Signs of the hard times

The signs of the hard times are everywhere. You see the grim face of poverty every day in the street urchins pressing their noses on your car window and begging for whatever change you can spare. Jobs are getting scarcer and the lines to the doors of overseas job recruitment agencies are getting longer. Criminality is on the rise and lawless elements lurk everywhere. Stealing or killing (or stealing and killing) incidents are just so rampant. Whether you’re in the relative safety of your own home or you’re out there, there’s the nagging fear that you could be the next victim. These days, mall goers/shoppers are easy prey. A few weeks ago, a friend of ours had a very unfortunate experience while shopping at a mall. She went to the toilet, got into a cubicle, and made sure to hang her bag on the hook on the door. Before she knew it, her bag – with her company’s pay- roll and half a dozen credit cards – was gone! Apparently, somebody fished for her bag, deftly disengaging it from the hook where it was hanging. Of course, she didn’t see who did it. But when she went out of the ladies’ toilet, she saw a woman carrying an extraordinarily big bag – but she was casually walking and not running away from the scene of the crime. Could it have been this bag lady? You never know. These days, criminals come in all sexes, shapes, and sizes. It could be a pregnant woman who’s about to deliver any minute now – who knows what she’s got under that preggy dress! It could be a dashing guy in a corporate suit. Hard lessons learned: Keep your eyes on your bag even when you think you’re alone in the toilet. (Another friend left her bag by the sink when she washed her hands and it disappeared in an instant!) And never trust a stranger, even a pregnant woman or a guy who looks like Jude Law.

Here’s another unfortunate mall incident e-mailed to us:

Dear everybody,

I’d like to share with all of you my horrible and scary experience last Friday night at a mall. Maybe by being aware of this incident, you will be more vigilant even while you’re leisurely shopping.

It was one rare time on a weekday when I and my daughters had the chance to go out for an evening together. Anyway, we took the escalator leading to the store where we were going. I was about five steps away from my two daughters and in front of me were two people (one gay and one girl) in white. They were about five to six steps ahead of me. I noticed that they were walking backwards and I thought they were playing because I only see children doing this. They continued doing so until they were about two steps away from me. I noticed that the gay removed the ponytail band from his hair. Then, as I reached the top of the stairs, he bent forward, as if to pick up something from the floor. I was standing there trying to keep my grip on the handrail lest I fall down. All I could say was, ‘Ano ba, ano ba?’ I felt I was being squashed. I did not know that my daughters were being overtaken by two other people and they thought it was so rude of them to do this. The next thing I knew I was being crushed in front and at the back. I finally got out and cursed the two people for being so ignorant, not knowing how to use the escalator. Then, my daughter noticed that my bag was open and she asked me to check it out. My cell phones were there, but my wallet was gone. We reported the incident to the security guard and all he could say was, ‘Inipit ba kayo?’ I said yes and he told us it is the modus operandi of mall pickpockets. Apparently, this is not the first time he’s heard of such an incident at the mall he’s guarding.

The next day, a construction worker called up my house and told me that he saw my wallet in one of the plant boxes at the bus stop near the mall where I was robbed. He saw a receipt with my name and phone number and he so kindly called me up to return the wallet.

Don’t let this happen to you. Look around you and keep an eye on your belongings even when you’re leisurely shopping.

A concerned shopper

* * * Follow the law to the litter

Are you a litterbug? It takes little not to be a litterbug, according to the Ecological Waste Coalition of the Philippines, which surveyed its members for possible reasons why this ugly habit seemingly can’t be junked. The respondents, which included the Archdiocese of Manila Ecology Desk, Ateneo Environmental Science Society, Bangon Kalikasan Movement, Buklod Tao Foundation, Concerned Citizens Against Pollution, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Health Care Without Harm, Institute for Educational and Ecological Alternatives, Maskara Youth Theater Group, Pusod Inc., Mother Earth Foundation, November 17 Movement, Sanib Lakas ng Inang Kalikasan, Sining Yapak, and Zero Waste Philippines, shared their opinions on littering and offered practical solutions to eradicate this filthy habit. Read this (and pick up some gems of wisdom):

Who And Why People Litter

Litterbugs are those who strew trash in gutters or streets because they’re just plain lazy or they lack ecological consciousness. They also include motorists who throw their trash out of windows, residents who dump their waste in street corners, vacant lots or waterways, and attendees of sports, entertainment and political events who leave their discards all over the place.

