JEDDAH — Jeddah residents are enjoying the wonderful, breezy weather that has descended on the coastal city. The ultimate favorite repose during such beautiful months is no doubt the Corniche. Ever since the Corniche was recently re-opened after the municipality completed its remodeling, construction and complete makeover, it now has much to offer visitors. If you haven't headed out to the Corniche yet, you should plan to do so soon as you will be pleasantly surprised with the walkways, children's playgrounds, grassy areas for picnics, bathrooms, benches, coffee stalls and more. The only thing that will ruin your mood, aggravate your relaxed nerves and spoil the weather is the ugly habit of littering. “We visited the northern area of the Corniche only 4 days after it was opened to the public, following months of closure to continue the hard work that was being carried out by the government. Unfortunately we found litter on the walkways, between the boulders on the shore, in the parks, and even in the water. I was appalled that members of society had the audacity and total sense of irresponsibility and carelessness to throw soda cans, bags of chips and plastic water bottles astray; ignoring the widely available trash bins and Do Not Litter signs. The municipality expended time and money to make Jeddah's Corniche one of the best attractions in the Kingdom and thoughtless people are so quick to waste all those efforts by littering,” said resident Sedra Farez who was strolling along the Red Sea. In an attempt to put a stop to littering and protect miles of the beautiful seaside, concerned Jeddah residents along with the Saudi Environmental Society (SENS) organized the I Love Jeddah campaign on Thursday afternoon, with activities and high spirits lasting well into the night. Over 300 well-known businessmen and women, celebrities, school students, members from Friends of Jeddah organization, and members of the community with special needs also participated in the event to spread environmental awareness and encourage all to keep the Corniche clean and beautiful. Families, children and youth were invited to join in and they excitedly followed the parade, held up signs, chanted anti-littering slogans and watched a display of exotic motorcycles. The aim of the campaign was to offer Jeddah residents both entertainment and education at the same time. “In other words, if you love Jeddah, keep it clean,” said one of the enthusiastic participants. “We expect that the involvement of famous individuals in environmental campaigns will positively influence public opinion and help spread environmental awareness. Through their writing, artwork and public appearances, such individuals can promote environmentally-friendly practices. Protecting the environment has become a top priority at the international level and national level here in the Kingdom as well,” said Majda Aburas, Vice Deputy Manger of SENS. Muslims must also frequently remember the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which stress the importance of caring for the environment, centuries before the green movement appeared in the West.
