As you may or may not know, I am something of a fan of taking care of the world around me. Albania is my home and as such, I see that it is a part of my civic duty to do my bit for the environment. Whether this is not using plastic bags and straws, or harping on about environmental issues to anyone that will listen, I try to do by bit and encourage others to do the same.
In June, I and my friend Christy Loop organised a beach clean up in Durres. Ourselves and around 25 volunteers of all nationalities, took to the shore and collected a whopping half a tonne of rubbish in just two hours. Not only was the day immensely successful in terms of drawing attention to the situation and clearing the beach of litter, but we also made new friends, enjoyed a lovely meal after and had a right old laugh.
Now it is time to organise the next one. The location is Plazhi Currila a bit further up the coast from our previous spot, and we will be meeting at the same time, 9 am on Saturday the 26th of August. After around two hours of cleaning, we will seek out a nice restaurant and enjoy food and a few drinks in the sunshine before going our separate ways. Transport will be provided to and from Tirana, subject to a small donation, and we will also provide gloves and bags. All you need to bring is water, yourself, and a lot of enthusiasm.
I don’t believe that we can solve Albania’s litter crisis through monthly cleanups, and yes I am aware that there are serious failures when it comes to recycling infrastructure in the country. But what I do know is that by taking part in community clean-ups, it shows the government and other members of society that you, we, and we care about the country and that we expect more when it comes to how our waste is handled. It shows people that it is not ok to throw your plastic bottle onto the beach, that it is not ok to throw trash bags into the river, and that the government are failing to protect and conserve the environment. Through community-led action, we are raising awareness both socially and with those that make decisions, almost shaming them into taking these matters seriously. It is not just about cleaning a beach, it is about making people realise that trash doesn’t just evaporate into thin air the minute they throw it away- there are consequences and someone has to deal with them.
And for those of you that think you are too posh to pick up rubbish, I would kindly ask you not to think so highly of yourself. This is your country, this is our planet, and you have a responsibility to take care of it. Do you throw trash on the floor and then refuse to pick it up at home, leaving it to fester for decades? No, I didn’t think so, so apply the same logic to this cleanup. You are not above civic responsibility, and you are not above helping your fellow citizens to ensure that your country remains beautiful.
I hope to see as many of you as possible on August 26th at 9 am. Please contact me for details or if you want to transport to and from Tirana.
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