Thursday 2 October 2014

Cleanliness and my heart

I'm so totally happy about the message of cleanliness that the Indian PM shared this morning. I can't tell if there has been a precedent where a PM won my heart.

Cleanliness is one of the many issues that I feel very passionately about. For several years now, I've been trying to drive home the need to refrain from littering. I've advocated it among my friends, colleagues, neighbours and practically just about everyone I can try and influence. I take pride that when I go out, I don't throw my trash around the city. I tell people to keep an empty bag in their purse or car and to keep all their trash in it, in case they can't find a dustbin. Whenever I can, I teach my house helps, security guards, cab drivers et al the importance of discarding refuse in the correct fashion and accentuate the need to reuse and recycle when possible. When education hasn't worked, I've used religion to drive the point ("God dwells in cleanliness"). I've scolded random people I meet at tourist locations when they litter. I've antagonized folks I know by pointing out when they've littered. But in the end, I've made peace with it and found it worth the effort. I'm grateful to my parents for having taught me the importance of keeping my surroundings clean. I'm thankful that all my schools and teachers reinforced it to such a degree that it’s now simply second nature to me. I will continue to spread the message among those who haven't yet seen the value in keeping clean.

I’ve done this wherever I’ve been and will carry on for as long as I live though governments may come and go. I hope that some of my friends will also start to be the beacon for such change in their own spheres, communities and cities. We’ll be able to bring about change collectively. I truly hope that more and more people start to think and act towards making our cities, countries and the world we live in cleaner and greener.