DR. ALI AL-GHAMDYIn a previous article, I dealt with the role of the family as well as individuals in the protection of the environment. The article stressed the need for the decreased use of disposable materials, mainly plastic products such as tablecloths, trays, spoons, knives and forks. We have to return to the practice of using only traditional kitchenware for there are economic, health and environmental advantages in doing so. In this article, I will deal with the role of municipalities and civil society organizations in protecting the environment. Municipalities have the responsibility of enacting rules and regulations with the objective of taking action against those who do harm to the environment and are negligent in protecting it. First of all, the municipality should frame specific conditions and standards for companies which are awarded contracts for street cleaning, the collection and disposal of garbage, and planting, irrigating and maintaining public gardens. Most important among these conditions is providing an adequate salary and good working environment for the cleaning workers so that the municipality can monitor them and deal with those who fail to discharge their duties properly. It is futile to expect workers who draw a low salary and have poor living conditions to be sincere and devoted to their work, and it would not be possible to prevent them from seeking other sources of income as compensation since they have been deprived of their legitimate rights. The municipality should not allow African women to rummage through heaps of garbage in search of empty soft drink cans, scrap metal, cartons and the remnants of meals. It should also take punitive measures against those people who do not put their household garbage in tightly sealed bags and leave them in the designated rubbish bins. They should also break large items to be discarded into pieces so that they can be put in garbage bags. (I remember the experience of one of my colleagues while I was in Japan. One day, he abandoned a wooden chair near the rubbish bin. The next day, he found the chair near the front door of his house together with a message asking him to break it into pieces and then put them into a bag before leaving it in the bin). Why do municipalities not come forward to form groups of local residents which could be called “Friends of the Municipality" or “Friends of the Environment" in each and every district? These groups could carry out voluntary work, and their mission would be to closely monitor street cleaners and extend them help in fulfilling their task after taking inspiration from the following saying of the Prophet (pbuh): “Iman has more than 70 branches... and the smallest branch is to remove an obstacle from the wayside." These volunteers could strive to spread awareness among local residents in each district about the protection of the environment and they could extend support to cleaning workers, in addition to honoring and encouraging them to do their work promptly. They should also inform the municipality about those workers who violate the rules and regulations with regard to cleaning so that action can be taken against them. The municipalities can select residents who are well known for their piety and awareness of the environment from local mosques. These volunteers could hold regular meetings after the prayer in the morning (Fajr) or in the evening (Asr). This would also help activate the role of mosques that has hitherto been restricted to performing congregational prayers. During the time of the Prophet (pbuh), the mosque was virtually the Shoura Council and the main venue for decision making. As for charity societies, they should undertake the mission of spreading awareness and encouraging voluntary work in the planting of trees and taking care of them in line with the directive of the Prophet (pbuh) who said: “If the final hour comes and one of you has a small date-palm plant in his hand, and if you can plant it before you stand, then plant it." So we must extend support to cleaning workers to impress upon them that what they are doing is greatly appreciated by the members of the community. Finally, I propose that Jeddah mayoralty award prizes, even if they are simple ones, for the protection of the environment. These should be given to those families who have produced the smallest quantity of garbage, which they have put in tightly covered bags and then deposited in the designed bins in their area. — Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdy is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at [email protected]
