Killing the conscience

Here's a funny incident.
When I was in school in Dubai, our bus driver (ok the SCHOOL's bus driver, not ours, we didnt own a bus!), used to drive so rashly that we used to get thrown about like rag dolls in the bus and most often than not end up getting hurt. So, our most favorite way of taking revenge on the driver was, to throw something out of the window. Some juice container, chips wrapper, notebook paper, anything.

This was the best form of revenge that we could come up with because, in Dubai, littering is a fineable offense. So every time we used to litter, the cameras used to catch the number of the bus and the fine would be deducted from the driver's salary.

Either ways, my point is, why do we need the fear of a fine to not litter? How hard is it to just NOT throw your chocolate wrapper on the road once you've finished eating it? You got it from somewhere right? Give it back there! If not, it is not so hard to just stuff it in your pocket and throw it away once you are home? It is way lighter than when you bought it anyway.

When  you are about to litter, your conscience pricks you a little. You hesitate for a second, but you throw away the wrapper anyway. Why? Because everybody does it? Its not ok, even if your parents say so. Its not ok, even if your spouse or your friends say so. Its not ok, period. How hard is it to find a dustbin and dispose off the waste? Its not the physical world that is making it hard, its just your mind.

You start off when you think nobody is looking. Just threw away an eclairs wrapper. It's so tiny, nobody's going to see it, the sweepers will sweep it away in the morning anyway. I'm sure most people dont even think so far. Then it progresses to throwing juice cartons, chips wrappers, beer bottles on forts, places of natural beauty etc. It really shouldn't be this way. Even animals know how to cover up when they've littered.

It is my sincere request to all of you to please please please not litter. If I catch you doing it, I'll most probably whack you, but seriously, don't do it. Its not so hard and the pleasure you get when you take the efforts to just find a dustbin and dispose off the waste is incomparable. Apart from this, it would be funny to discuss some of the ways in which people disregard the no-littering conscience prick.

Here's my funny incident:
A guy was having tea with teabags in our office while talking on the phone in the gallery. Dustbins have been provided inside the pantry as well as in the gallery. Our hero chose to throw away the teabags in the poor potted plant which was unfortunate enough to be placed near him. Do plants drink tea? I really wonder...