Recycling does not really exist in Oman, nor is “being
green”. And Oman is not very naturally green on its own anyways... Hahaha... Anyways, being "earth green" is a small movement that
is slow to take hold and slow for people to understand. There are attempts, but it’s just
the grassroots, similar to how things were in the states years ago. I know there is a business that does
greener building, and one company will come and collect your paper recycling if
you call them. I've also heard someone has been hired to come in as a consultant to help get recycling up and going here. THAT would be awesome if it's true, or whenever, in time, it actually happens. Inshallah (God willing) it will happen.
Understanding how trash impacts the earth is something the majority
of locals appear to have no concept about. You have to give them some leeway. Oman is a very young country when it comes to being “modern”. Packaged items have only been around
here for the last three or so decades so they really, to some degree, don’t
know what waste does to the earth when they just throw it down, or the impact
of huge amounts of trash and none of it being recycled. Just like we were in the States for
many years.
I have watched a family throw bags of their trash out of
their car windows into the parking lot upon leaving a mini-mart. Every time I leave the grocery store,
other patrons have left their already empty packages in the parking lot. Now, I know part of that is just being
lazy and knowing there are other workers that are responsible to pick that up,
but in reality, some of it won’t and will blow away or end up in nature,
especially the ocean when it is littered near the coast. If you walk by the harbor in Oman there
is floating trash.
Plastic bags are used here like they are going out of
fashion. If you go to the grocery
store, you will leave with twice the amount of plastic bags you need for your
groceries. It’s like they don’t
recognize the actual strength and holding capacity of bags. Three to four items a bag is reasonable
to them. I have had a person
attempt to bag my one carton of milk and one carton of juice in separate bags
(and those bags could easily hold them both. And if you tell them you don’t want something bagged, they
look at you absolutely confused.
“But you won’t be able to carry it, madam” I have been told. “No, it’s okay. I can carry my gallon of milk by the
handle”.
When we moved here, I cringed every time I threw away
anything glass, plastic, metal, or paper.
It KILLED me. But
literally, there is nothing to do with them except throw them away (I guess if
I was really savvy, I could crush and tumble my glass with rocks to smooth it
and use it in a mosaic). And it’s
amazing how the new “habit” sticks with you. My mom had to remind me sometimes this summer what could be
recycled. Anyways, throwing things
still bothers me this year, like on the nights we make chili and I throw away
four cans from using beans and tomato sauce, but I have accepted that when it
comes to recycling options, I have no options except re-using.
So, that is where the rest of this blog comes in. How do you be green in Oman? Here are the ways we attempt to save
Mother Earth from our little corner of Oman:
1.
Re-use plastic produce bags at the stores or in bathroom
garbage cans at home: When getting
them, I always loosely knot the bags so the clerks don’t make the bag
un-reusable with their sealing tape (they do this while weighing/labeling your
bag in the produce section).
Now, when I bring back bags to the stores that are already labeled from
the last time, I get some confused looks.
It’s entertaining. I just
explain “using again” and “put the sticker over the old one”.
2.
Reusable cloth produce bags: I found some in the States this summer
and brought them back. You should use them too! These are the ones I got: http://www.amazon.com/flip-tumble-5-Pack-Reusable-Produce/dp/B002UXQ7QQ
3.
Reusable grocery bags: You can actually buy these in the big grocery stores (proof that there is a small green
movement). They look like the ones
you would get at your local Trader Joes.
4.
Using plastic grocery bags as our kitchen trash
can bags: On those trips where I
forget my reusable bags, I make sure to keep the plastic bags to be used for
garbage. I haven’t bought garbage
can bags in a year.
5.
Bagging our own groceries: This ensures that you come home with
only 5 plastic bags instead of 12 (literally, that is how bag they bag). And it ensures that your food doesn’t
get damaged and wasted because they didn’t keep the cold items together or your
produce was put under juice. It’s
hard to do because there are courtesy clerks at each checkout and it is
engrained in them that patrons should not have to bag. You have to tell them “no, I want to
do” with a smile over and over as they continue to try to help. They finally get the idea, but are very
confused. Besides us foreigners,
locals always expect to be helped or serviced, so the workers have no idea why
I would want to do it myself.
6.
Buy
minimal packaged items to reduce waste.
It’s hard, but we try. I
need to start buying dried beans and soaking them.
7.
Re-use deli plastic containers for
leftovers. I do have a Tupperware
set but we use these as well so they don’t go in the garbage often.
8.
Save Styrofoam trays from meat or packaged deli
items for Aberly’s paint projects.
9.
Minimize electricity and water use.
10. Save
printed paper with one clear side to re-use for other printing, or at home for
Aberly’s coloring.
Things we would like to try for the future as we can:
1.
Make our own laundry soap, dish soap, and cleaners: My friend has this great book on how to
do so but I need to get most of the ingredients in the States, so we’ll get
things this summer in prep for next year.
2.
Compost:
Order one of those plactic-bin styles online and have it delivered. Use compost on my potted plants.
3.
Buy more reusable produce bags!
So be thankful for the recycling and earth conscious place you live. And when you think the US is not that earth conscious or there is still so far to go (which is true still for some things), think "I could be Oman where they still are in the Dark Ages" and be grateful.
