Positive Change

[RubberChicken]

 

An American living in Davao has attracted a growing following after rolling up his sleeves to clean up his neighbourhood streets. Frustrated with the inaction of local officials...

What could possibly go wrong?

Edited April 14, 2019 by Jollygoodfellow
Removed link to site which is not permitted

[Jake]

20 hours ago, RubberChicken said:

 

What could possibly go wrong?

Shaming his nearby neighbors and business owners, as well as the local govt is like walking the tight rope.    However, I do hope he finally sets an example to basically to clean up after yourselves.

But unfortunately, the culture of littering, pollution and noise pollution has been a way of life.  You can't be a one man crusade but I'm glad he was able to persuade the locals to pitch it.....this time. 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Better make it look like their idea, or that you cannot do it without their support.  Don't make them look bad... Does this guy not know how to fly under the radar?     

[RubberChicken]

Hey guys. The reason I posted the above was because he started out so strong then he proceeded to take it into a nosedive. He could have met his core goal and softened things up  at the same time- avoiding significant potential for resentment. 

Just my opinions of course. Seems like a few hours on a forum like this might have been to his advantage. All I know is I was never too proud to take good advice, 

[sonjack2847]

 The first thing I would say is that we are always told how clean Davao is but this story goes against that.

If I wanted to do something like I would clean outside my place only. Having said that I do admire the man for taking the initiative but he should know that he is stepping on people`s toes and I think it could well backfire. I wish him luck and hope the locals carry on when they see how easy it is.

[intrepid]

I could be wrong and most likely I am.  I know this because my wife tells me this all the time.  However, as nice as the cleanup can make things look nice, for a short while, there is a bigger issue.  That is to get the citizens to stop polluting, littering,  and otherwise not cause the cleanup to be need in the first place.  I have seen private work crews as well as government roadside cleanup personal.  Their work is good and when finished the area looks nice where they cleaned,  for maybe five minutes.  I see locals riding in their cars, jeepneys, or just walking right behind the cleanup area with trash being thrown out the vehicle windows, or the pedestrians drop their garbage as they walk and eat.  To them it does not matter if glass or plastic bottle, plastic or paper wrap.  Somehow this beautiful country needs to educate the citizens of the dangers of all this pollution.  It starts on the land and then most all of it will eventually work its way to the waterways and then the sea.  As I have said before, this type of pollution is a far greater risk to humans than the global warming/ climate change hysteria.  Okay, off my soap box.  Sorry if I have offended anyone but these are my thoughts and I truly think it is just a matter of time before it all catches up with everyone.

[Jollygoodfellow]

5 hours ago, intrepid said:

Their work is good and when finished the area looks nice where they cleaned,

I've watched a lot of videos lately of the Manila bay clean up and it extends far from that and many volunteers and groups helping so my thought is slowly but surely the message is getting out there and its spreading but l guess will take a long time.

Hard to change habits and more so many people and places have no where to dispose of garbage so they do as they always did. 

[sonjack2847]

They have regular cleanups around here but it does not take long to get spoiled again.

[JDDavao II]

Davao IS clean. In parts. Along the National Highways through populated areas you can see street sweepers out with the dustbins and brooms.

However, the Powers That Be just widened the road that goes past our house which included installing all-new storm water handling pipes and drains. What they did not do is clean up the road when they were finished or plan regular gutter cleanups. The result is three feet of dust, dirt and gravel from the middle of the curb lane to the curb itself and brand-new drains that are clogged with litter and dirt.

The dirt road (driveway) that serves the several homes back here is covered with litter from the schoolkids who use it as a shortcut. The end that empties onto the main street that was widened is thick with wrappers and litter - made worse by the proximity of a newish  sarisari that's there.

I've said to my wife that I'm going to clean the driveway up because it reflects poorly on our home but she stops me. She warns me that if I do, people will see it as my job and may begin to bring trash to the driveway for me to collect and throw.

::sigh::

 

[Jack Peterson]

14 minutes ago, JDDavao said:

She warns me that if I do, people will see it as my job and may begin to bring trash to the driveway for me to collect and throw.

 Unfortunately this is True, Both Kevin (sonjack) have experienced this , the more you do the more they will let you