Trash or Treasure

The women from my parish went Saturday to the Mass at the cathedral and it was beautiful, and of course, very long. On the way home I was in the matatu (taxi) with 9 other women from my parish, and yes, we were all dressed alike! 

Anyhow, the lady in the front seat with me had finished her soda and mine was finished too,  I placed both of the plastic soda bottles on the floor.  The women in the back began chucking their empty plastic bottles out the window.  I began to tell them "stop that, what are you doing?". The woman next to me said "oh you Americans are always worried about keeping the environment beautiful!" 

All the women and our driver had a huge laugh....me being a bit offended said yes and so should you!  She then explained that chucking plastic bottles out the window actually helps the very poor as the folks that can't afford to buy plastic bottles come by the side of the roads to pick them up and use them to buy kerosene and to use them for water.... 

Then they were all egging me on to toss the 2 bottles out the window.  I could not find it in myself to do so.  I just couldn't do it,  it seemed soooooo wrong.   They had a big laugh about that and the woman next to me and the driver then chucked out the two bottles.  They were all whooping and screaming with laughter.   Honestly, I may be living here but I am such an American at heart - some things in me are too ingrained to change.

Perhaps after 3 years I'll be heaving bags of trash out the car windows, but I am not quite ready yet.