Paper or plastic!?

I remember when I was a little kid, my late grandmother used to go shopping for groceries. And I used to accompany her sometimes when I'm not too busy playing with the kids!

Yes, one of the virtues of having your grandmother live with you, is that you learn things. And she shoulders some of the responsibility off her daughter in law. Allowing my mother to maintain a job AND pursue her higher education while maintaining a house hold with 4 kids.

Anyway, aside from that interjectory statement. My Teta used to be very conscious regarding money issues. "Every penny counts". When that comes from a Palestinian refugee who recalls her parents hauling money in baskets during the Olive oil season. You'll realize that the transformation has been dramatic.

So my Teta, used to firmly hold my hand while she picks the squash, and squeezes the tomatoes are fresh and firm. Once she's done she would grab her little net-bag. And puts things inside it, to save paying 1 piaster for the price of the black plastic bag.

Yes, she was more on the thrifty side, she probably couldn't care less about the environment. But unintentionally that was exactly what she was doing. Not only has she saved the environment. But she has also conserved the resources of the whole nation!

My Grandmother was only one of the huge population who were conscious of the surroundings. Conservation has been a major item on their list of priorities. It has always been. I dare say, I was more proud of Arabs as a nation back then than I am of the new consumer economies spreading through the middle east!

Before anyone opens the subject of, "So, are you Qwaider, doing that when you go shopping?". The simple answer is, No, I'm ashamed to say I'm just like the rest of the consumers out there who end up wasting more resources than they need. And end up polluting and force this world to suffocate and die slowly!

Can you imagine how many tons of plastic would we save if we refrain altogether from using those non-biodegradable damn plastic bags? Can you imagine how many trees we would save if we stopped chopping off trees to make one time use paper bags? Can you imagine how many gallons of water we would save, and keep fresh and less polluted with the residue of the paper recycling process!

Our duty, is to preserve this world to our children. To preserve the world for the future generations. Many might not care. But I for one, do

The waste needs to stop, NOW!