Littering transcends age, gender, educational or class delineation. People who have not yet risen above their self-absorbed consciousness tend to litter more, oblivious of its consequences.

Filipinos generally value a clean living and working environment. The ancient proverb "cleanliness is next to godliness" is, in fact, known to many. But why do people continue to litter? The citizens’ lack of awareness and appreciation of their inherent responsibility to the environment and society is probably the foremost reason.

"Someone else will pick it up." Some people think that littering is acceptable because there are people (such as the diligent janitor and the street sweeper) being paid to clean up after them.

"I simply don’t care." Some people are socially indifferent and are not informed about the health, environmental and other costs of littering.

"Everyone else is doing it." Some people tend to litter when litter already exists.

"It’s a statement!" Some people take it against the authorities, for instance, by rejecting public discipline.

The Effects Of Littering

Carelessly disposed discards cause numerous health, environmental and financial problems. It shows an uncaring culture and perpetuates an attitude of irresponsibility and disorder, which are damaging to the national psyche.

Litter attracts rodents and other pests and serves as breeding sites for disease-causing bacteria, germs, and insects. Dangerous items such as broken bottles, expired drugs, used condoms, and syringes as well as used containers of toxic chemicals are potential health hazards. Cigarette butts are possible fire hazards, too.

Litter affects water quality and obstructs waterways, causing water to overflow, flood surrounding areas, and disperse water-borne pathogens. Removing litter from storm drains and water bodies costs a considerable amount of money. Discards, especially plastic scraps, usually end up in natural water bodies such as rivers and oceans, causing injury and death to wildlife. Cigarette butts, for instance, have been found in the bellies of birds, fishes, whales, and other marine animals who mistake them for food.

Litter turns off tourists, causing revenues to plummet. Litter ruins the aesthetic charm of our country and makes for bad publicity!

Preventing Littering

Sustained education and values formation at home, school, church, and workplace, the active promotion of earth-friendly consumption choices, and the honest-to-goodness enforcement of anti-littering directives and penalties are needed to contend with the culture of littering.

For starters, the Ecowaste Coalition offers these practical ways to free our environment of litter:

As a citizen:

• Never litter. Instead be a role model to your family and community. • Reduce your waste size and exert creative efforts to reuse and recycle your discards.

• Avoid single-use disposable plastic bags, containers, and utensils.

• Trim down your consumption of plastics. Choose products with minimal packaging and remember to bring reusable carry bags when you shop.

As a pedestrian:

• Keep litter until a proper trash container is found.

• Make sure your waste goes into the container and not outside it.

• If there is no proper container, take your litter home for recycling or composting.

• Carry a handy litter bag in your pocket or bag for your discards.

As a motorist:

• Do not hurl your discards out of the car windows.

• Provide a litter bag or bin in your vehicle.

• When transporting waste, do not overload garbage trucks. Also secure and cover loads.

As a smoker:

• Quit smoking for the sake of your health. If you have not yet kicked the habit, ensure that your cigarette filters are disposed of in the proper bins.

• If there is no ashtray available, put the cigarette butts in your own litter bag.

As a law enforcer:

• Implement ecological system for managing discards in your area of jurisdiction.

• Popularize anti-littering ordinances through various channels and enforce them. Apprehend and duly penalize violators.

As a business owner:

• Provide separate bins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable discards for the convenient use of your clients and customers.

• Put up a creative reminder to your patrons not to litter anywhere.

• Keep your dumpster secured and free of debris and pests.

As a homeowner or renter:

• Stop wasting! Separate your discards, reuse, recycle, compost.

• Pick up discards for recycling or composting, and do not hose them down into the gutters and drains.

• Keep the lids of your separate bins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable discards secured to keep them from scattering.

• Never set your discards on fire!

For more information, call the Ecowaste Coalition at 929-0376.

* * *

We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com