Volunteers have attempted to keep Jeddah’s corniche litter-free for years
On 23rd September, 2011, Saudi Arabia went “green” in its streets and environmental policies to celebrate 81 years as a Kingdom. An inspiring part of the eco-festivities were carried out by young students who swept the Jeddah beaches clean.
Almost a thousand student scouts took to the hot Red Sea shores in an environmental clean up that made their National Day something to be proud of. The scouts are carrying a keep-clean message across the nation, aiming to educate peers and adults alike about the importance of keeping the country an exemplar of green activism.
Their beach cleaning campaign slogan was, “Let’s Keep our Environment Beautiful and Clean”. Students talked about preserving the environment through minimising human interference and keeping surrounding areas clean.
A total of 46 scout groups with each group comprising of 16 scouts and leaders attempted to clean several historic locations along the coast line, picking up rubbish of passers-by nearer the town. Back in 2010, over 25,000 people volunteered to clean Dubai’s beaches and streets. This year, through the Middle Eastern revolutions, Egyptians also took to cleaning their streets as an act of personal freedom.
Scout Leader Ayed Bin Saad Al-Mesfer told local news, “We want to raise the public awareness about the importance of our environment and encourage people to do volunteer work to protect it.”
It’s great to hear a strong sense of ecological patriotism from young activists. Some participants in the campaign said that they had volunteered to pick up litter out of love for the Kingdom. When asked why the student scouts wanted to keep their beaches clean, they said they wanted “to set an example for the general public and reflect a positive image of the citizens of this country”.
Wanting to keep one’s country healthy and free from trash is a core environmental principle. Streets that are smothered in junk tend to create a bad atmosphere and break down social cohesion.
Image:: Arab News
More environmental clean ups:
Segway “Police” Achieve Fame For UAE Corniche Cleanup
Oil Spills Near Coral Reef in Israel Cleaned Up, This Time
UAE Scholars And Imams Speak Up For The Environment
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