25. Waste (Mis)management

There is no such thing here in Ghana. The mentality of trash is the exact opposite of my own back home. Everywhere you look it is literally littered with everything from food wrappers, old clothes and shoes, water bottles and bags, paper, etc. There's no thought or care put into the conservation of the environment. Some of it comes from lack of system or infrastructure. But the mentality is so strong.  

There was an instance when a European volunteer was finished with a can of soda and was holding on to it to find a proper place for disposal. A Ghanaian was so confused as to why he was holding and and told him to just throw it on the ground right there... Or anywhere. There was such a gap between the thought processes. The Ghanaian couldn't comprehend the fact that trash had its place somewhere other than anywhere. In most villages trash is all over the place but there is usually a central dumping area. In some areas I have seen separated piles of paper, plastic, metals, and fabrics. Most of the time all the trash is burned- doesn't matter what it is. A plasticy/smoky/soury smell fills the air and can be smelled from great distances.  

Obviously I am bummed by this and wish there was something more I could do. The overhaul needed is just so great it would take massive reform to make just a dent in the problem.  

Around the arts village where I live I take time out of each week to collect some trash and bring it to the pile/pit. Unfortunately the trash pit is also the children's playground- so most of the time I will see the same articles and objects scattered throughout the site again. The kids like to find things like food wrappers, empty bottles, personal objects, and any kind of container. A rule of thumb is to bury anything you don't want them to find.