Being Green in Oman

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.