An environmental movement, ‘Pick That Trash’ has called on Nigerians to stop dumping refuse indiscriminately to push the drive for an environmentally-healthy society.
The movement’s team leader, Mrs Ugochi Nwanze made the call in an interview with newsmen following the movement’s recent community clean-up exercise in Lagos.
Nwanze lamented the insensitivity of Nigerians over indiscriminate refuse dumping while she called for a joint cooperation between the government and populace to kick out the menace.
“We have to be clean. We realise that there are bigger problems, a mindset that says it is ok to drop things on the floor.
“A mindset that says it does not matter as long as it is not in my house, it is not my problem.
“For us to achieve a clean environment, it is not individuals alone that will be doing their own thing but the government and the people have to collaborate to make a clean environment possible,’’ she said.
Referring to the act as a “syndrome called trash boldness’’ Nwanze encouraged a proactive stand against the act, saying “we need to walk the talk, come down to the street and see that there is a lot to do.
“Nigerians are `trash blind’. To be comfortable with refuse and stench around your environment and do nothing about it is what it means to be trash blind.
“Trash blindness does not occur overnight but a numbing of the mind that there is no point in clearing up refuse because it will always resurface,’’ she said.
A volunteer of the movement, Mr Taiwo Adewole said the aim of the exercise was not just to clean the community but to sensitise the residents on the impact of an unclean environment and the benefits of recycling.
“We are here not just to pick up trash but to sensitise the people on the impact of what they are doing to the environment and at the same time enlighten the people on the benefits of recycling waste.
“They are encouraged to keep their environment clean and get something in return and create raw materials for industrial use,’’ he said.
Another volunteer and a recycling entrepreneur, Mr Allison Ukonu called for provision of infrastructure to aid proper disposal of refuse by Nigerians before enforcing sanctions on indiscriminate littering.
“When you see dirts litter in the street and confront people about it, they will tell you that there are no proper disposing stations or bins where they can dispose these items.
“I think there has to be a think-tank to solve Nigeria’s refuse management problems, let us not wait for a mishap like it has happened recently in another country.
“We need a think-tank and regulatory bodies that work in conjunction with NGOs to be able to sensitise people about litter before sanctioning,’’ Ukonu said.