New analysis: We are what we throw away<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Last month, a certain TIS came up with the
\nquestion: \"Are you what you are?\" (Sunday, May 4). TIS gave
\nseveral possibilities on how to reveal your identity: your car,
\nyour food and the programs you watch on TV.<\/p>\n
I found the answer for TIS in a New York Times book review by
\nWytold Rybczinski. The writer wrote: \"We are what we throw away.\"
\nHe was reviewing a book titled: Rubbish! The Archeology of
\nGarbage by William Rathje and Cullen Murphy (Harper Collins, New
\nYork, 1992).<\/p>\n
Garbage doesn't lie, according to the authors. The evidence of
\njunk food wrappers, liquor bottles and girlie magazines often
\ngoes against what we tell ourselves -- and what we tell others --
\nabout what we do and... what we eat. It seems that people like to
\nboast about their \"lean cuisine\" diet and like people to know
\nthat they are only living on fruit and vegetables, but keep quiet
\non the fast food they consume.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, archeologists have been able to analyze layers
\nof \"rubbish\" and have been able to reconstruct history by the
\nshards of ceramics and other valuable items. For present day
\nIndonesia, we probably have to add a few more dimensions. One is
\n\"How do we throw rubbish away?\" and the other is \"Where do we
\nthrow rubbish away?\"<\/p>\n
We don't have portable rubbish bins here, at least not in
\nJakarta. Our rubbish bins consist of a concrete structure in our
\nfront yard with a lid which house owners can throw their rubbish
\nthrough. The garbage collectors have access to it by opening a
\nmetal or wooden door from the street. This door is often missing
\nfor unknown reasons. In such cases, the rubbish pours out onto
\nthe street and whatever is left by the pemulung -- the people who
\ncollect everything from cigarette stubs to plastic bags to be
\nrecycled -- can be seen.<\/p>\n
The sight makes me wonder why people who throw away plastic
\nshopping bags as well as other rubbish, don't always put the
\nrubbish in the plastic bags first. Some people say the pemulung
\nhave inspected the bags first and they are to blame for not
\nputting the garbage back.<\/p>\n
Sometimes the cats are to blame for tearing the bags apart to
\ninspect the contents inside. The only solution here is to tell
\nthe owners not to bring the garbage out until the collectors
\ncome.<\/p>\n
When it comes to a place to throw the garbage, we face other
\nproblems. We know there are no strict garbage laws in Indonesia,
\nsuch as in Singapore where littering results in a hefty fine. In
\nour country, the rivers have become a very convenient place to
\ndeposit garbage. Behind my house is a small river and I can
\nsometimes see the strangest objects on its banks or floating by
\nand when the water level is low everything become visible. Shoes
\nand sandals are quite acceptable, but what about pots and pans or
\na rattan chair? Car tires, clothing, schoolbags, are they things
\nthat are normally thrown in the river?<\/p>\n
The sea may be another place to survey. The ferries that carry
\nthousands of passengers daily do not have many accessible rubbish
\nbins on board. This means rubbish is thrown all over the place or
\nis left on the seats. On one of my trips to Lampung I noticed
\nthat one woman collected all her rubbish in a plastic bag. She
\nseemed to be a village woman, returning home from a visit to
\nJakarta, so I was quite impressed. I smiled to her, while
\nnodding approvingly. But my approval came too soon. Just as we
\nwere about to arrive she took the bag with her and lo and
\nbehold... she threw it all in the sea!<\/p>\n
Before we criticize this woman for not knowing better, maybe
\nit is a good idea to reflect on our attitude toward the highly
\neducated scientists who dump nuclear waste in the ocean or
\nelsewhere.<\/p>\n
-- Myra Sidharta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-analysis-we-are-what-we-throw-away-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }