Comments on: The Trashing of Egypt’s Treasures http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/2009/11/16/the-trashing-of-egypts-treasures/ Discovering Sustainability Worldwide Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:32:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Keith http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/2009/11/16/the-trashing-of-egypts-treasures/comment-page-1/#comment-215 Keith Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:13:41 +0000 http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/?p=570#comment-215 Liz thanks for the additional examples of ignorance in Egypt. While they do not have monoply on it there is plenty to go around. In fact when we were crossing the boarder from Israel to Jordan we bumped into another couple that was now going to Jordan because the Egyptian border authorities, who had told them on the phone a Friday afternoon crossing would be no problem, told them when they arrived on the 4 hour bus from Jerusalem that they could not cross until Sunday, how conveniant. Also I like the give a hoot camel. Camels are surly and mean, just the attitude needed for this job. Liz thanks for the additional examples of ignorance in Egypt. While they do not have monoply on it there is plenty to go around. In fact when we were crossing the boarder from Israel to Jordan we bumped into another couple that was now going to Jordan because the Egyptian border authorities, who had told them on the phone a Friday afternoon crossing would be no problem, told them when they arrived on the 4 hour bus from Jerusalem that they could not cross until Sunday, how conveniant.
Also I like the give a hoot camel. Camels are surly and mean, just the attitude needed for this job.

]]> By: Liz http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/2009/11/16/the-trashing-of-egypts-treasures/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Liz Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:52:06 +0000 http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/?p=570#comment-212 I have two things here: One story that has been kind of buzzing around the infectious disease community is that when Egypt killed all of its pigs in a frenzy of swine flu fear, they set off another entire infectious disease conundrum because pigs roam the streets in whichever town this was and eat all kinds of waste normally left on the streets (with no formalized sanitation services). So, without the pigs, people were being exposed to all kinds of new poor sanitation related plagues. Obviously poverty and total idiocy combined never end up well. Anyway... the other thing... I'm with you guys-- trashing the environment is both a huge contributor to and result of poverty. In Haiti, this drives me nuts. Two huge contributors there to the complete lack of food, farming, and tourism industry in Haiti are deforestation (not to mention a hotbed of disaster-- hurricane + hills + mud), which is a massive problem inland, and trash that literally clogs the oceans. It's amazing to think of what Haiti looked like before the US started using the island as a trash dump (literally sending barges over to dump american trash on their coast). Their beaches are literally two feet deep in garbage, which extends probably half a mile out to sea. Slums and even nice parts of the city have no sanitation services and so are also covered in garbage. Goes without saying, living on a giant pile of trash isn't the healthiest situation, nor is not eating, or having everything you touch be contaminated with waste. Advances in public sanitation are probably the greatest health interventions of all time, and I'd say 90% of the health interventions we make in Haiti have a basis in the ruined environment. Trust me, I'm a spoiled american too-- and very far from a tree hugger at home. As a philadelphian, I am also too lazy to find a trashcan while eating drumsticks while walking down the street. But I'm a pretty strong proponent of developing countries getting a handle on this situation, because it has a massive trickle down effect. Maybe you guys should relaunch the "who gives a hoot" campaign but replace the owl with a camel or a goat some such to make it culturally appropriate. I have two things here: One story that has been kind of buzzing around the infectious disease community is that when Egypt killed all of its pigs in a frenzy of swine flu fear, they set off another entire infectious disease conundrum because pigs roam the streets in whichever town this was and eat all kinds of waste normally left on the streets (with no formalized sanitation services). So, without the pigs, people were being exposed to all kinds of new poor sanitation related plagues. Obviously poverty and total idiocy combined never end up well. Anyway… the other thing…
I’m with you guys– trashing the environment is both a huge contributor to and result of poverty.
In Haiti, this drives me nuts. Two huge contributors there to the complete lack of food, farming, and tourism industry in Haiti are deforestation (not to mention a hotbed of disaster– hurricane + hills + mud), which is a massive problem inland, and trash that literally clogs the oceans. It’s amazing to think of what Haiti looked like before the US started using the island as a trash dump (literally sending barges over to dump american trash on their coast). Their beaches are literally two feet deep in garbage, which extends probably half a mile out to sea. Slums and even nice parts of the city have no sanitation services and so are also covered in garbage. Goes without saying, living on a giant pile of trash isn’t the healthiest situation, nor is not eating, or having everything you touch be contaminated with waste. Advances in public sanitation are probably the greatest health interventions of all time, and I’d say 90% of the health interventions we make in Haiti have a basis in the ruined environment.
Trust me, I’m a spoiled american too– and very far from a tree hugger at home. As a philadelphian, I am also too lazy to find a trashcan while eating drumsticks while walking down the street. But I’m a pretty strong proponent of developing countries getting a handle on this situation, because it has a massive trickle down effect. Maybe you guys should relaunch the “who gives a hoot” campaign but replace the owl with a camel or a goat some such to make it culturally appropriate.

]]> By: Jon http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/2009/11/16/the-trashing-of-egypts-treasures/comment-page-1/#comment-206 Jon Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:36:24 +0000 http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com/?p=570#comment-206 My first though is that poverty must checkmate sustainability and environmentalism. But on further reflection I've been to some pretty poor areas of the world over the years both here and abroad and I've always been amazed by how neat and clean the locals were. So maybe something else of a cultural nature is going on. On a more positive note, once you get past the trash the treasures of Egypt seem pretty amazing. Godspeed and safe travels on the next leg of your trip. xoj My first though is that poverty must checkmate sustainability and environmentalism. But on further reflection I’ve been to some pretty poor areas of the world over the years both here and abroad and I’ve always been amazed by how neat and clean the locals were. So maybe something else of a cultural nature is going on.

On a more positive note, once you get past the trash the treasures of Egypt seem pretty amazing.

Godspeed and safe travels on the next leg of your trip.

xoj

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