Think(ing) Green Thursday # 26

Now it is Monsoon season in Malaysia. It rains almost every day. The East Coast has already started to experience floods. Once again, natural disasters reminds us that we should take care of the environment, otherwise we are the ones who have to suffer the consequences. Certain areas in the city are prone to floods due to

a) drains filled with garbage
b) insufficient outlets from retention ponds
c) overflowing streams that are unable to accomodate a large volume of water.

When hawkers and ordinary people throw rubbish and waste directly into the drains. Quite often, construction waste also clog up the drainage system. During a 'gotong-royong' or mass cleaning exercise around our neighbourhood, the residents were amazed by the amount and type of rubbish dug out from the drains. Some examples include CDs, plastic bags, plastic bottles, empty drink cans, polystyrene foam food containers, old shoes and slippers. It is time people change their attitude and mindset and do not treat drains as a public dumpsite. If toxic chemicals like leftover paints, thinner and varnishes are poured into the drains, imagine what will happen to the poor inhabitants of the drain ecosystem such as guppies and small fishes. Domestic pets who drink from the water there will be poisoned as well.


This is my entry for Think Green Thursday # 26. My grateful thanks to Rambling Woods for making this possible. To view what others around the world have to say or to participate, visit here.