About 2 months ago I attended an AIESEC event called "iGreen." This was a sweet event hosted by AIESEC Amman. At the event I had an opportunity to learn about environmental realities here in Jordan and share my passions in living sustainably. We also did a bit of 'action steps' brainstorming on how to make Jordan and Jordanians more green, although I wish there was a more concrete and measurable outcome from this event.It was so interesting to be in a room with people from all over the globe and hear their accounts of environmental practices in their country; Canada, China, Hungary, and Portugal. There was a nice mix of of people attending the event. Many "lettuce heads" (a.k.a. people who know a lot about being 'green') and "potatoes" (a.k.a. people less informed about the 'green' movement, but eager to learn). Haha I just came up with those analogies hope they work!
Anyways, I repped the U.S.A. with a fellow member of @US, Sophie. As I have an upbringing/lifestyle choice in the areas of organics, local food, and vegetarianism - partially thanks to my father....this is the route or presentation went.
AIESEC Jordan is doing a lot here to bring environmentalism to the forefront. Mainly, by bringing in international talent (interns) to work for multiple corporate sustainability companies, whose impacts reach far across the Arab World.
It's been really hard for me to ignore my innate habits of recycling. But here it just isn't an option for most of us. The only way (that I know of) in which one can recycle is through a 'green' company that recycles. A luxury I, and 99.9% of the people in this country don't have.
Also, living in Irbid, I don't have access to Carrefour and an organics isle. But I do have the opportunity to to shop locally. I can buy fruits and veggies from a stands on the side of the road next to the farm they were grown in. I use local olive oil (the olives were picked by my student from the olive trees on his property and then pressed by him into olive oil). I can buy eggs at the suk that are still reminiscent of dirt and the occasional feather.
Another plus about living in a small country, is that when I read on a label "Made in Jordan" I can be confident that this product only traveled TOPS 300 miles from farm to table.
Although it has been challenging to keep the shop-a-holic at bay, I have become more minimalistic. More out of necessity rather than personal preference, but for the better.
And I always try to reuse all I can.
1. Water bottles. Which sadly litter every street corner and beautiful landscape here. A result of living in a country that lacks natural aquifers and fresh rivers and lakes, forcing it to dependent on foreign H20 and thus millions of plastic water bottles to transport that water here.
2. Tea bags. Duh, you can use them more than once people! And one bag is good for a whole pot of tea, not one 4 oz. glass.
3. Egg cartons. When I first got to Jordan I was struggling to figure out how to store and organize all my jewelery without the GIANT jewelry box I have at home. Well wallah!First step - convince all my students to use a trash can instead of the street. Today Fadi asked me "Miss should I throw this out the window or in the garbage?" "The trash can!" I replied with a duh look on my face.
At least they know trash receptacles exist now.
“The true servants of the most gracious are those who tread gently on the earth.” The Qu’ran. Sura 25, verse 63. Well even the Qu'ran is saying it, so yellah let's listen up!
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