Plastic bags in the desert

This exemplifies an unfortunate, yet increasing sight now in the Sinai desert. Rubbish. This is the other side of the 'golden coin' that tourism brings to the area, with more and more rubbish just being dumped in open areas and that inevitably means more and more of these plastic bags escaping from the open rubbish dumps. It has become an all too common sight now, plastic bags rolling across the desert sands in the wind, like tumble weed. Here, you can see where they have all been caught like butterflies on a net, on the perimeter fence near to the airport. Another side effect of the rubbish dumps that is insect related, is the massive increase in flies, as the rubbish dumps become huge breeding grounds and all the flies inevitably end up plaguing the surrounding desert Bedouin areas, as they look for places to feed. Delightful. Various different experiments at fly control was witnessed during my time there. The most simple fly collector seen was a plastic bag (recycled!) opened up and spread out on the ground with stones and sugar diluted in water sprinkled on it that somehow attracted the flies and they all got stuck on it. The most bizarre fly related 'object' I saw instead, was also plastic bag related, with transparent plastic bags filled with water hung up inside a Bedouin cafe which reflected light to apparently confuse them and send them elsewhere. The theory was that they didn't like the look of their own reflection. Or maybe it was the sunshine glinting, like mirrors. Somehow the bags looked like they should have had goldfish in them, but they didn't. Anyhow, they worked.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• desert
• environment

[dubranec]

It looks just horrible.

[liliaaaaaaaa]

Thanks for your concern - I would like to make a project about it -

[liliaaaaaaaa]

i didn't clear up any rubbish here. there was too much and it was the other side of the fence also.

but i did clear some from the mountains near where I was staying.

Ironically.

The reason that I was walking alongside this particular fence in the desert, was because I had seen some 'white' in the mountains and wanted to check it out, thinking that it was 'quartz' or some special white stone. I got there, and instead, it was more plastic bag rubbish!

[sjorsie23]

realy cool when youre high

[33crafty]

I recycle plastic bags. I make very useful items. If you are serius (sp?) about cleaning it up/ pick them up and ship them to me. They will not wind up in a landfill.

[oregonbeekeepers]

did you clean it all up?