New analysis: We are what we throw away
New analysis: We are what we throw away
JAKARTA (JP): Last month, a certain TIS came up with the
question: "Are you what you are?" (Sunday, May 4). TIS gave
several possibilities on how to reveal your identity: your car,
your food and the programs you watch on TV.
I found the answer for TIS in a New York Times book review by
Wytold Rybczinski. The writer wrote: "We are what we throw away."
He was reviewing a book titled: Rubbish! The Archeology of
Garbage by William Rathje and Cullen Murphy (Harper Collins, New
York, 1992).
Garbage doesn't lie, according to the authors. The evidence of
junk food wrappers, liquor bottles and girlie magazines often
goes against what we tell ourselves -- and what we tell others --
about what we do and... what we eat. It seems that people like to
boast about their "lean cuisine" diet and like people to know
that they are only living on fruit and vegetables, but keep quiet
on the fast food they consume.
In Indonesia, archeologists have been able to analyze layers
of "rubbish" and have been able to reconstruct history by the
shards of ceramics and other valuable items. For present day
Indonesia, we probably have to add a few more dimensions. One is
"How do we throw rubbish away?" and the other is "Where do we
throw rubbish away?"
We don't have portable rubbish bins here, at least not in
Jakarta. Our rubbish bins consist of a concrete structure in our
front yard with a lid which house owners can throw their rubbish
through. The garbage collectors have access to it by opening a
metal or wooden door from the street. This door is often missing
for unknown reasons. In such cases, the rubbish pours out onto
the street and whatever is left by the pemulung -- the people who
collect everything from cigarette stubs to plastic bags to be
recycled -- can be seen.
The sight makes me wonder why people who throw away plastic
shopping bags as well as other rubbish, don't always put the
rubbish in the plastic bags first. Some people say the pemulung
have inspected the bags first and they are to blame for not
putting the garbage back.
Sometimes the cats are to blame for tearing the bags apart to
inspect the contents inside. The only solution here is to tell
the owners not to bring the garbage out until the collectors
come.
When it comes to a place to throw the garbage, we face other
problems. We know there are no strict garbage laws in Indonesia,
such as in Singapore where littering results in a hefty fine. In
our country, the rivers have become a very convenient place to
deposit garbage. Behind my house is a small river and I can
sometimes see the strangest objects on its banks or floating by
and when the water level is low everything become visible. Shoes
and sandals are quite acceptable, but what about pots and pans or
a rattan chair? Car tires, clothing, schoolbags, are they things
that are normally thrown in the river?
The sea may be another place to survey. The ferries that carry
thousands of passengers daily do not have many accessible rubbish
bins on board. This means rubbish is thrown all over the place or
is left on the seats. On one of my trips to Lampung I noticed
that one woman collected all her rubbish in a plastic bag. She
seemed to be a village woman, returning home from a visit to
Jakarta, so I was quite impressed. I smiled to her, while
nodding approvingly. But my approval came too soon. Just as we
were about to arrive she took the bag with her and lo and
behold... she threw it all in the sea!
Before we criticize this woman for not knowing better, maybe
it is a good idea to reflect on our attitude toward the highly
educated scientists who dump nuclear waste in the ocean or
elsewhere.
-- Myra Sidharta