ODOUR
So today I was coming back from work when I was thinking about what to write. I decided to take a stroll from the junction to my house when I perceived a horrible smell. Being used to it I just held my breath passing there and then scrolling through my phone I realized the topic of hivelearners prompt was about pollution. I discovered at that point that I would instinctively hold my breath while passing through any area with a bad smell. It has become more like a muscle memory for me as my brain seems to know where all the smells will be located. Although there are some that still take me unaware, because the smell around those areas do not happen very often, but there are those that happen so often that I'm forced to instinctively hold my breath.
The thing about most of the states in Nigeria is that the public do not maintain their environment. You would hardly pass a street without seeing waste. And what's worse is that in the state where I reside, the level of waste is so high that it has blocked the drainage system of the city. People are very fond of throwing their waste in the gutters and when the gutters get blocked by these wastes, it blocks the flow of rainwater. Rainfall is very common in the state I live in because it's a riverine state and thus the clouds can easily gather a lot of water. This water is what causes the bad smell that is rampant in the state. For the fact that the drainages are blocked, water is accumulated in the gutters and these waters become stagnant plus the continuous dump of waste in the gutters result in very horrible smells in some places.
This is the reason I don't buy food from some of the roadside sellers. I usually prefer a restaurant of some sort. It saddens me when I see people selling food near the gutters and even though they are covered, the smell erupting from it is so bad that I feel the food around there is already unhealthy talkless eating around there. Although there are usually sanitation days which are often every Thursday (In my area) I don't see it making any difference as the people will clean the gutters only to add more dirts afterwards. This is how polluted the air around the state is. There is a nearby state that is known for having a very huge refuse dump, and anytime I pass while traveling, it's always an eye-saw.
The pollutants in these environments are the very people living in the environment. You see a food seller throwing all her trash in the gutters, but never trying to clean it up. It's easy to buy things and throw the trash on the flow. This is something that is hard for me to do, and truth be told, even though it's hard, it's something I have done a few times because when I look at it, it's not as if I'm breaking the law or anything. My sister usually complains that I come home with trash in my pocket, and this is because I prefer trashing things properly rather than littering them on the street. I know my not adding to the trash on the street might look insignificant, but I believe change begins with me.
THIS IS MY RESPONSE TO HIVE LEARNER'S PROMPT FOR WEEK 157 EPISODE 2
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This is so me, I get easily irritated by such things, I believe anything food should be done in a very clean environment
Pollution, here in Nigeria it is alarming. Theres lack of proper waste management and disposal which led blockage of drainages, there's the noise, there's the different irritable smells and all, its just so heartbreaking. You see people selling food just by the gutter sides, you see how we expose our lives to health risks. I believe change begins with each persons actions.
I must commend you for all this you do.
Thanks for sharing.
🤝
It’s common here. When it rains like this you see alot of people dump their wastes inside gutter. So the water will flush it away. To where?
There's a lot we need to do as a people and taking care of our environment is up there in the list.
Having to hold your breath is not easy but imagine those that now stay and operate in those places throughout, they get used to it and it affects the health too.