Guys and girls if you don't like the mess go and fucking clear some of it up!
It makes a difference to the local's point of view if they see us Bule cleaning up after them.
Maybe not the first time or the second time. Perhaps not the 5th time but when they see us (like it or not westerners are a source of "hero" worship here) cleaning up there shite it matters and works.
I go swimming on the beaches here all the time and when I'm wending my tired way back along the sand I just pick up all the plastic shit I can carry and bring it to the next beach warung along the way.
They are always grateful for me doing it and I get no end of beautiful brown girls along the way thanking me too. Well occasionally, one or two... :O)
It makes a difference to the local's point of view if they see us Bule cleaning up after them.
Maybe not the first time or the second time. Perhaps not the 5th time but when they see us (like it or not westerners are a source of "hero" worship here) cleaning up there shite it matters and works.
I go swimming on the beaches here all the time and when I'm wending my tired way back along the sand I just pick up all the plastic shit I can carry and bring it to the next beach warung along the way.
They are always grateful for me doing it and I get no end of beautiful brown girls along the way thanking me too. Well occasionally, one or two... :O)
But what do you do with the trash you pick up if there's not a beach warung along the way? I had a problem finding trash cans in Bali. Even in my son-in-law's family home (Balinese), I would have something to "throw away" and could never find a trash can. And do you really think that they are grateful for picking up the trash? Do they even see it? I was surprised to go to beautiful temples and then see a huge pile of trash along side it. Or you see those areas along the streets that look like big dumpsters but they are always overflowing. Do they ever get cleaned out? One day while traveling from Pemuteran to Denpasar, I was shocked to see my son-in-law's mother just casually throw water bottles out the car window while traveling. My daughter (American) claims that one reason they are so casual with throwing their trash anywhere is because everything used to be wrapped in banana leaves and these just composted. Now that everything is plastic, they just treat it the same way but unfortunately, plastic doesn't compost. Yes, Bali does have a huge trash problem and my fingers itch to pick up trash when I'm there, but then I don't know what to do with it....
Amongst the trash that is lying around is always a plastic bag - I use that to put the other trash in.
About the casual disposal of stuff out the window I've been amazed at that too and have started telling them not to. When I see they have something headed for the window I take it and say I will throw it away - it usually causes embarrassment (I'm not completely sure why, it's either for me or them?). I've subsequently found them trying to "sneak" stuff out the window - they know it's wrong but can't stop, I guess.
"They" aren't grateful for me picking up the trash but many individuals are - they thank me so it must be working it's way into the collective consciousness somehow.
About the casual disposal of stuff out the window I've been amazed at that too and have started telling them not to. When I see they have something headed for the window I take it and say I will throw it away - it usually causes embarrassment (I'm not completely sure why, it's either for me or them?). I've subsequently found them trying to "sneak" stuff out the window - they know it's wrong but can't stop, I guess.
"They" aren't grateful for me picking up the trash but many individuals are - they thank me so it must be working it's way into the collective consciousness somehow.