and used cans.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama once said that every “single piece of rubbish represents one thoughtless decision made by someone who couldn’t have been bothered to make the effort to dispose properly of their waste”.
He said because of such thoughtless decisions, the environment and people were threatened.
Rubbish that starts by the side of the road, he said, very often ends up washed into the sea.
Littering shouldn’t be a touchy issue.
Laws are in place to curb this filthy habit.
Some environmentalists believe littering is a nasty side effect of the ‘throw-away’ or ‘convenience oriented’ mentalities.
In fact, we should be looking after our environment.
We should be proud of it, embrace what we have, and do the right thing.
People already making an effort to be part of the solution deserve acknowledgement.
The onus, though, is on all of us to play our part.
So let’s take ownership of our country, our environment and have some pride in protecting it.
