Recycling is good, but we most times ignore it.
For me, huhm, its very rare, not that I don't care but because here in Nigeria recycling is only something we admire from far, we don't do nor really count it. When I watch online videos and I see how 0 and all into things, I would just be left wondering while also looking forward to a day such will be happening here in Nigeria. But, reality is that, there’s no recycling bin on our street, we only have heaps upon heaps of refuse littered all around.
I remember vividly the last time I can say I tried recycling something, I love drinks a lot, and each time I drink, I have somewhere I keep them to go and throw them away later, so, there was a time I did such and a woman told me she would appreciate if I could help gather them and give to her next time. Wow.., so that day I bought a very chilled Pepsi and after drinking it, I wanted to go drop in the sack I use to keep them, the sack is already full, so I just took it and went straight to the woman, she asked hoe much I would be selling it and I told her no, she was happy, she smiled as if I handed her gold and in that moment, I felt something, something I hardly feel, what will she do with this, is this her own means of survival. I was glad, wished I could do that always, because here, recycling is not organized.
Here, there are no fancy, colorful blue bins we see abroad. Here, its either black nylon which would eventually end on some heaps nearby. Only if you are lucky enough to live in certain areas or work in certain offices will you see a provision for such, here there are no bins for food waste separate or bottles separate, all goes, all join. Even if waste collectors come, they Carey everything..bottles, paper, glass, food waste, toiletries, nylons and all, pour it all together and dump it all somewhere out of sight.
But, there are times I save plastic containers, not for recycling but because one day I might need them to store my groundnuts, chinchin, grounded pepper and stuffs. I believe that's our own version of recycling, we turn empty sweet cans into a salt can in the kitchen and so on, or we turn soft drinks bottle into water bottles in the fridge.
We, Nigerians, are one of the most resourceful people on earth, we see trash and turn it into something good, but the system is very bad. There are no proper recycling equipment, no awareness on recycling, there are no drop off points for our waste, no bin is marked bottle, glass, papers and so on. The only time things seems to be a little tidied up is when a big government official is visiting.
If recycling was a part of us from the onset and theres a system for it, maybe we wouldn't have been this way, but I know theres still room.for changes, change can still happen, we can start little by little and see what we can do.
Thanks a lot for stopping by.